I want to ask you a question. Why does Barack Obama refuse to talk to the gay media? Throughout his campaign he has been ignoring the gay media, even in important states like Ohio. None of the twelve member newspapers of the National Gay Newspaper Guild had been granted an interview with Obama, even though all of them had asked. He has only recently talked to a few gay media sources, and even then has been reluctant. And you’ll notice that he only started talking to gay news sources after he has been called out for not doing so by the Philadelphia Gay News in Pennsylvania. If you look at his willingness to talk to the gay media before Pennsylvania and after you’ll see a stark contrast. Hillary Clinton has been talking to the gay media this whole time, answering their questions and talking openly about her beliefs for gay rights. She was also the first ever first lady to go to a gay pride parade, and helped stop the amending of the constitution from banning gay marriage as a senator. And while Hillary has been touring with Elton John on her campaign, Barack Obama has been touring on his campaign with Donnie McClurkin the anti-gay gospel singer who has called homosexuality a “curse.” Another problem is that Obama only believes in civil unions for gays, but not gay marriage. He says that they are separate but equal, the same argument that racists used to keep black and white children separated in school. Hillary Clinton is the vote for gay rights. I feel that your publication should support her. Hillary Clinton supports my human rights, Barack Obama considers them a low priority.

I should also mention that Barack also ignores atheist media sources as well, an interesting trend, ignoring minorities - ironic.

- Tyler Young
Federal Way, Washington

I wouldn’t vote for Billary even if I was gay.  She lies too much for my taste- ie her little visit to the Middle East and accusing Obama of mudslinging when she herself does the same and worse.  If she gets the Democratic presidential candidacy, I’ll be looking at the Green Party or some other party (not republican), because I don’t trust the witch not to screw up this country more.

BTW, Billary is ignoring non-theists too.  In fact, gays maybe the only minority she does pay attention to.

I will not vote for someone who has mastered the political game so well as Billary. Too many data points to list.

Quirky,
It seems to me that you are judging one of the most important elections of modern American history through the lens of one single issue.  It may be a very important issue to you, but you should realize that to those who look at the big picture your advocacy looks very narrow-minded.  What about Iraq?  What about oil prices?  What about energy alternatives?  What about social security, health care, balancing the budget, reuniting the country?  On that last one, Hillary would be bad, bad, bad: you think there’s gridlock now…

I’m with Mriana.  If Hillary wins, the history books will read d-y-n-a-s-t-y: 41 – Bush, 42 – Clinton, 43 – Bush, 44 – Clinton.  Do we have a democracy or an oligarchy?

It also worries me that Hillary seems to have less than a high regard for truth and accuracy.  If you want an example of a Hillary lie/distortion, here’s one: She’s going around claiming that she has more of the popular vote than Obama.  Smell test?  That stinks!

She is counting Florida and Michigan votes, which—since they violated primary rules—actually do not count.  Obama’s name wasn’t even on the Michigan ballot.  That is exactly the kind of distortion and manipulation of facts that the right-wingers have become notorious for.  If one truly wants to stand-up for reason and honest inquiry, then one will reject these sorts of tactics which pollute our dialogue and muddy the waters.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/24/campaign.wrap/index.html

Furthermore, if you think that Hillary actually cares about you and your particular cause, think again.  It appears that she cares about nothing but her own ambition—she seems willing to tear the Democratic Party apart, rather than do the honorable thing and step aside for the good of the party and the good of the country.  I’ve been a hardcore Democrat since I could vote (I luckily escaped the brainwashing of my Republican parents), but I have to say that if Hillary steals the nomination I will not vote in November.  (Or maybe I’ll go Green, like Mriana.) I actually used to like Hillary, but her recent actions and attitudes have really turned me off.

Actually, there is now record turnout for democratic registration and turnout. Hillary is making the democrats strong in the long run by having both her and Barack pullinh so many people into pregressive politics. They are now speaking in places like Indiana, places that have always been republican and have been ignored mostly by democrats as being a waste of recources. This fight for delegates is forceing the democrats to talk to people they normally never would, and that is going to help build the democratic party in the long run. We should be glad that Hillary and Barack are going all the way, no matter who wins, this males the deomocrats stronger.

And since you all seem to think I’m a one issue voter, here are some OTHER reasons to vote for her:

She has experience in all three of the branches of the government. She has experience as a Senator (legislature), a lawyer (judiciary), and was the first lady of both Arkansas and The US where she held important roles (executive). Both the amount and diversity of her experience are very valuable.

When 9/11 happened George Bush didn’t come to New York because there were debris in the air, and his people were worried that he might get sick. Obama didn’t come out when that happened either, but Hillary did. She worked towards getting those people help, she used her political power to help those people that had friends and family dead, she used her political power to help those still fighting for their lives while those buildings went apart. That’s the kind of person I want to be my president.

So I think she’ll be a good president, and because she has so much experience in all three branches of the government I think she’s the best person to help redistribute power among them ... and we’ll need someone to do that after eight years of Bush pulling power away from the legislature and judiciary.

I also like that she’ll have Bill Clinton there with her, because he’s a smart guy and he makes a lot of great choices when it comes to economics. When he was president we had the economy grow, something that wasn’t happening before he was president and something that hasn’t happened since.

She also was an early supporter who created awareness for the Adoption and Safe Families Act which helped abused children be adopted instead of being allowed to stay in abusive environments with biological parents. Hillary also played a key role in helping negotiate between Democrats and Republicans on the issue when negotiations broke down.

She also held the most important role in the Foster Care Independence Act . She held youth conferences and talked about issues, and then went on lobbying congress to pass the legislation.

