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Donald Trump’s More Accepting Views on Gay Issues Set Him Apart in G.O.P.
New York Times ^ | April 22, 2016 | MAGGIE HABERMAN

Posted on 04/22/2016 3:33:11 AM PDT by reaganaut1

...

His history with the gay community is a long one. He donated to charities focused on the AIDS crisis in the late 1980s and early ’90s. In 2000, when he briefly considered running for president, he gave an interview to The Advocate, a gay magazine, in which he supported amending the 1964 Civil Rights Act to “include a ban of discrimination based on sexual orientation.”

“It would be simple. It would be straightforward,” Mr. Trump said in the interview, adding, “It’s only fair.”

Sixteen years later, gay rights advocates are still trying to persuade Congress to pass a similar measure, but they have struggled to win support, especially from Republicans. The last Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, opposed similar legislation in 2012.

Mr. Trump declined to be interviewed for this article.

His ease with gay people does not seem to be the result of deep soul searching, but, rather, the product of the Manhattan social and political world he has inhabited the past five decades.

“I live in New York. I know many, many gay people. Tremendous people,” Mr. Trump said in an interview in 2011.

He has been playful at times, such as in 2000, when he and Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani appeared in a skit for a political roast, during which Mr. Trump nuzzled and caressed the mayor, who was dressed in drag.

Friends say he also views gay rights through the lens of a bottom line-minded businessman.

“His key concern is, Are you capable and able to do the job I hired you for? And if you are, very little else matters,” said Abe Wallach, an openly gay executive at the Trump Organization in the 1990s.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 17gopcandidates; 17imperfecttrumps; giuliani; homosexualagenda; homosexuals; lessperfectthan16; mediachosetrump; milquetoast; nyvalues; rudy; toast; trump; trump5point0; trumpakbar; trumpbaggage; trumpevolves; trumpmilquetoast; trumptoast; trumptrojan4hillary; trumpvalues; yugedisaster
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To: Brilliant

There is also the fact that, on average, ladies inappropriately approached are less likely to separate the perv’s teeth from their gums than are similarly outraged men.


81 posted on 04/22/2016 6:37:51 AM PDT by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Society: Rack 'em Danno!)
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To: reaganaut1
New York Times sees a golden opportunity to help derail Trump with conservatives, and get to a squishy (and more beatable) Kasich or Ryan on that 2nd ballot.

Don't fall for it.

82 posted on 04/22/2016 6:38:17 AM PDT by montag813
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To: nclaurel

Good points. We (and our children at school) are already sharing public restrooms with homosexuals, whether we like it or not. There is no remedy for it that; no matter how homophobic we may be, we simply must accept that as a reality when we choose to use a public rest room.

This transgender thing is no different, really, unless (as one FReeper noted) we want to have police standing guard to check for gonads, and even that wouldn’t work in some cases.

On a more general note, as we are constantly bombarded with these “Donald Trump is not a conservative” threads, I have been asking myself the following question:

Is the issue really something a POTUS has power over, and on which we really need to know a candidate’s position? Or, is it just another easy pot shot question that leftists ask of Republican candidates only, knowing it will put them in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” position?

This bathroom question is clearly the latter, and I think Trump’s answer was just fine. It shows he’s not a complete idiot.


83 posted on 04/22/2016 6:38:45 AM PDT by enumerated
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To: manc

Haha I was just saying that.

Honestly, though, I liked Rick Santorum 4 years ago because he was a social conservative unapologetically. He also was strong on the border and had a more populist view towards jobs and trade. He was beaten in the media for it, and it probably contributed to his primary loss (that and the establishment backing Romney), but he stuck by his principles.

Unfortunately, even though I would have voted for him in the primary again if he had a chance, the media would have massacred him in the general next to Hillary. They’ll do that to any social conservative. I’m not saying we should elect a moderate to win. We have to get better at defending our principles and dealing with the media. The democrats never compromise their principles. They don’t try to come to the right on social issues for the general.

