The Democratic Presidential candidates debated in Manchester, New Hampshire on Sunday night. Above, a moment from the debate in which Hillary Clinton was asked if her husband's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was a mistake.

After Mike Gravel ended the clip above by interjecting, "Should have been gotten rid of 20 years ago," Bill Richardson was allowed an answer on the issue. He said:

"I love all this parsing and senatorial courtesy and 'on the one hand, on the other hand.' Here's what I would do. I would do what I did as governor of New Mexico. One, I would move in the Congress for a hate crimes law. I would have domestic partnerships. I would have civil unions. I would initiate laws that practice non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. I would get rid of 'don't ask, don't tell.' I voted against it as a congressman. A president has to show leadership...and this country should not be asking a person who is giving up their life for this country in the military should not giving..should not giving (sic) a lecture on sexual orientation."

Edwards was then asked to follow on with a question about civil unions. Said Edwards: "Well, first of all, I think what the governor did and what New Hampshire has done is a great example for the rest of the country, not only civil unions, but all the partnership benefits, including Senator Clinton talked about getting rid of this 'don't ask, don't tell' policy. I don't think the federal government has a role in telling either states or religious institutions, churches, what marriages they can bless and can't bless. I think the state of New Hampshire ought to be able to make that decision for itself, like very other state in the country. I think every church ought to be able to make that decision for itself. And I think it's very important that we stand up against intolerance and against discrimination. But I want to add one thing on something that Governor Richardson said, because it's been a tone of everything that's been discussed here today. The place that I differ with Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, and I guess to some extent Senator Obama -- and I agree with Governor Richardson -- it is the job of the president of the United States not to legislate, but to lead."

The Human Rights Campaign. released a questionnaire prior to the debate showing the candidates' responses to a variety of issues. All but Mike Gravel answered.

Each candidate said they support civil unions, except for Dennis Kucinich, who supports gay marriage. The candidates agreed on a wide variety of other gay-related issues including adding sexuality to the federal hate crimes law, a bill barring anti-gay discrimination by employers, adding same-sex couples to the Family and Medical Leave Act, and amending the Uniting Americans Family Act to give gays immigration rights for their partners. They also unanimously supported repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

The Democrats’ Second 2008 Presidential Debate [transcript]

Posted Jun. 4,2007 at 8:25 AM EST by Andy Towle in Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, New Hampshire, News | Permalink

1. Now if they'd only put their money (and policy) where their mouths are...

   Posted by: Brian | Jun 4, 2007 9:27:35 AM

   
   

2. HRC is at it again, hedging for Clinton by leaving out DOMA from their questionnaire. Clinton has been the only silent one of the 3 frontrunners regarding DOMA. Edwards and Obama are for its repeal and Clinton is silent about it because her dear husband signed it into law.

   HRC is to HRC what Log Cabin is to Republicans. A Clintonite first and a homo second.

   
   

   Posted by: Anon | Jun 4, 2007 9:47:27 AM

   
   

3. Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate who is 100% in favor of gay equality, with no hedging, no parsing of words. I believe he makes a lot of sense on many issues, yet he is perceived as a fringe candidate, not a serious one. I wonder why? I think people are put off because he doesn't play it safe. He doesn't try to appeal to everybody on every issue.

   Posted by: sam | Jun 4, 2007 9:56:51 AM

   
   

4. Regarding the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, Senator Joe Biden said, and I quote: "...I've been in foxholes with these [gay] kids -- literally in bunkers with them -- let me tell ya something: Nobody asked anybody else whether they're gay in those holes..."

   Tee-hee!

   Posted by: PC | Jun 4, 2007 10:15:08 AM

   
   

5. With the exception of Dennis Kucinich who I support totally, the others obviously are not committed to equality otherwise Civil Unions would not be the way to go. Marriage is the gold standard, anything less is nothing but state sanctioned discrimination, relegating us to second class citizenship. Why settle for second best, don't we pay more taxes, fight in this country's wars, even die for them, yet they say they believe in equality, nothing but b.s. None of them are courageous enough let alone have any integrity other than Kucinich to do the right thing. Its politics as usual, four more years of the same.

   Robert, NYC.

   Posted by: Robert | Jun 4, 2007 11:16:41 AM

   
   

6. The cute bit was that HRC started her political career as a 'Goldwater Girl'.

   Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Jun 4, 2007 1:42:48 PM

   
   

7. Kucinich ain't getting elected in this country, people. Get real.

   Posted by: SC | Jun 4, 2007 3:32:42 PM

   
   

8. Clinton ain't getting elected either, but that doesn't seem to stop people from continuing to talk about her...

   Posted by: Gregg | Jun 4, 2007 9:20:46 PM

   
   

9. We can't only look at gay issues. Kucinich isn't viewed as a fringe candidate, he IS a fringe candidate - for good reason. Let's start with the fact that he was very, very Pro-Life until the day he first decided to run for president, there was no moral reckoning that shifted positions... it was his run for President. Then, let's move towards his bizarro land view of America and a "peace department" that would be entirely religious in his odd views in that area. Finally, he was one of the 5 worst mayors ever and was almost thrown out of Cleveland's *executive* office within months of his winning it. Go do some googling over Kucinich. He may be good on gay rights, but that doesn't mean he's a good candidate for us or anyone.

   Posted by: Ryan | Jun 5, 2007 2:16:52 AM

   
   

10. Of course no one should vote for Kucinich or anyone else on gay issues alone, but this whole section is dedicated to their views on gay and lesbians.

    Posted by: Marco | Jun 5, 2007 7:16:09 AM

    
    

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