She was also the first student to give a commencement address at the Wellesley College due to the demand of students, she was only 21, she had a seven minute ovation.

She was one of only 27 women in a class of 235 at Yale Law School.

She created the Vital Voices Global Partnership with U.S. Secretary of the State Madeleine Albright through the Vital Voices Democracy Initiative. Vital Voices Global Partnership is a non-profit organization that advocates women become involved in the political process. They have helped women in many societies and countries where women are still treated badly, and have helped shape world equality. Hillary Clinton still holds an honorary chair, and has since helped fund the organization through the Clinton Foundation.

I should also mention that Hillary is more productive than Obama, already.

Clinton is the sole original sponsor of more bills in the senate than Obama. He has merely 129 against her 358.

She also a higher per year sponsorship rate.

He has merely 43 percent against her 51.1 percentage.

And she has had more bills signed into law. His 0.7 against her 2.7 percent.
And she has done far more as first lady than Michelle Obama could do in a lifetime (the adoption act, foster act, and vital voices already being three accomplishments I’ve mentioned Hillary has done as first lady.) I’d much rather have Bill as the first man, a spouse that actually contributes, which makes her even more valuable. Bill can talk to political leaders, negotiate with representatives and senators, endorse policy choices with actual credibility, and help Hillary reach her presidential goals in general.

When she was in elementary school, she wrote a letter to NASA (impressive for such a young girl) asking them how she could become an astronaut. They wrote her back and said that women weren’t allowed into the program. And she has been proving that women are just as capable as men ever since.

There are many more reasons that are just as important, but I feel that these few highlights give you a basic idea about what she stands for and why I’m supporting her.

So don’t tell me I’m a one issue voter. That would be highly misleading.

QAS,
You clearly have your mind made up. That’s good for you. If Obama becomes the candidate, will you throw equal vigor into his campaign to keep McCain out?

We can argue until election day - and beyond - about the two candidates. At some point we will all need to come together for the single candidate. I will vote for Hillary if she wins. I will argue with passion that she is clearly better for the country than McCain. I am in favor of Obama and I will be disappointed if he is not the candidate, but I will not lose sight of the big picture. Although I do not favor your candidate, I am your political friend. We are on the same side.

traveler - 28 April 2008 05:56 AM

QAS,
You clearly have your mind made up. That’s good for you. If Obama becomes the candidate, will you throw equal vigor into his campaign to keep McCain out?

We can argue until election day - and beyond - about the two candidates. At some point we will all need to come together for the single candidate. I will vote for Hillary if she wins. I will argue with passion that she is clearly better for the country than McCain. I am in favor of Obama and I will be disappointed if he is not the candidate, but I will not lose sight of the big picture. Although I do not favor your candidate, I am your political friend. We are on the same side.

I am 100% behind the democratic candidate, whoever he or she may be. Hillary Clinton herself has said that she will completely support Obama if he wins, and argue to her supporter why we need a democrat in the whitehouse.

I want Clinton to win the nomination, so I focus on that right now. But when the nomination is over I’ll be supporting the winner with as much enthusiasm as I support Hillary.

Mriana - 25 April 2008 10:13 AM

I wouldn’t vote for Billary even if I was gay.

Well you’re not. And you don’t know that, because you’ve never had to live in those shoes. The vast majority of gays and lesbians vote for Hillary, because she actually listens to them while she helps them. And that takes much more hard work than just saying you’re on their side, but never wanting to be around them. Would you respect someone who fought for black rights but never wanted to be around black people as much as you’d respect someone that does both?

I wrote earlier, “I will not vote for someone who has mastered the political game so well as Hillary. Too many data points to list.”
That was in the context of the primaries. I feel as strongly that Obama is the better candidate as QAS feels Hillary is the better choice.

We will see what happens. I don’t see much use in continued Obama/Hillary debate here now. But that’s just me.

FWIW, many of the GLBT political blogs and web sites, as well as a lot of gay voters out here in the Bay Area, seem pretty comfortable with both Clinton and Obama. I agree I would like to see a clear pro-gay-marriage statement from both of them, but I’m pretty far left for most of America, so I’m used to settling for less than I want from my politicians.

Mriana,

I too feel the “Bilary” label is a disparaging and disrespectful label, and while you have a right to your opinons of Clinton, calling her a “witch” is immature and inappropriate.

The past 7+ years have been most unsettling. I believe in Obama, but I’ll settle for Hillary. Don’t know what I’ll do if McCain wins. That scares me.

mckenzievmd - 28 April 2008 09:07 AM

I would like to see a clear pro-gay-marriage statement from both of them, but I’m pretty far left for most of America, so I’m used to settling for less than I want from my politicians.

I had to laugh at that, I’m in exactly the same boat. To all outward appearances, I’m a bald, doughy, comfortably well-to-do hetero white guy of a certain age, but when it comes to my ideas and my commitments, I’m also “pretty far left.” And I too have learned to “settle.” Things that are expected as a matter of course from politicians in Europe are simply beyond the pale of things we could ever hope to expect from our American pols. I had some hopes for Edwards—I was impressed with his willingness to drag the 800-pound gorilla of class into the discussion, something none of the other Dem contenders were willing to do—and frankly I’m underwhelmed with both Clinton and Obama. That being said, I will do my duty on Election Day and pull the lever for “D”, because the damage the GOP could do to the SCOTUS in the next several years cannot be permitted to happen. Period.

steveg144 is my clone! I look like you (without facial hair) and feel the same as you just described.

One of the biggest turn-offs for me when it comes to religion is the judgement of others. Embrace differences!

traveler - 28 April 2008 01:22 PM

steveg144 is my clone! I look like you (without facial hair)!

You have my deep, deep sympathies ....