Kerry’s plan for gay America
An estimated 4 million gay and lesbian voters could determine
the outcome of perhaps the closest presidential race in U.S. history.
In an exclusive interview, John Kerry makes his case for the gay vote.
By Chad Graham, from the Web, October 14, 2004
(Excerpted from The Advocate, October 26, 2004)
Down a hallway guarded by a handful of Secret Service agents, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry sits in a small conference room at a long table shuffling through paperwork.
He has just finished rallying a room full of senior citizens in Des Moines, some of whom tell him their bank accounts are stretched so thin that they must choose between buying groceries or prescription drugs.
Now the junior senator from Massachusetts sits across from the news features editor of The Advocate for an exclusive interview.
He is well-versed in handling questions about gay Americans and the simple rights they desperately want but have been denied.
“I have a 35-year lifetime record of fighting for equality,” says Kerry, who is endorsed by such national gay advocacy groups as the Human Rights Campaign.
“The difference between me and George Bush will be the difference to gay and lesbian couples and individuals across this
country — whether rights are afforded them or whether or not they are discriminated against.”
Since 1992, every Democratic nominee for president has given The Advocate an interview, but Kerry is the only one with the mettle to do it this close to an election.
Bill Clinton and Al Gore spoke with the magazine months before facing voters on Election Day.
Kerry speaks to us in an issue that will reach readers mere days before November 2.
The Advocate: At the moment, gay Americans are being used by the Republican Party to fire up their base and get votes.
There is a definite climate of political gay bashing in this country. When you are president, how will this climate change?
Well, I’ve always fought against [bashing gays for political gain]. I was the first sponsor back in 1985 of civil rights legislation.
I voted against [the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act] precisely because it was gay bashing on the floor of the U.S. Senate, and I said so.
I stood up and fought against that kind of exploitation. The president has an enormous bully-pulpit power to help Americans focus on things that are important and to put things in their proper perspective.
As president I will never be exploiting the Constitution for political purposes.
I’m not going to be driving a wedge between people. I’m going to be trying to pass
ENDA. I’m going to be trying to pass hate-crimes legislation, and I’m for partnership rights and benefits and so forth.
We’re going to have a very different debate in this country. We’re going to be having a debate about equality and fairness, a debate about what is right and how we respect each other.
Why should gay and lesbian Americans vote for you, since you don’t support same-sex marriage?
Because I have a 35-year lifetime record of fighting for equality. Because the difference between me and George Bush will be the difference to gay and lesbian couples and individuals across this
country — whether rights are afforded them or whether or not they are discriminated against.
I would urge the community to not get into a place of rigidity and narrowness where they can’t view the whole and what is at stake.
I am for civil unions. Tell me, what presidential candidate in the history of the nation has supported that?
I’m for equality with respect to hate crimes and ENDA. Tell me, what presidential candidate has supported those before?
I believe that this is important for the community like no other race historically.
Would you ever change your mind regarding same-sex marriage?
I have my view, and my view is my view. I can’t tell you in 20 years or whenever, if someone made a persuasive argument, the world changes.
You know, George Bush just changed his mind on a national security director, and he changed his mind on raiding Social Security, and he changed his mind on homeland security.
So I don’t predict the future. What I tell you is that my position is what it is.
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