07/28/2008
McCain's Family Values: Let Children Suffer, Don't Let Gays Adopt
John McCain would rather children suffer without families rather than have gay parents adopt them. In an interview with George Stephanopolous on This Week, McCain, who recently said he was against gay adoption, then backtracked on it, is now back to his original position.
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
STEPHANOPOULOS: What is your position on gay adoption? You told the “New York Times" you were against it, even in cases where the children couldn’t find another home. But then your staff backtracked a bit. What is your position?
MCCAIN: My position is, it’s not the reason why I’m running for president of the United States. And I think that two parent families are best for America.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, what do you mean by that, it’s not the reason you’re running for president of the United States?
MCCAIN: Because I think — well, I think that it’s — it is important for us to emphasize family values. But I think it’s very important that we understand that we have other challenges, too. I’m running for president of the United States, because I want to help with family values. And I think that family values are important, when we have two parent — families that are of parents that are the traditional family.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But there are several hundred thousand children in the country who don’t have a home. And if a gay couple wants to adopt them, what’s wrong with that?
MCCAIN: I am for the values that two parent families, the traditional family represents.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you’re against gay adoption.
MCCAIN: I am for the values and principles that two parent families represent. And I also do point out that many of these decisions are made by the states, as we all know. And I will do everything I can to encourage adoption, to encourage all of the things that keeps families together, including educational opportunities, including a better economy, job creation. And I’m running for president, because I want to help families in America. And one of my positions is that I believe that family values and family traditions are preserved.
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 8:00 AM EST by Andy Towle in Gay Adoption, John McCain, News | Permalink
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A few weeks ago I said McCain was "likeable"--now he's not. At times he even seems incoherent. If the American people don't vote in a Democratic Administration with accomplished public servants from the Democratic Party....well, we'll know there's only one reason why. "...then I wish I was Dixie....away, away...."
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jul 28, 2008 10:49:56 AM
Are you kidding me, Jerry? I know about a dozen same sex couples who are MORE than stable to raise children. Wow, your comment was atrocious.
Posted by: David | Jul 28, 2008 12:08:45 PM
JERRY, as tempted as I am to answer your question (I certainly could) and be drawn into your attempt to hijack the thread by lobbing troll bombs I will refrain from doing so. I would encourage others to refrain from responding to him as well. He either followed a WingNutDaily link or the McCain troll clearinghouse link to this site. They have been showing up in droves lately so it's clear that Towleroad is on their watch lists.
Starve a troll and he will die a lonely, miserable, painful death; just as nature intended.
Posted by: Zeke | Jul 28, 2008 12:23:37 PM
Does he consider divorce part of the traditional family? Two parents living together to raise the kids?
Posted by: TroyTooner | Jul 28, 2008 1:16:09 PM
I think McCain answered the question clearly. I also think it is a very tough question for anyone to answer- can any of you imagine what it would be like to be the child of Thomas Beattie? And by our very nature, are gay people best suited to rear children, or are many of us just doing it as a political action at the risk of the children? I know too many gay couples in Los Angeles who've accessorized with Gaybies, and are now stuck with the living, breathing equivalent of a Von Dutch trucker hat. Call me old-fashioned, but I long for the old days when gays were freed from the obligations of family to create art and music and culture. What would we have today if Michelangelo or Tenessee Williams were knee-deep in diapers? Don't bother answering- we already have it: Miley Cyrus.
Posted by: dc8stretch | Jul 28, 2008 1:17:16 PM
DC8STRETCH:
But there have been gay people raising children forever. About a fourth of the gay men I know raise kids, and half of the Lesbians.
With the drug problem in many American communities, I wouldn't be surprised if many gay people have had to take over the raising of nieces and nephews. Somebody should point that out to McCain.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Jul 28, 2008 1:29:05 PM
My partner and I have adopted two children. And are raising them quite well. So, Jerry, you want to see a gay person who is stable enough to raise children, come on over for dinner some time.
And as far as John McCain. He's not tactful or educated. He's an idiot. And his stance on this coupled with this his compassion for his ex-wife and family that he dumped proves he's a selfish prick and pathetic.
Posted by: Bart | Jul 28, 2008 1:39:05 PM
Fortunately, he'll have no impact on adoption laws one way or the other.
Posted by: anon | Jul 28, 2008 1:44:30 PM
Jerry and DC8STRETCH, have you even looked at the research on gay parents or are you just pulling crap out of your ass...wait, we already know you've never done the former; your flailing clearly demonstrates the latter.
