A President isn’t the only one who takes office next January. Whoever wins the White House will bring along an entire staff of cabinet members, advisors and potential judicial nominations.
That said, gay Republican and political science professor Christopher Latimer wants to remind voters why John McCain – who opposed a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage – remains the most dangerous candidate for gay voters.
Writes Latimer:
Even if McCain is not actively hostile toward the LGBT community, his cabinet and judicial appointments could have a far greater impact than opposition to a ban on same-sex marriage.
McCain’s selection of attorney general would be significant. The attorney general is the final arbiter when it comes to pursuing legal discrimination claims. Given McCain’s opposition to adding sexual orientation to the Federal Hate Crimes Bill or the Employment Non-Discrimination Act this could have far reaching effects.
The singular most important difference between a Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton presidency vs. a McCain presidency concerns the Supreme Court. McCain has expressed his disdain for activist judges and has praised President Bush for nominating individuals who strictly interpret the Constitution. This is code for conservative.
Latimer goes on to insist that gays shouldn’t “blindly” follow the Democrats, but GOP members should also remember who’s been good, bad and ugly on social evolution. And, if you ask us, that’s mostly Democrats.
mike
Which is why our only concern right now should be who can beat McCain. Which based on Pennsylvania, is Hillary – like it or not. Swing states that matter = Florida, Ohio, Michigan. Winnner of all those states (even among Democrats) = Hillary
foofyjim
The results of closed primaries offer no insight into how those states will fall in the general election. To suggest otherwise is a canard.
Instead, the divisive manner in which Hillary has run her campaign suggests that a Hillary Clinton presidency will continue the politics of division that prevents us from tackling big issues like education, health care, energy independence, and global climate change.
I wish Obama had more love for us gays, but the larger issues that face our country will be better served by an Obama presidency.
Leland Frances
“Why, ask many Democrats and media commentators, won’t Hillary Rodham Clinton see the long odds against her, put her own ambitions aside, and gracefully embrace Barack Obama as the inevitable Democratic nominee? Here is why: She and Bill Clinton both devoutly believe that Obama’s likely victory is a disaster-in-waiting. Naive Democrats just don’t see it. And a timid, pro-Obama press corps, in their view, won’t tell the story. But Hillary Clinton won’t tell it, either.
A lot of coverage of the Clinton campaign supposes them to be in kitchen-sink mode — hurling every pot and pan, no matter the damage this might do to Obama as the likely Democratic nominee in the fall.
In fact, the Democratic race has not been especially rough by historical standards. What’s more, our conversations with Democrats who speak to the Clintons make plain that their public comments are only the palest version of what they really believe: that if Obama is the nominee, a likely Democratic victory would turn to a near-certain defeat.
Far from a no-holds-barred affair, the Democratic contest has been an exercise in self-censorship.
Rip off the duct tape and here is what they would say: Obama has serious problems with Jewish voters (goodbye Florida), working-class whites (goodbye Ohio) and Hispanics (goodbye, New Mexico).
Republicans will also ruthlessly exploit openings that Clinton — in the genteel confines of an intraparty contest — never could. …
There’s nothing to say that the Clintonites are right about Obama’s presumed vulnerabilities. But one argument seems indisputably true: Obama is on the brink of the Democratic nomination without having had to confront head-on the evidence about his general election challenges. That is why some friends describe Clinton as seeing herself on a mission to save Democrats from themselves. Her candidacy may be a long shot, but no one should expect she will end it unless or until every last door has been shut.
Skepticism about Obama’s general election prospects extends beyond Clinton backers. We spoke to unaffiliated Democratic lawmakers, veteran lobbyists, and campaign operatives who believe the rush of enthusiasm for Obama’s charisma and fresh face has inhibited sober appraisals of his potential weaknesses.†– Politico, April 18th
But the ship [whether or not one recognizes it as a Swift Boating of the Clintons by the Obama Borg as racists] has probably sailed and we’ll know in a few months whether Obama is an Admiral of Change or Gilligan.
leomoore
Either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will be fine as president at least based on my viewpoint. As for electability, I think Hillary will make the better campaigner against McCain. She might be attacking Obama now, but think how she could shred McCain once she trained her sights on him. My main concern with Obama is his habit of giving cerebral answers the same way Gore and Kerry did. That didn’t work out all that well. If you won’t to make McCain implode have someone who won’t be gentle about it.
He’s a phony from a past when girls still wore petticoats to school and basketball players wore Keds because Nike, Reebox, and Adidas didn’t exist. I think he’s still pissed his first wife divorced him for cheating on her after he returned from Hanoi.