Equal Rights?
As I look over the contenders for the Democratic nomination, none of the major candidates are where I would like them to be on gay marriage. One would think that by the year 2003 we would have come far enough that support for equal rights would be a central tenet of both parties, but especially for the Democrats. What I found somewhat surprising was that some candidates stopped short of endorsing civil unions (Edwards, Graham and Lieberman- according to this story). Lieberman and Graham also voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, that lovely piece of anti-gay legislation that defines marriage as one man-one woman. Edwards was not in the Senate at the time, but has said that marriage rights are a state issue, which is a defensible position, I think.
The one serious contender who has shown any backbone on this issue is Kerry, who was one of only 15 Senators to vote against DOMA. Now, I know the Deanies are going to cry foul and point to his civil unions, but that was borne of compromise and was forced upon him by the court.
As my regular readers have figured out, gay rights are extremely important to me and it is difficult for me, as someone who grew up in the pro-gay Northeast, to pull the lever for someone who is not committed to ending discrimination against gays and lesbians.