Posted by: MAJeff | Jul 28, 2008 1:56:33 PM
WOW- a lot of hate out here for just a difference of opinion.
Posted by: dc8stretch | Jul 28, 2008 2:05:51 PM
NO, DC8, you're insulting people possibly even more than McCain did - at least he's a dumb politician, what's your excuse?
There are plenty of us who are not the least bit artistic or talented who would love to be able to have a very quiet and boring life raising a couple of kids. Shocking, eh? I'm as liberal as they come, I don't drink or smoke, I've a great body and I believe in monogamy - I am totally and utterly boring even though I probably should be a circuit twink. And I want to raise kids, who will hopefully be decent members of civil society.
If other gay guys don't want families, that's not an issue for me at all - so why is it an issue for you if the rest of us do?
You aren't old-fashioned, you're an ignorant prick.
Posted by: SexyBack | Jul 28, 2008 2:48:30 PM
DC8STRETCH: I don't hate that you have a different opinion. I'm bothered by the lack of logic you appear to use to form your opinion. First of all, what do you mean by "our very nature"? Do you mean that two men or two women cannot "naturally" reproduce? If so, then I guess you also think that straight couples who are unable to reproduce are not naturally "suited to raise children." Second, while there may be gay men and lesbians who accessorized with Gaybies, they are not alone. There are just as many, if not many more, straight couples in LA and everywhere else who are accessorizing with Gaybies. That's an issue- consumer culture - that impacts but extend well beyond the LGBT community. As MAJEFF said, look at the research on gay and lesbian adoption (google scholar will give you a variety of sources - academic journals and books). Similarly, there are countless examples of straight parents who have used the media in the same way as Thomas Beattie.
Posted by: GMT | Jul 28, 2008 2:50:20 PM
I would respect McCain more if he just acted like a freaking man and said it. Nothing worse that an evasive, sniveling punk ass who can't cop to a platform. Its not like we don't *already* know how he feels about the situation.
Posted by: Derrick | Jul 28, 2008 2:57:09 PM
DC8Stetch - I don't hate you, I don't hate anybody. But I do think you are sorely lacking in logic, critical thinking, or basic intelligence. You knowing too many gay people in LA that "accessorized" with children? Well, I live in LA, have two children and find is repulsive that you would consider them accessories. They are my children. My family. I love them more than anything else in the world. Hard work? Sure. But they are the most amazing, wonderful, joyous gift I've ever been blessed with. And you know what, I know plenty of gay parents who feel the same way about their children. Tells me more about you than it does about gay parents.
Oh, by the way...I'm also a novelist, screenwriter, playwrite. Produced in all medium multiple times. Guess that makes me an artist too. Damn, if some of gay people can't multi-task, you know be artists and raise a family. Wow, just like some straight artists.
Dude, face it, you're comments were just dumb.
Posted by: Bart | Jul 28, 2008 3:02:38 PM
I will respond to D8STRETCH because I know that he isn’t a surf-by flame throwing troll.
DC8STRETCH, read YOUR comment again and then TRY to put yourself in the place of a gay man, his husband and their 13 year old child; a FAMILY unit that is the fulfillment of two men's lifelong hopes and dreams and a wonderful family environment in which a happy, healthy and well adjusted child has been raised since his birth.
My family is NOT a political statement or a fashion accessory, it is the absolute manifestation of my (and my husband’s) dream, which just so happened to be the same dream as my straight brother, my parents, my cousins, my friends and just about 90% of all the people I’ve ever met in my life. Straight and/or anti-gay people my whole life told me that MY dream was unreachable or should never be attempted because it was unchristian, unholy, silly, uppity, an abomination, rebellious, unfair to my child, dangerous, selfish etc. Then gay people LIKE YOU have told me my whole life that MY dream was inappropriate, unreachable, stupid, selfish, elitist, conformist, conservative, anti-gay, anti-feminist, etc. In my life, gay people and straight people agreed on one thing and one thing only; that my dream of having a husband, a family and a “traditional” life was silly, unattainable and just plain WRONG. Well it’s a damn good thing that this stubborn Mississippi redneck NEVER looked for other people’s approval of or permission to pursue MY damn dream.
