The gays love Hillary Clinton. But, as we’ve already heard, she’s adamantly against gay marriage.
Sure, she may have winked and nodded at the HRC forum, leading some to believe she’s just playing politics, but in Sean Kennedy’s stellar interview over at The Advocate, Clinton keeps it real: gay marriage ain’t gonna happen overnight. And most probably not on her watch.
The Senator from New York, however, does intend to keep fighting to dismantle her husband’s discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
I’m certainly going to continue to push forward. But again, I can’t guarantee that the negative feedback will go away. The president is not a king, despite George Bush’s efforts to be one…and don’t forget, there’s another set of agenda items too. We’ve got ENDA and hate crimes.
If elected president, Clinton insists she’ll do her best to get these – the most realistic – bills passed. She can’t, however, make any guarantees…
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
I cannot promise results. I can only promise my best effort. I can only promise to do everything that I can do to make the case, to put together the political majority, to take the message to the country, and I will do that. But there are no guarantees in life or politics.
Kennedy, who describes the Clintons as his first love, goes on to ask Clinton if she promises to sign the bills. And, of course, she does: “Absolutely, because as president I would be trying to get them to my desk. That’s the whole point!”
Aside from the political side of Clinton’s campaign, the politico also reminds Kennedy of the tremendous growth of the gay rights movement:
The gay rights movement has been unbelievably successful over a relatively short period of time. I know that if you’re in the midst of it, you see the failures to move forward, not how much forward motion has occurred. The lesson is to keep going, don’t give up. Know that you’re laying the groundwork for people being more understanding and accepting. But just keep going.
Reading through Kennedy’s piece, it becomes clear that Clinton’s emotionally and personally invested in the struggle for gay rights. And, quite frankly, that may be more important than grasping at political straws like gay marriage.
What’s more, Clinton points out that getting a woman in office – and, by the same logic, a black man – voters can help change the face of American politics:
For too long the right wing has tried to pit marginalized groups against marginalized groups and basically have a zero-sum game in American political life. And if I can break this barrier, I think it really lets the energy come out. People will feel that there’s a greater inclusion — and that they’re a part of that inclusion.
That may be important than pink wedding bells…
[PS: Kennedy’s got some balls to ask Clinton what she thinks about all those gay rumors.]
nyboytrbl
WIOW! That cover looks terrific. Go Hill!!!
nyboytrbl
WOW! That cover looks terrific. Go Hill!!!
ProfessorVP
The gay rights movement successful, says Hill? Sure, especially having to fight the Defense of Marriage Act and Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell. Y’know, the two most anti-gay pieces of legislation ever… what you and Bill gave us to court favor with red state rubes. Sure didn’t work, did it?
Does “impeachment” ring a bell?
Hillary, get ready to be questioned about your lesbianism, real or imagined, 24/7 if you get the nomination.
hephaestion
The simple fact is this: No candidate can be elected right now if they endorse gay marriage. PERIOD. Even a candidate who wants gay equality can NOT say so if they want to be elected. Pure and simple. America is not there yet.
However, if America GETS there and demands gay marriage equality, would Hilary stand in the way? Hell no. Would a Republican president? Hell, yes. Look at Schwarzeneggar as he vetoes the gay marriage equality passed by the California legislature. No Democrat would EVER do that.
ProfessorVP
Great campaign slogan for Our Hillary. “Hillary: She Won’t Stand in the Way.”
Listen, if we can suspend reality for just a moment and envisioned a leading Democrat with enough balls to address the issue head-on and explain why same-sex marriage (not the misnomer gay marriage) won’t make the sky fall, won’t stop straights from procreating, and won’t turn kids gay, then that person can get elected. If you explain to rubes, in small words, why they needn’t be afraid, you can tip the scales. If you don’t even try, of course, then you won’t.
Bill Perdue
In politics, as in poker and in bed, it’s vital to keep a clear head. If we actually look at the Clinton’s record we’ll find it’s against equality. DOMA and DADT are antigay bills. To be fair, and damning, the Clintons’ aren’t poles apart from other Democrats or Republican policymakers.
And that, I believe, is the point. They’re all our opponents. Some, like Sam Brownback are enemies to the death. Some like Romney and the Clintons will court our votes one year and cynically stab us in the back the next. Why on earth should we have to choose between the rock and the hard place?
Being clear headed means we have to be alert and avoid projecting our feelings and goals onto candidates. In the hustle and bustle of getting votes, as they mug the blind and fleece the suckers, candidates will say any damn thing you want to hear. They’ll make goo goo eyes at you, kiss babies, and dance on the head of a pin if you ask them too because want votes.
Once they get them they change. They take meetings with big business, with cardinals and Billy Graham, and those mysterious briefcases with big bucks begin to appear and next thing you know, you’ve been shoved onto the third rail. It’s the oldest story in American politics.
Instead of voting for foes, vote for leftwing parties, or independent African American or Latino candidates, or join and build the only party founded and led by trade unions, the US Labor Party.
ProfessorVP
Perdue, you are right on the money. Some people project their own naive thoughts into the Clintons, and when you show them the evidence, like DOMA and DADT, they get all misty-eyed. “Oh, but the Republicans MADE them do it. Oh, but in their HEARTS, they’re really on our side. Oh, but the AMERICAN PEOPLE aren’t ready for equality yet… darn American people!” Sheesh, what innocence. Like a Shirley Temple film festival.
