03/05/2007
Hillary Clinton Addresses HRC; Promises "Partnership" with Gays
Senator Hillary Clinton spoke to a group of 500 Human Rights Campaign volunteers on Friday in an unpublicized appearance. See video above.
She told the group: "I want you to know that this is exactly the kind of partnership we will have when I am president. I want you to know that just as you always have an open door to my senate office, you will always have an open door to the White House and together we can continue this journey."
Clinton also said that the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, instituted by her husband, needs to go: "This policy doesn't just hurt gays and lesbians. It hurts all of our troops and this to me is a matter of national security and we're going to fix it. Because we know our nation is stronger when our best men and women can be permitted to serve if that is the choice they want to make."
HRC has not yet endorsed a candidate, but announced on their website that they had also invited Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Rudy Giuliani to speak to the group, but the three had declined based on scheduling conflicts.
Posted 12:51 PM EST by Andy Towle in Democratic Party, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, Military, News | Permalink
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I'm sorry. When I look at Hillary, I think "Hypocrit". Chelsea could become a card-carrying lesbian with her folks standing next to her while she gets married, and I still would not trust what this woman has to say about anything.
And don't get me wrong, I have always voted democrat. I just don't trust Hillary.
Posted by: Rad | Mar 5, 2007 1:02:10 PM
I believe her.
Posted by: MT | Mar 5, 2007 1:04:25 PM
Rad,
I don't trust her either. There is just something about her and Barack that just does not sit right with me. I really hope a more moderate candidate appears that can unite this country. Haven't we had enough radical liberals and conservatives?
Posted by: Matt | Mar 5, 2007 1:06:21 PM
Congratulations, Matt. Your status as Towleroad's Resident Retarded Child remains unchallenged.
Posted by: Leland | Mar 5, 2007 1:15:18 PM
an unpublicized appearance
So we are good enough for her to come schleping for votes and money but not good enough to be seen with by the general public
Hmmmmmm she is not as much for us as she is for our money and votes
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Mar 5, 2007 1:17:03 PM
If Hilary becomes the Democratic party's nominee for president I will vote for her.
I feel in my heart that she will not do much of anything for LGBT rights in office however. She may even hurt us as we become to her a demographic whose rights she could negotiate away. (After all, of course, with some exceptions, we as a community aren't going to start voting for Republicans.)
Meanwhile, however, I am hoping that the best candidate among the Democratic hopefuls, John Edwards, can go all the way.
I sincerely believe he's the least likely of the democrats to sell us out.
Please consider supporting John Edwards for President.
Posted by: John | Mar 5, 2007 1:17:57 PM
MATT vs. LELAND: Handbags at dawn!
Posted by: PC | Mar 5, 2007 1:18:15 PM
Matt would have us choose from John "Faggot" McCain, Mitt "Faggot" Romney and Rudy "Faggot" Giuliani, all of whom he loves and trusts implicitly.
Nothing about them "sits" badly, they just happen to howl and cheer when a weekend hatefest like CPAC happens and Coulter calls us "Faggots." And all the Republicans cheer the hatemongers.
But Matt will vote for them. Begone! You have no power here.
Posted by: bambambam | Mar 5, 2007 1:19:37 PM
Matt
Hillary and obama = radical left???
LOL
LOL
LOL
Hillary is bush in a dress. She only last month finaly said iraq war was wrong.....after 73% of america said it was wrong months and months and months and months ago......DLC (as vs DNC) = the oligarchy overlords more important than the workers.
Both hillary and obama are one step left of right
I bet you think rush limbaugh is moderate
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 5, 2007 1:20:19 PM
I like Bloomberg. There, I said it. As a New Yorker who benefitted from Guiliani's leadership post-911, I feel he could be overly obstinate.
I don't know that Bloomberg could win, but I still like him.
Ask me again tomorrow, and I'll probably have another answer.
Posted by: Dean | Mar 5, 2007 1:21:33 PM
Senator Clinton's appearance was not some hidden attempt to court the gays, but not been seen with them. She spoke at a meeting for HRC's board and volunteer leadership that included more than 500 people and HRC taped the speech and posted it online.
Complain about Hillary if you will, but she has spoken at a number of LGBT events and the same cannot be said for either Edwards or Obama. I am supporting Obama, but if he wants the LGBT vote he is going to have to seriously step up his outreach game.
Posted by: B;loggernista | Mar 5, 2007 1:23:49 PM
I don't understand why you people get so mad a me. Leland, I am very hurt with you calling me a retarded child. You never want any discussion. I feel a moderate democrat would be Edwards or the Governor from New Mexico, Bill Richardson, who is running.
Bambambam, I will not vote for Romney or McCain. They both have back tracked so many times. I do not know much about Guiliani's platform other than he is pro civil union and pro choice. This is a place for discussion and I will not "begone".
Jimmyboyd,
I think rush is an idiot and everytime I see him on TV I turn him off.
Posted by: Matt | Mar 5, 2007 1:27:21 PM
Dean
bloomberg who personaly tossed a lot of money and a large part of his staff to "Iraq war good and still good...and always will be good, and lets get iran as well" Kis Kiss Bush my love Lier Lier liebermen
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 5, 2007 1:28:14 PM
Dean
bloomberg who personaly tossed a lot of money and a large part of his staff to "Iraq war good and still good...and always will be good, and lets get iran as well" Kis Kiss Bush my love Lier Lier liebermen
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 5, 2007 1:28:15 PM
And how come no one got on Rad case about not liking Hilary?
