Have other Democratic candidates given stage-time to bigots in 2007?

[yardwork]

I want to know. I've seen some posts stating that Hillary Clinton, for example, has been promoting homophobia in her campaign, but no links to any reports. I want to see the evidence.

I'm very concerned. If Hillary Clinton or any candidate is promoting homophobia or other bigotry by inviting a bigot to emcee an event and talk for a half-hour about their bigoted views, I want to know.

[yardwork]

1. crickets

[MethuenProgressive]

51. wicked loud crickets...

but nothing from the "usuals"...

[DURHAM D]

2. You can take a nap -

it will be awhile before sauerkraut and ZZ show up with their lame b.s.
I think their respective campaigns have them working on other issues today.

[yardwork]

4. Hell, it'll fall off the page before anyone thinks of something to post.

[DURHAM D]

5. Ok - we can chat.

Have you picked your candidate yet?

[yardwork]

12. I'll vote for Kucinich in the primary and whomever is the Democratic nominee in GE.

I decided that ages ago. I'll vote for Obama if he is the nominee, but he's going to have to get there on his own. Same for Hillary Clinton and Edwards.

[DURHAM D]

14. I don't think DK will still be around by time we vote in May. n/t

[FreeState]

15. Sure he will - I voted for him in June 2004 in CA N/T

[yardwork]

16. I don't think he will drop out - he may not be on the ballot.

I think that North Carolina closed Kucinich off the ballot in 2004. I voted for Kerry to show support for the obvious nominee. I won't do that this time - I'll write in Kucinich or another candidate before I vote again in a primary for someone I don't wholly support.

In the general election I will vote for the Democrat even if it is a yellow dog.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. .

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. What's Also Ironic

What's also ironic is that HRC gets crucified on the one issue where she cames out as the most progressive candidate; immigration...

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

7. The larger irony is that her big gaffe was waffling, while Obama said straight up that

he favors drivers licenses for illegals. That led to "Hillary's drivers license position makes her unelectable," though the same pertains even more to Obama and Edwards.

So it seems that the whole top tier is unelectable...

[yardwork]

22. I respect Obama for his opinion on the driver's license issue. I agree with him.

[blm]

8. Didn't Bill advise 2004 candidates to support antigay measures in southern states?

How would that qualify him? And is Bill Clinton a more influential voice to the American people and national political stage than McClurkin?

Doesn't anyone remember the Newsweek article from Dec2004 that mentioned Clinton's advice at the time?

It came up again on blogs last spring.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0507/Clintons_Advice.html

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Wow

If you think there is no difference between a man who almost had his presidency torpedoed in its infancy because he wanted to allow gays to serve in the military with a homophobic gospel singer who says "homosexuality is a curse from God" and that you can pray away the gay there is nothing I can do to disabuse you of that notion...

[blm]

10. If you think a little known preacher is more influential politically than Bill Clinton

then I would question your sense of proportion.

[yardwork]

11. I know that this is hard for anti-feminists to grasp, but Bill Clinton doesn't speak for his wife.

The idea that men speak on behalf of their wives is old-fashioned, if you haven't heard.

[blm]

49. Except when he did - and when he does - and he is.

.

[FreeState]

13. What about the gay kids that have to live in this type of hell created

by these anti-gay preachers that Obama gave a platform to? Who is more influential? Not Bill I can guarantee you and its this kind of spiritual terrorism Obama gave a platform to that kills kids.

[yardwork]

17. It's funny how "think of the children" dies as a rallying cry when the children are gay.

[NMMNG]

It's just a phase

They'll grow out of it.
They're just confused.
How can a kid know s/he's gay, especially if s/he's never had sex?

:sarcasm:

[FreeState]

19. Sad isn't it

I just want to pull my hair out sometimes at the mental gymnastics some of Obama's supporters pull in order to support this type of cruelty.

[blm]

26. They weren't hurt with DADT? They weren't hurt by message sent when a PRESIDENT

signed DOMA?

