Plenty of furor over discriminatory laws now in place gets aimed at President Bill Clinton — and rightly so, since he helped enact some of them. The Defense of Marriage Act. Don't Ask Don't Tell. They received his signature to become the rule of the land. Now eight years and a going into a third presidential term out of the White House, where does Clinton stand on these "controversial" issues?
When it comes to same-sex marriage, Clinton says his viewpoint is "evolving" and that as he meets more gay people, he's increasingly led to believe their relationships "should be up to them."
That's what he told an audience in Toronto, where he shared a stage with his successor George W. Bush. And as for Don't Ask Don't Tell, the "compromise" Clinton agreed to in order to let gays serve in the military (just not openly)? "I think that time will lead to a repeal of this ban."
In case you were wondering whether Bush's beliefs have also, ahem, evolved, the answer is, flatly, no: "I happen to believe marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman, and therefore defended it and still believe that." But: "There’s ways to establish rights while at the same time defending marriage."
And as for gays in the military? Bush: "President Clinton handled it the right way."
Looks like Chelsea has made more in-roads on the parental units than Barbara and Jenna.
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Is anyone else a little disturbed that these guys are doing a $150K a pop road show?
I could care less what cheater Bill thinks about gays. When he went into office, he sent the gay movement back 10 years. My view of him evolves every time he opens his mouth.
His heterosexual-superiority complex is the depth of irony!
While he was "marrying" Monica's mouth in our White House, he also abused our community as a smokescreen and scapegoat!
So now he's being paid huge bucks to say he's "evolving" on our marriage, how completely rich he is.
@Name Required!:
Clinton comments were stupid and indefensible as was agreeing to help put money in this unindicted war criminal's pocket.
But that doesn't change the fact that you managed one self contradiction and one total distortion of history in just three sentences.
Clinton was wrong to sign the DADT and DOMA bills but refusing would have been only a symbolic victory, over the moment Congress overrode him. The bills themselves, far from their legend as the legislative equivalent of AIDS actually changed NOTHING of substance.
Could gays serve in the military before DADT? Answer: NO. Could gays get federal married benefits before DOMA? Answer: NO. Does DOMA prevent states from recognizing marriage equality? Answer: NO. If it did, how would five states have legalized it, and more on the way?
Who tried to end the ban on gays in the military? Answer: Clinton.
Who's now defending DADT discharges in court? Answer: Obama.
Who was the first President to fill his admin with out gays? Answer: Clinton.
Who stole his list? Answer: Obama.
Who issued an executive order protecting gay federal civilian employees from discrimination? Answer: Clinton.
Who appointed the first gay federal judges? Answer: Clinton.
Who appointed the first gay US Ambassador & US Envoy? Answer: Clinton.
Who "supports" ENDA and hate crime legistation? Answer: Clinton & Obama.
Who briefly let DOMA commercials run? Answer: Clinton.
Who spent a year running for US Senate and 2 years running for President while condemning marriage equality because "I'm a Christian" and "God is in the mix? Answer: Obama.
Whose condemnation of marriage equality in the name of God at the mega homohate cesspool er church of Rick "Gay = Pedophilia" Warren was recorded and used in successful robocalls to pass Prop H8TE? Answer: Obama.
Who personally recorded NOOOOOO on Prop H8TE robocalls? Answer: Clinton.
Who declared June "Gay Pride Month" while President? Answer: Clinton.
Paging Pres. Obama. President Obama, the Lavender Phone.
That sound you hear is the approaching thundering hooves of those who were totally brainwashed by the Obama campaign's dishonest demonization of Clinton's WHOLE record on gay rights in order to elect the Great Promise Maker.
How's that working out for ya?
Hey, Micahel–
Love the fact that you deride Clinton's failure to veto DADT and DOMA as only symbolic, then wax on for paragraphs about Clinton's symbolic gestures in favor of gay equality.
And, again, the biggest problem with Clinton now is that he gave Obama the strategy he is following on gay issues: promise, delay, betray.
Funny how you hate this guy for being exactly like your hero.
Why did no-one throw shoes at the bastards???
or rotten eggs?
@Lee: you probably work at the Clinton foundation, right? Clinton could've vetoed DOMA. He was (is?) such a great speaker – he could've swayed public opinion on why DOMA was such a bad idea. Congress did not have the 2/3 votes needed to override his veto.