My wish is that Trump could take his attitude where he is willing to say the unpopular thing regardless like he does with Muslims, immigration, etc. and stick up for socially conservative issues. I am still conflicted if he doesn’t know the right thing to say and is actually afraid of the media spin or if he’s just leaning socially liberal. I think it’s some of both. I do believe him that he’ll appoint pro-life justices to the Supreme Court, but I don’t think he’ll be a cheerleader or big supporter of socially conservative issues like a guy like Santorum, Huckabee, even Cruz (although I disagree with him on abortion and gay marriage being state decisions) would be.

He’s going to be our nominee, though, I think. I have supported him. I think he’ll do a great job on jobs, trade, and immigration, and I guess if we can get the pro-life judges on the Supreme Court, that will help the pro-life movement significantly.


84 posted on 04/22/2016 6:47:08 AM PDT by Pinkbell (Liberal tolerance only extends to people they agree with.)
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To: Night Hides Not

I’ll go Galt as well. We have to give Trump a chance. We know what Shillery will do.


85 posted on 04/22/2016 6:47:12 AM PDT by New Jersey Realist (Home of the Free Because of the Brave)
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To: New Jersey Realist
Thanks for your service.

I pulled everything off my home page a few weeks ago.

86 posted on 04/22/2016 6:52:53 AM PDT by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Mississippi! My vote is going to Cruz.)
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To: reaganaut1

I’d say Trumps being honest. Most of these R’s just pandering to their constituents, like they do on abortion, and laughable that any meaningful legislation coming from them.


87 posted on 04/22/2016 6:53:29 AM PDT by QuigleyDU
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To: enumerated
Is the issue really something a POTUS has power over, and on which we really need to know a candidate’s position?

The total number of actual transsexuals in the US probably numbers in the thousands. Most of us here have probably never had to even see, much less interact with a transexual in our entire lives. How this completely marginal topic became THE most important and pressing political question of the year for obsessives on both sides of the aisle is a testament to how much fuss over basically nothing the media can make.

America is being de-industrialized and we're invaded by millions of Third World people. Those are much bigger problems than the unlikely prospect of having a guy wearing a dress and a wig walk past you in a restaurant bathroom.

88 posted on 04/22/2016 6:54:44 AM PDT by ek_hornbeck
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To: reaganaut1

Politically I am first and foremost a social conservative. I am actually not as picky as most people think, though. Each election cycle I would pull the lever for most of the candidates running. The problem is that the GOP always chooses one of the few that I cannot vote for. They did it in 2012 with Romney, so I voted third party. It looks like they are going to do it again in 2016 with Trump. I am not alone. There are millions like me. Doesn’t seem to matter. The Republican Party doesn’t seem to care about those like me. Therefore: likewise.


89 posted on 04/22/2016 7:01:35 AM PDT by Engraved-on-His-hands (Conservative 2016!! The Dole, H.W. Bush, McCain, Romney experiment has failed.)
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To: kjam22; Howie66
I do give Trump credit though. He was spot on when he said that he could commit murder on Fifth Avenue and not lose a single vote.

Have you seen the people on 5th Avenue during rush hour? Fire away! Welcome to New York humor, hayseeds :P

90 posted on 04/22/2016 7:06:11 AM PDT by Trumpinator ("Are you Batman?" the boy asked. "I am Batman," Trump said.)
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To: Trumpinator

I have seen them. Wife and I spent 8 vacation days in Manhattan a few years ago. We also own a ranch in SE Oklahoma. Cows, barns, house, shop, Polaris Ranger, ponds, river, pasture, trees, etc. I know where I would rather live.... Okay.... I’m a hayseed :)


91 posted on 04/22/2016 7:13:57 AM PDT by kjam22 (America need forgiveness from God..... even if Donald Trump doesn't)
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To: reaganaut1
But he'll keep our country white.

After all . . . priorities! [/sarcasm]

92 posted on 04/22/2016 7:16:12 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (The "end of history" will be worldwide Judaic Theocracy.)
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To: reaganaut1
...Set Him Apart in G.O.P.

Just add it to the list.

93 posted on 04/22/2016 7:16:17 AM PDT by kinsman redeemer (The real enemy seeks to devour what is good.)
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To: Pinkbell

Agreed


94 posted on 04/22/2016 7:19:49 AM PDT by manc (Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
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To: nclaurel
It's not so much about "perverts" as in trannies. It's more about a parolee waiting in your bathroom to kick your stall door in to rape you or your daughters. Now they can wait at their leisure answering any complaints that they are just gender confused until they find their victim. They most likely won't look like Catlyn Jenner as they wait in your bathroom. If they like what they see, they will use the stall for privacy to commit their crime or remove you completely from the bathroom to take you to another location.