The message sent then was that a Democratic president would give in to Republican bigots whenever they targeted gay citizens.

Do you folks REALLY believe McClurkin has been a more influential figure on the American stage than Bill Clinton?

What about the gay children, indeed.

[FreeState]

27. Your not gay are you?

Try talking to gay teenagers about what hurts them - its not DOMA or DAT - its hateful rhetoric that gets drilled into their heads for years and years that takes even longer to fix. Especially when the rhetoric is from a so-called spiritual leader.

I have never heard of a gay child attempting suicide because of DOMA, have you?

[blm]

33. Bi - and I know full well what words can do. I also don't dismiss what influence

a President has on the perception debate.

[yardwork]

34. Look, I'm right there with you about Bill Clinton and I'm dubious about Hillary as well.

Hillary Clinton is by no means my candidate. I'll vote for her in the general election if she is the nominee. I'll vote for a yellow dog if it is the nominee.

[FreeState]

37. Im sorry but I think your missing the point

Trying to compare DOMA and the vile that Obama let on stage in his name are not even close to the same thing when speaking to youth.

Growing up gay I never once was distraught by weather or not I could get married as an adult. I was to busy trying to please my parents and spiritual leaders by becoming heterosexual.

(Also just to note Im for Kucinich so Im no Clinton or Obama supporter)

[yardwork]

31. Nobody is saying that McClurkin is more influential than Bill Clinton.

You probably weren't paying attention, but a lot of gay people were extremely disappointed with Clinton's caving to the right on these issues. However, Bill Clinton does not speak for his wife. Stop equating the two. It's sexist.

[blm]

38. Hah - Bill Clinton speaks more for his wife than McClurkin speaks for Obama.

I think it's pretty peculiar that anyone would suggest otherwise.

[yardwork]

40. That is an incredibly sexist comment.

[blm]

43. No it isn't. The two of them have curried that impression when they benefit from it

and let's say for the sake of argument that I meant it in a sexist way - does it make it untrue?

Do you REALLY believe that McClurkin speaks more for Obama than Bill Clinton speaks for Hillary Clinton?

That McClurkin represents Obama wherever he goes but Bill Clinton does not represent Hillary?

[blm]

21. I'm against those preachers - I am also consistently against INFLUENTIAL leaders

who use their power in ways that discriminate. Especially when they do it based only as an opportunity and not principle.

And THAT is where Clintons, on many levels similar to the Bushes, show their disrespect and contempt for the American CITIZENS.

What does a powerful person do WHEN they have the power to do it?

[yardwork]

23. I'm against leaders who discriminate. That's why I support Kucinich.

You didn't answer my OP, though.

[FreeState]

24. So your speaking out against this action by Omama as well? N/T

[blm]

28. I think neither McClurkin OR Bill Clinton deserve a platform.

One is a barely known bigot lashing out ignorantly and the other has been too dangerously close to the Bushes - and the Bushes and their powerful cronies are the biggest haters of humanity on the planet.

[FreeState]

29. So are you going to condemn Obama or not? N/T

[blm]

36. Obama should reject any McClurkin involvement. No brainer for me.

And I am not an Obama supporter.

Now - why the pretense that somehow McClurkin is an influential voice but Clinton who had the biggest microphone of all and is the most influential Democrat in the nation is somehow not responsible for his actions and inactions based in the bigotry of others?

[FreeState]

41. You think the former President is more influential to todays Youth than their preachers ? N/T

[yardwork]

32. You didn't answer the question.

[FredScuttle]

35. "barely-known"

curious choice for a major fundraiser, don't you think?

[blm]

44. I heard about him a couple times before and I'm a newshound to the nth degree.

So - YEAH - he's barely known, especially when compared to the level of influence a President wields.

[FredScuttle]

45. Not a fan of the gospel music, are ya?

Well, you're a hound for all the decent styles of music. Obviously, he was virtually unknown if such an accomplished arbiter of popular culture like you barely knew him. :sarcasm:

Remind me again - when was it exactly that President Clinton got up at a fundraiser and proclaimed that God had delivered him from homosexuality?