@Lee: Very good points and very true!
Today is June 1st so President Obama still has time to declare June "Gay Equality Month", honoring 40 years June 28th since the Stonewall riots! Should we start holding our breath now?
Blah blah make stuff up blah blah claim I said things I didn't blah blah fruits equating apples with oranges blah blah.
Bottom line: While it's not, every bad thing ever said about Bill Clinton could be true and it would not change the fact that Obama is the President now and you have to be desperate if you're only way to defend him is to say, "Well, he's not as bad as fill in the blank."
During Obama's run for the Presidency he quoted Harry Truman's line and sign "The buck stops here" which used to sit on the desk he now uses.
He at least gets that. Funny how the Obamoonies [who are still trying to swallow that he hired MRS. Satan] refuse to.
@Landon Bryce: Yeah, since Clinton's GLBT resume reads largely like a list of symbolic victories, why couldn't a veto of DADT and DOMA be apart of them?
It's because Clinton was a triangulating coward who lost his backbone, shifted to the right and decided we could be of better use as a tool to polish up on his moderate DLC credentials. He was happy to sign both pieces of legislation.
The Clintonista revisionist excuse of "But they'd override it anyway" is laughable.
@Michael W.: I agree with you Michael, I would have settled for a symbolic gesture of a veto on DOMA. He signed it and there was print and radio advertising with his name attached to DOMA which did so much damage, particularly with the African-American community that will take a lot of time to erase. (sorry for the fragmented sentence)
@Lee: Look, obvi you love Clinton, and there is a lot to love about Wilie. But the fact is that DOMA denies gays right, right now. People married in those 5 states are explicitly discriminated against not by accident but by the intent of the bill. Also, the full faith and credit clause would almost certainly require recognition by other states. If that doesn't warrant a "symbolic" veto to express one's opposition, your standards are a little low.
Similarly, your post shows your unobjective dislike for POTUS. Barack has only been President for a few months, and he's rolled out a major policy push nearly every week. It's not like he's sitting on his hands, and if he hasn't gotten around to us, a thinking 'mo might want to take a deep breath and have some patience, especially in light of the rumors about a policy roll out before the Stonewall anniversary. On July 29, if nothing has happened, I'll take a big step towards your side. But right now maybe we can give Obama the same benefit of the doubt you're obviously giving Clinton, unless you arbitrarily don't like him for some reason that none of us could ever guess, or you're just bitter that he beat your girl in the primary.
@Alex: Wasting your breathe. People idolize politicians rarely are able to step away from their emotional attachment long enough to see how much they are pouring themselves into the wrong thing. If Lee spent half those emotions actually supporting gay rights as he does defending Clinton, how far would we be? I say the same about Obama supporters, Bush supporters, etc. They all the same. Cult followers looking to be saved rather than to think for themselves.
@Name Required!: don't you mean "devolve?" I think less and less of the man. I wish I could forget him altogether. Being ignored is a fate he richly deserves.
I stand by my documentation and deconstruction of FACTS over anyone's EMOTIONAL SPIN. I "love" them, not politicians.
PROVE otherwise, please. And, no, namecalling doesn't count.
There are times when, in the absence of empirical facts, one only has opinion but mine are no less valid than anyone else's simply because they're different.
That my skepticism of Obama is extremely high is BASED ON the history of CLINTON always escapes those who can only read through the smudged glasses of THEIR idolizaton of the one or demonization of the other.
Nevertheless, once he had the nomination I donated to Obama's campaign, campaigned and voted for him. And I will defend him in fact and opinion when applicable.
For instance, many are misinterpreting recent remarks about marriage by Dick Cheney to suggest that he is "more progressive" or "better than" Obama on this.
That is total nonsense. If I "hated" Obama would I readily admit that?
I never forgave Clinton for Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He then added insult to injury with DOMA. How nice that his position has "evolved."
So let me get this straight. Both Bush and Obama think that LGBT should be denied the right to marry because they both think that "God in the mix…." LOL. Bush meet Obama. Same shit, different pile, same stench of bigotry. Now call me a racist.
Good lord, buy a clue. Bill Clinton never liked DOMA or DADT. It was all part of a more conservative climate he was operating in and he felt he had to win a second term. Now that the the center is moving more to the left, he clearly feels he can begin to say what he really thinks– as long as it won't interfere with the Obama Administration.
zip it bill