July 16, 2004
Serving the Carolinas’ Gay & Lesbian Communities Since 1979
Volume 25. Number 15
Edwards on
LGBT Issues
Gathered by the Human Rights Campaign
FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT
"I oppose gay marriage. I also oppose
President Bush's attempt to amend the
Constitution to ban gay marriage.
Washington has no business playing politics
with this issue. Marriage is left to the states
today and should remain with the states."
— 2/04, statement
"As I have long said, I believe gay and lesbian
Americans are entitled to equal respect and
dignity under our laws. While I personally do
not support gay marriage, I recognize that dif
ferent states will address this in different
ways, and I will oppose any effort to pass an
amendment to the United States Constitution
in response to the Massachusetts decision."
— 11 / 03, statement
MARRIAGE
"I am not for gay marriage. I am for partner
benefits."
— 2/03, MSNBC Hardball
RELATIONSHIP RECOGNITION
"I believe in the equal dignity of all Americans
and support partnership benefits for gays and
lesbians in long-term relationships. States
should be free to decide if they want to create
civil unions with benefits akin to marriage. If
states establish these civil unions, then the
federal government should respect their deci
sion and offer benefits along these lines."
—1/04, Associated Press
"I support partnership benefits for gay and
lesbian couples in committed, long-term rela
tionships."
— HRC Presidential Questionnaire
"It is time we put the prejudice behind us.
Somehow, when you listen to the compelling
stories of gay and lesbian people, it demysti
fies who they are, what they stand for, and
how valuable they are in our communities. I
believe we should work toward legal bene
fits."
— 2/00, Associated Press
DOMA
CLAYTON: Senator Edwards, you also
oppose gay marriage?
EDWARDS: I do. I do. But can I...
CLAYTON: So why would you have opposed
Rosie O'Donnell getting married today? Why
does that make a difference? Why is that a
continued on page 15
Kerry Picks Edwards
WASHINGTON (AP) —
Democratic presidential candidate
John Kerry selected former rival
John Edwards to be his running
mate, telling supporters he couldn't
wait to see the North Carolina sena
tor going "toe-to-toe with Dick
Cheney."
By selecting Edwards, Kerry
went with the smooth-talking
Southern populist over more sea
soned politicians in hopes of inject
ing vigor and small-town appeal to
the Democratic ticket in the
November election against
President George W. Bush and Vice
President Cheney.
Appearing together for the first
time ever as running mates on the
campaign trail, the dynamic
Democratic ticket of John Kerry and
John Edwards kicked off a four-day
barnstorming tour across the
United States on July 7.
Following an evening rally in
Clearwater, Kerry and Edwards are
set to visit New York, West Virginia,
New Mexico and Edwards' home
state of North Carolina as they tour
the country together through July
10.
White House hopefuls John Kerry & John Edwards, arrive at RDU
Airport, Saturday, July 10, 2004. (AP Photo/Grant Halverson)
contrasts with a Republican ticket
that insists on running a campaign
that demeans our families and
smears our community."
National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force Executive Director Matt
Foreman said, "John Kerry and John
Edwards make up the most gay
supportive national ticket in
American history. But, in order for
them to win the enthusiastic sup
port of the gay community, a critical
part of their base, they will have to
take a strong and bold stand on
supporting our civil rights.
"We call upon Sen. Edwards to use
his strong southern and populist
roots and speak out against the
ugly, divisive and anti-gay cam
paigns being waged all across the
country in the guise of 'protecting'
marriage," he added. "We need him
to call these tactics what they are —
partisan, debasing, and profoundly
un-American."
Cheryl Jacques, president of the
Human Rights Campaign (HRC),
which has endorsed Kerry, called
Edwards "steadfast in his support
of our community." She cited his
voting record and his appearance as
the keynote speaker at a HRC
fundraising dinner in Atlanta.
Last July HRC sponsored a presi
dential forum in Washington that
drew seven of the nine democratic
candidates and coverage on C
SPAN. The two who did not partic
ipate were perceived to be the most
conservative, Edwards and Florida
Senator Bob Graham.
Jacques said that Edwards had a
scheduling conflict; he was meeting
with the Congressional Black
Caucus in southern state. "As a for
mer office holder myself, I can tell
you that it happens all the time."
"It's a good choice," said
Kenneth Sherrill, a professor of
political science at Hunter College
in New York City. "It offers a sharp
contrast to Cheney" in terms of age
and vitality.
"Edwards was a stupendous
candidate in the primaries" and
that is the best training ground for
running in a national campaign,
Sherrill said. His training as a trial
lawyer will make Edwards "an
effective attack dog," a role tradi
tionally played by the vice presi
dential candidate.
"I think he is a terrific choice,"
said Chicago political consultant
Michael Bauer, who helped with
Edward's primary campaign. "He
is dynamic, articulate, incredibly
bright, and he will certainly ener
gize the Democratic base."
Bauer believes the selection will
put much of the South into play and
at the very least will force the Bush
campaign to devote more resources
to that region. It might even be
enough to swing North Carolina
into the Democratic column.
The new team will be challenged
continued on page 14
"John Kerry and I share the same
values and vision for America/'
Edwards said. "We both believe our
country's best days are ahead of us,
and that there's nothing America
can't do, as a country and as a peo
ple, if we just put our minds to it."
Strong Support, Not a Leader
Kerry's record on gay issues is
strongly supportive; as a cosponsor
of the hate crimes legislation, the
Employment Non-Discrimination
Act (ENDA), and AIDS legislation.
However, he has seldom exercised
leadership on those issues, perhaps
due to his lack of seniority in the
Senate and the willingness of others
to take the lead.
Edwards opposes the Federal
Marriage Amendment but, like
Kerry, he believes that marriage is
between a man and a woman and
does not support same-sex mar
riage.
"The selection of Sen. Edwards
solidifies the most pro-gay, pro
family ticket in the history of presi
dential politics," said Dave Noble,
executive director of National
Stonewall Democrats. It "greatly
NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival: www.carolinatheatre.ors/ncglffff