Think about how gay parents like myself feel when they read your "differences of opinion" with my life and family choices and the way you CHOSE to express your “difference of opinion.” Can you honestly read your comment from my point of view and think that it is "kind", "thoughtful" and "inoffensive"? You REALLY don't see any "hate" (intended or not) when you slam me, MY FAMILY and MY CHILD by comparing our son to a Van Dutch trucker hat that we selfishly added to our must-have fashion accessories? There's no "hate" in demeaning and degrading gay men who want to have families and those who already have families by questioning our worthiness and abilities to raise children, questioning our motives for forming a family and having children and accusing us of simply wanting to make a political statement or latching on to the latest "in" life-accessory.
I noticed you pointed out that you “I know too many gay couples in Los Angeles who've accessorized with Gaybies, and are now stuck with the living, breathing equivalent of a Von Dutch trucker hat”, yet you didn’t mention if you knew any straight people who had children for the wrong reasons or had children that they didn’t want or had children that they didn’t take good care of. Do you not know any of these people or is it that you do know them but don’t have an issue with them? If your answer is the former then I would have to say you’re either blind or a fool and if your answer is the latter I would have to question why you have different standards for different parents.
Read YOUR words again:
"And by our very nature, are gay people best suited to rear children, or are many of us just doing it as a political action at the risk of the children? I know too many gay couples in Los Angeles who've accessorized with Gaybies, and are now stuck with the living, breathing equivalent of a Von Dutch trucker hat."
and then YOU say, “WOW, a lot of hate out here for just a difference of opinion?”
I sincerely hope that you wrote your comment without putting a whole lot of thought into what you were saying, or who would read it and how it would make people feel who have sacrificed for and dedicated themselves 100% to their families and to their children, not because they were driven by politics or vanity but because they had a dream that they were just too impassioned about to ignore and too stubborn to give up on. I fully understand that this way of life may make no sense to you and many others (straight and gay) but just understand that it doesn’t have to make sense to you to be important and fulfilling to someone else. I hope you will learn to appreciate the variety of life-expression within the GLBT community. Allow people to pursue their dreams without chastising, ridiculing or questioning them.
I hope that you and everyone else here has been as happy and satisfied in the pursuit of their goals and dreams (whatever they may be) as I have been with mine. Additionally I hope that NO gay person will ever allow their dreams to be shot down by straight people who think that being gay is an insurmountable roadblock to a world of infinite possibilities OR by gay people who believe that being gay requires a person to sign a :tradition non-conformist pact” or to ghettoize himself into “gay appropriate” or “gay acceptable” ways of living.
Sorry for the rant. Touchy subject.
Posted by: Zeke | Jul 28, 2008 4:05:44 PM
Querido Zeke, That was not a rant; but, rather an impassioned, compassionate, and articulate statement of your beliefs and behaviour in the face of ignorance and arrogance. Your commitment to your son, husband, and your own integrity as a gay man is an inspiration and example for all of us. It is because of deeply moral people such as you that all gay men--whether fathers or not--will one day secure our basic human rights.
Perhaps my only regret in a long and fulfilling life is that my partner of thirty years and I are not parents. I admire your courage and skill in raising your son to be a happy and well-adjusted male, especially in light of pervasive ignorance, as most recently expressed on this comment thread. Besos y abrazos to all gay fathers. You are doing one of the most important and difficult jobs in society. Te quiero muchisimo, Eziquel!
Posted by: rudy | Jul 28, 2008 4:38:46 PM
DC8STRETCH is typical of self-loathing homosexuals. He sees himself and other gays as silly and irresponsible. When faced with gay folks who demonstrate strength, intelligence and maturity (i.e. raising a family in the face of prejudice), DC8STRETCH and his ilk become intimidated and fearful. They simply can't cope with the reality that gay men and women have been and continue to raise families successfully. Thus his only recourse is to label childen of gay parents "gaybies" and nothing more than fashionable accessories. Why bother to educate himself and rent All Aboard: R Family Vacations when its so much easier to wilfully stay in the dark and ridicule. His spit in the collective face of these families is simply a "difference of opinion" as he states. No surprise there since it's the only argument available in DC8STRETCH's sad and miserable world.
Posted by: John in Manhattan | Jul 28, 2008 5:15:39 PM
I am so going to vote for McCain. He supports my family! We were licensed as foster parents as a two-parent family and we adopted our son as two parents, husband and husband. I'm so glad to hear that he'll be running for president to support our family. Or, maybe that's not why he's running for president. Um...wait. What was the question again?
Posted by: David R. | Jul 29, 2008 1:38:14 AM
Two gay men or women are a two parent family. Fuck sake.
Posted by: raymie | Aug 3, 2008 10:21:32 AM