Posted by: Matt | Mar 5, 2007 1:29:40 PM
Boggg
Unpublicized is Unpublicized.....and why is it Hillary doesn't post recordings of the event on her sites
Don't become an apologist for someone who only cares for your votes and your money but not your rights
Matt, interestingly enough Guilliani is beating McCain in stroll poll of the public by about 14%....polls at the recent conservative action thingAMAJIG (SPELL CHECK lol) though had Romeny polling higher amongst party workers.
It appears the general public is more than willing to embrace Guilliani's pro gay and pro choice platform.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 5, 2007 1:32:13 PM
I have no doubts in my mind she actually is an open-minded person who personally supports gay rights. However, I sadly also have no doubts that she'd be very willing to continue to allow most of the terrible things going on in our community. Maybe she'd throw us a bone with DADT - and don't get me wrong, that would be great in and of itself - but what about DOMA? What about personally supporting and trying to get individual states to pass gay marriage amendments that actually support our rights to marry for once?
At the very least she has to come out strongly in favor of Civil Unions before I'd consider voting for her. That, and she has to apologize for being a war monger on Iraq and promise to get us out of there within her first 6 months of office if we're still there.
Posted by: Ryan | Mar 5, 2007 1:34:32 PM
Bloggernista,
Edwards and Obama could publicly fellate the board of HRC—or even (gasp!) publicly endorse same-sex marriage—and HRC's endorsement would still go to Hill.
HRC's already been bought and paid for. Even if another top-tier Democratic candidate surpasses Hillary on pro-gay pledges, HRC will justify their endorsement of her by saying, "She's may not be the best on our issues but she's a solid ally, and she's the most likely candidate to win the nomination."
Posted by: 24play | Mar 5, 2007 1:35:33 PM
So Jimmyboyd,
Does that mean we agree on something?
To all who have read my post in the past:
Yes, I have typed some stupid ass shit. Let me rephrase. I have typed some hurtful things, ecspecially about the gentleman who died recently. It has come to my attention that even though I am a gay male, I have some issue with hate towards our community that I need to deal with. If anyone has any resources they would like to share to help me figure this out, I would appreciate it. Again I apologize for remarks the were just meant to be incindiary.
Posted by: Matt | Mar 5, 2007 1:38:17 PM
Yes! I agree! I don't like Hillary. Something just seems... wrong... about her. Just... a gut instinct. Perhaps there is just too much baggage left over from her husbands time in the Whitehouse.
Posted by: Rad | Mar 5, 2007 1:38:48 PM
She is opposed to gay marriage. Case closed. How can the organization that is supposed to represent our interests even sit at the table with her?
Posted by: Mitch | Mar 5, 2007 1:39:33 PM
The current powers that be at HRC are majority....log cabin republicans
They want another repub in office so hillary as the dem candidate serves that purpose in that all poll show Hillary polarizes the electorate so much that she would loose the general election.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 5, 2007 1:39:57 PM
Here's the breakdown via Pam's House Blend:
DEMOCRATS
Officially announced (date of announcement)
* Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (Feb. 10, 2007)
-- Marriage: No. Civil unions, yes.
-- DOMA: when he was running for the Senate in 2004 - "I will vote for its repeal on the Senate floor." No word on any change so far on the position.
* Connecticut Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (Jan. 11, 2007)
-- Marriage: No. Civil unions, yes. "I think it ought to happen. To me the country is way ahead of us on these issues. I think the American people are there."
-- DOMA: For amending or repeal.
* Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards (Dec. 28, 2006)
-- Marriage: Nope (it's a jump for me to get to gay marriage. I haven't yet got across that bridge). Civil unions, yes (Civil unions? Yes. Partnership benefits? Yes).
-- DOMA: no answer so far.
* Ohio Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (Dec. 12, 2006)
-- Marriage: on the record for full marriage equality
-- DOMA: it's assumed Kucinich would want DOMA amended/repealed if CUs are on the table.
* Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (dropped out Feb. 23, 2007)
* Former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel (April 17, 2006)
-- Marriage: for full marriage equality (we heard directly from his press sec Alex Colvin here on the Blend)
-- DOMA: for repeal/amendment of DOMA
Established exploratory committee (date of filing with the Federal Election Commission)
* Delaware Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Jan. 31, 2007).
-- Marriage: Wishy-washy. He feels marriage is "inevitable," and that committed couples are "entitled to any fewer rights than any other American." Getting there [marriage equality] will "be an incredibly difficult thing for America to grapple with."
-- DOMA: He voted for it in 1996; hasn't commented on his position today.
* New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (Jan. 21, 2007)
-- Marriage: Nope. "on the issue of gay marriage, I'm just not there. I want to be honest."
-- DOMA: He voted for it in 1996, and stated in Feb 2007 that he still stands by that vote now.
* New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (Jan. 20, 2007)
-- Marriage: Nope. It's between a man and a woman. She's taken the standard civil unions position ("I believe in full equality of benefits, nothing left out...From my perspective there is a greater likelihood of us getting to that point in civil unions or domestic partnerships and that is my very considered assessment.")
-- DOMA: No position taken so far on amending or repeal.
ONLY Ohio Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel have come out publicly in support of our equality. Still, I'd vote for Clinton or Obama over a Republican any day. A lesser of two evils.
Posted by: John | Mar 5, 2007 1:40:52 PM
Matt
:-)
I would gladly accept Guilliani if we can't get a good liberal dem in office.
:-)
So it appears we can find some common gound possibly. Buy me a beer or 2 and you might find me even more amicable to agreeing with you
:-)
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Mar 5, 2007 1:41:59 PM
I dont trust her at all.
Posted by: Billy Carter | Mar 5, 2007 1:44:27 PM