The point is, men in women's bathrooms is an insane idea.

And what about the "true" trannie that dresses like a woman, and looks very much female? What if he decides your 9 year old is his cup of tea? This law has NAMBLA written all over it.

And finally, this is so stupid on it's face that one doesn't have to be a crazy right wing fundamentalist Christian conservative to see the idiocy of such a law. Anyone that approves of this stupid law has been beaten down into thinking they are fascists if they don't let it happen. Remember Lot sat at the Gate of Sodom and watched what went on day after day never thinking to get out of there. Common sense is NOT bigotry.

95 posted on 04/22/2016 7:23:19 AM PDT by chuckles
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To: highball

Given a choice between Cruz and Trump, I would prefer Cruz in the White House. But I do not believe he has the personality to beat Hillary. Too dogmatic and studious. Trump is aggressive and bombastic enough to blow her out of the water using hr own tactics and his populist version of conservatism is drawing more people into the GOP sphere.

The economy is in bad shape, jobs have been lost, and a good part of this has been due to flawed trade agreements. I think Trump wil fix that.

Another part of it has been idiotic liberal rules and regulations generated by Congress, the Federal Agencies and radical environmental groups and the Unions. Hopefully he addesses those issues also.

One of the things I like about Trump is his unabashed and aggressive NATIONALISM. Its REFRESHING to see a Presidential caanidate who is not running for President of the World.

The OTHER is, his apparent ability to change his position on issues in the face of new information. He did with abortion and Second Amendment rights, among others.

If he winds up in the White House, I hope Cruz winds up on SCOTUS.


96 posted on 04/22/2016 7:26:40 AM PDT by ZULU (Trump is the answer. The Establishment is the problem.)
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To: Pinkbell

I liked Santorum a lot, although I don’t think a purist conservative can get very far in politics today by speaking the unvarnished truth. It’s not a critism of the man; actually, it’s a compliment.

Reagan was extremely nimble, clever and articulate, and he had an unparalleled ability to satisfy opposing factions simultaneously. That was 35 years ago - today it’s even tougher for the candidate who wants to speak the unvarnished conservative truth. Such a candidate can’t even win the nomination because even his fellow conservatives know he has no chance at winning the general election.

I was surprised however, in one of the early “kiddie” debates, when Santorum lectured his fellow candidates, saying that he couldn’t for the life of him understand why they wouldn’t want to help blue collar workers by raising the minimum wage.

Huh? Does he not know what conservatives know, that the minimum wage causes unemployment among low skilled workers by setting the price of labor (wages) above the market price for their skill level, thereby pricing them out of the market? Or was he simply pandering to union workers? Or what? I found that comment confusing, coming from one of the “unvarnished truth” conservatives.

In any case, Trump is a hard politician to figure out - I wouldn’t call him at all nimble or articulate, yet he seems to be able to say politically incorrect things, navigate past the reefs and come out unscathed, time after time.

I actually think he can win this thing. I actually think he’ll govern as a fairly conservative POTUS. I know he’ll be tons better than the Godless Marxists (as Jim calls them) on the Democrat side. I feel very good about voting for Trump, both Tuesday (PA), and then again in November.

Go Trump!


97 posted on 04/22/2016 7:27:47 AM PDT by enumerated
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To: ZULU

Another part of it has been idiotic liberal rules and regulations generated by Congress, the Federal Agencies and radical environmental groups and the Unions. Hopefully he addesses those issues also.

Forgot to include onerous taxes which create a disincentive to do business here. They need to be reduced.


98 posted on 04/22/2016 7:28:19 AM PDT by ZULU (Trump is the answer. The Establishment is the problem.)
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To: stormhill

Yikes!!!! Prepare for the ZOT.

Some people here can’t handle the truth.

Thanks for speaking it!


99 posted on 04/22/2016 7:37:27 AM PDT by mrpotatohead
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To: reaganaut1

It sets him apart because he is a dimocrap.


100 posted on 04/22/2016 7:40:28 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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