[blm]

46. When did McClurkin sign an antigay bill like DOMA?

No I'm not a gospel music listener.

But I am a citizen who pays attention to GOVERNMENT issues that actually effect people's lives.

You think Bill Clinton has had little influence on gay lives and issues but McClurkin does - good for you - I just don't believe it.

[FredScuttle]

47. Bill Clinton is running for President?!!

Sakes alive! I knew there was a Constitutional loophole!

BUBBA '08: WE LOVE THE 90's

or....is what you're trying to say is Clinton=McClosetCase?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

52. If you want to go through strenuous mental gyrations to excuse everyone else

While maintaining that Barack Obama is the only Democratic politician on the planet to ever pander to homophobes, then there's obviously no dissuading you either.

BTW, the Don't Ask Don't Tell compromise has proven to be a disaster. I know, I was in the military when it was enacted. But you keep telling yourself that Bill Clinton didn't cave in to the bigots just like Obama did. I mean, after all, he didn't "hand someone a microphone!" which seems to be the crucial element.

[FredScuttle]

18. No candidate is perfect

but I have yet to see another Democratic candidate, save one, who handed a microphone and a starring role at a campaign fundraising event to an "ex-gay" clown to spew homophobic filth for the entertainment of the audience.

Until such time as any of the rest do, there is no equal comparison of insult and disrespect - not only to our LGBT brothers and sisters, but to Democrats everywhere. Pathetic.

[yardwork]

20. And if another Democratic candidate is doing this, I want to know.

I'm perfectly happy to register my disgust and disappointment with any other Democratic candidate who is doing this kind of crap. That's why I seriously want to know if they are doing it.

[FredScuttle]

25. We already have

Bluebear has posted in a number of other threads a long list of threads and posts lambasting Richardson for his offensive comments and Hillary for having, as her S.C. co-chairs, two people who voted for an anti-gay resolution in the State Legislature. Obama's apologists here, however, want to pretend that he's the only one getting criticized.

And, again, he's the only candidate who put a bigot front and center during his campaign event and gave him a microphone to deliver an ugly, homophobic rant representing his campaign. And continues to defend this clown and his decision.

[yardwork]

30. Well, I registered my disgust with those two issues as well, plus Dean's comment about the flag.

But, as you point out, none of them come close to handing someone a microphone and allowing them to....what you said.

[FredScuttle]

39. Well, I'm seeing a new Obama defense in this thread

Rev. McClosetCase = Bill Clinton

That, I must admit, is one I did not see coming.

[yardwork]

42. We forgot - everything is Bill Clinton's fault!

[blm]

48. I see some who actually believe McClurkin has had more impact on public discourse than Bill

Clinton did as president of the United States and head of the Democratic party from 1993-2004.

[CyberPieHole]

50. kick

[mrreowwr_kittty]

53. Why is associating with bigots only a problem if they speak for you?

I want to know. It appears that only allowing them allowing them to talk qualifies as officially promoting homophobia.

Apparently you can accept endorsements from them and proudly issue press releases announcing them (Mayberry). You can take money from them. They can hold fundraisers for you (Murdoch). You can even pay them $10000 a month in consulting fees (Darrell Jackson).

As for McChucklehead getting to pontificate about his views, that WAS a horrible mistake by the campaign. I'm guessing his impromptu speech stemmed from all the furor that was unleashed by his presense there. It looked like he was trying to defend himself. Donnie is clearly a very confused and tormented man, who should never be allowed near any microphone, except maybe to sing. But I don't consider that to be Obama promoting homophobia, any more than I think Clinton is through her own associations. The candidates are trying to win the primary and appealing to what they believe to be important demographics.

Personally, I wish all our politicians would knock it off with the Sky Fairy shit but I guess that's too much to expect. And please note that NONE of the top tier candidates have endorsed full marriage equity. Not one. The sad fact is they don't dare, given the public climate on that.