GuyStyle
I have to say, I was elated when I got this in the mail today! The photo of Hillary is absolutely glorious. She definitely looks like a winning candidate.
However, while the article is interesting (to the credit of Kennedy), it’s short on words that actually come from Hillary. This makes me think that the interview either was five minutes long, or she didn’t say much worth quoting. What a disappointment.
Kennedy’s presentation of the candidate is thoughtful, though it comes down to this: Hillary Clinton is clearly a provocative, convincing presidential candidate–but is she good for us? The conclusion is disconcerting, as Kennedy says, yes, let’s trust Clinton…on faith.
Sigh. If only someone could give us more.
ajbagz43
i must say that she looks great on the cover.
i must also say that referring to her as “adamantly against gay marriage” is not only being dramatic, but being misleading as well. she has been quoted several times as saying that it’s a personal issue for her and that she believes that the country is not quite ready yet. with amendments being passed in numerous states banning same-sex marriage, it is hard to argue otherwise.
just because she doesn’t think the country is ready doesn’t mean that she herself is not.
but seriously though…can you imagine a person like hillary, one of the world’s biggest supporters of international human rights, not wanting equal marriage rights for all?
i guess that’s your choice, but i think she thinks like many americans. every disenfranchised group must gain their civil liberties in strides. history repeates itself people, let’s not let our pride and passion get the way of our reality.
Gregg
Why why why why why are people not talking about one simple thing – – she is UNELECTABLE! Oh my lord. None of this matters. She will never be in the White House, nor will Obama. Wake up. Look at the middle of this country and the people who vote. A divisive woman? An inexperienced black man? Seriously? You think this is a winning candidate?
Get real. If we want real representation, we need to look at this with open eyes. This is the country that elected Bush. Twice. Doesn’t that tell you something?
Pretty pictures don’t win elections.
scooterzz
gregg—This is the country that elected Bush. Twice. Doesn’t that tell you something?
twice?!?….you’re kidding, right?…if you’re not, it does, indeed, tell me something…..
ProfessorVP
Scooterzz, I believe that you mean Gregg’s believing Bush was really elected twice tells you something about Scooterzz, am I right?
ProfessorVP
Oooops, got it backwards. Let’s start again…
Scooters, I believe that you mean Gregg’s believing Bush was really elected twice tells you something about Gregg, am I right?
dfrw
I don’t like her and I won’t give her any money, but I will vote for her if she’s on the national ticket. I’ll never vote for a Republican politician. I get queasy just being close to them…and they’re everywhere. 🙂
Paul Raposo
Thank you, ProfessorVP, you wrote everything I was thinking.
rock
Bill Perdue and Professor VP said it perfectly.
I trust Hillary Clinton not at all. I look at the Clinton record (and she is also running on Bill Clinton’s record, which she brings up all the time as being part of her record) and the Clintons screwed us over big time with DOMA (which in effect has resulted in bans on same sex marriage and Massachussetts same sex marriage laws thus don’t get full faith and credit of every other state the way heterosexual marriage does in all 50 states) and screwed us over on DADT and Hillary Clinton gives us lip service on DADT….since she knows full well that it will take Congressional action to repeal DADT and its not likely that will happen and if she is elected, we will get the old tired line that there are too many other pressing national issues so that one will have to wait (and that is pure bullshit since there is no more pressing national interest then a strong national defense where the military is throwing out (pardon the pun) Gays in the military while accepting criminals to meet quotas and throwing out translators because they are Gay.
I have zero tolerance for Shillary Clinton’s bullshit…so lets see she has has said that she suddenly believes in “states rights” when it comes to same sex marriage but not when it comes to racial discrimination..so let’s see if you are Gay get back to the back of the bus until she says come on up or better yet, get under the bus because she is going to run our rights over and she stomps on us but take our votes and money with a smile…and say “well see, I gave interviews to the Advocate” so vote for me..
I hope we aren’t that stupid and gullible.
ProfessorVP
Rock: “I hope we aren’t that stupid and gullible.”
Hillary: “I hope you are.”
SeaFlood
But Gregg… they elected an inexperienced white man… … er… men?… er man — the rest *are* questionable, but we are pretty certain about Bush, Jr.
confused and conserned
i think that hilary clinton has no right to judge gay marrige people are all treated the same like martin luther king said i have a dream that ine day white people and black people can walk by each other and say hello to them in this case it should be i have a dream that gay men and straght men will gorw to be fond of each other she is not allowed to judge people of america that is wrong!p.s dont vote for clinton!
Gary
I don’t understand what everyone’s talking about. This article fails to mention that though, she might not support nationalized gay marriage rights, she does support states choice as well as civil unions with the same benefits as gay marriage.
In order to achieve our big goal of equal marriage rights, we, as a community need to be willing to accept the baby steps that pave the way.
It’s easy to blame her considering her husband did in fact sign the bill to enforce “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, but even she admits that she doesn’t support this and believes in equal rights for all citizens.
Hillary Clinton also voted against the ban on same-sex marriage, as well as equal rights for gay adoption. She also speaks out about gay hate crime and proves to be tough on hate crimes for all “minorities”.
In addition to all this, she’s written the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which widens availability to vital treatment options for low-income individuals living with HIV.
You can choose to believe what the mainstream media shoves down our throats, or you can always look up your politicians stands on common voting issues. I choose to keep my eyes open and see that someone with these experiences and support for our gay community deserves the position of president more than someone with little experience or knowledge on these and other vital domestic and international issues.