Thursday, January 31, 2008

Super Tuesday Watch: Hillary Clinton picks up an LGBT endorsement

By Diane Silver

The New York Blade split with the Gay City News and endorsed Hillary Clinton. The Blade's editorial board writes:
We must look beyond gay issues to endorse a candidate. We’re not alone in doing this. A November survey of LGB Americans by Hunter College (funded by the Human Rights Campaign) found that only 21 percent of respondents placed LGB rights above issues such as the economy, health care and the war....

Looking at the wreckage left by our current Commander in Chief, we want an experienced leader who can get serious work done. That is why we endorse Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The Blade acknowledges some hesitance over endorsing Clinton, but then argues:

We question whether Obama can muster the aggression needed to force change. His talk of bringing people together reminds us of current Democratic Congressional leaders’ talk of bipartisanship. In an effort to avoid confrontations with Republicans, Dems have gotten us nowhere in 2007: no hate crimes, no ENDA, no impeachment...

This would not be the case if Hillary were running the show. It might be if Obama were President. In October, Obama learned that “ex-gay” minister Donnie McClurkin had been invited to speak at one of his fundraisers. Under the rhetoric of bringing opposing viewpoints together, Obama allowed McClurkin to speak. In doing so, he gave credence to the harmful “pray the gay away” propaganda.

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