Is McCain's VP pick friendly to LGBT People?

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

I listen to NPR and follow the Friday evening news and political programs on PBS. David Brooks, a Republican-leaning commentator, repeated several times that McCain's VP pick, Sarah Palin, is supposedly a supporter of LGBT persons as a "younger generation evangelical."

I don't buy it. She's also been reported as supporting excluding LGBT people from marriage. My theory---she's one of those opposed to LGBT equality who likes to claim that "some of my best friends are gay." (The old line that racists and anti-semites used to pull---"some of my best friends are Jews.")

Steven Webster

[keltic63]

I'm not buying it either.

She has Dobson's blessing. That ought to be enough information right there.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

There seems to be confusion about where Sarah Palin is really coming from on the LGBT issue.

Pam's House Blend calls Palin an "anti-LGBT activist."
http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6732

While Box Turtle Bulletin calls her an "interesting choice" and suggests that there is some "glimmer of encouragement" regarding Palin's position on LGBT rights:

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/08/29/2807

I think Box Turtle Bulletin will need to revise their take as we get to know who Sarah Palin really is.

Steven Webster

[Daniel]

It's Palin's documented record on gay rights as noted by Wikipedi, which, I should note, has recently been rewritten.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin#cite

Palin has said she has good friends who are gay, opposes same-sex marriage, but complied with an Alaskan state Supreme Court order and signed an implementation of same-sex benefits into law, stating that legal options to avoid doing so had run out. She supported a non-binding referendum for a constitutional amendment to deny state health benefits to homosexual couples.

If she is a supporter of gay rights, it is only as a very very reluctant participant. Signing legislation because her state's legal options ran out is not what I would call support.

[BrianB]

Palin has said she has good friends who are gay,[22] opposes same-sex marriage,[22] but complied with an Alaskan state Supreme Court order and signed an implementation of same-sex benefits into law, stating that legal options to avoid doing so had run out.[87] She supported a non-binding referendum for a constitutional amendment to deny state health benefits to homosexual couples.[88]

It appears that on the whole she is not supportive of gay rights.

[matthewspeed]

Maybe I read the report incorrectly on Yahoo news, but I understood that Palin vetoed a bill that would have stopped benefits to gays/lesbians and their domestic partnerships.

That shows that she has a concious for equal rights as far as health benefits goes for all people, even though she is against gay marriage. Even the dems are not for gay marriage, but believe in health benefits for LGBT people. Both parties are playing it safe.

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by matthewspeed

Maybe I read the report incorrectly on Yahoo news, but I understood that Palin vetoed a bill that would have stopped benefits to gays/lesbians and their domestic partnerships.

That shows that she has a concious for equal rights as far as health benefits goes for all people, even though she is against gay marriage. Even the dems are not for gay marriage, but believe in health benefits for LGBT people. Both parties are playing it safe.

Notes the following in an article today...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us...0charms&st=cse

Ms. Palin said she supported Alaska’s decision to amend its Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. But she used her first veto as governor to block a bill that would have prohibited the state from granting health benefits to same-sex partners of public employees. Ms. Palin said she vetoed the bill because it was unconstitutional, but raised the possibility of amending the state Constitution so the ban could pass muster.

Does a gay-friendly person posit- even rhetorically- that Alaska's constitution be amended so that an anti-gay law can pass?

In a word: no!

Palin's actions and statements are not those of a person who has a conscience with regard to gay persons and gay rights. Quite the opposite in fact.

She is- to put it plainly- a evangelical social conservative. And a politician. One who understands at least a little something about the law: her veto was geared to save her state a legal fight it could not win.

This was the woman who- famously- took on the Republican Machine and stopped the 'Bridge to Nowhere'. She made her name in her home state as being a reformer. And reformers don't waste public money. I think that's the real story here. Not gay rights.

[matthewspeed]

After I posted my message, I read the article you have provided. Thank you for that! Yes, she is absolutely a right wing politician aimed at blocking any gay rights bills.

[Alecto]

It sounds to me like she's at least a more straightforward gay foe. That is, not particularly "supportive", but she has a strong sense of the proper process for all that to happen. That's the only way I can make sense of it all.

[Matt Algren]

Governor Palin is most assuredly not for gay rights. First of all, McCain made it clear a few weeks ago that he wouldn't have someone on the ticket who wasn't anti-gay.

Secondly, she only vetoed the bill that would have blocked domestic partner benefits after the Alaska Supreme Court told her that to deny them was unconstitutional. IOW, she had no choice.

At the same time, she signed legislation creating a special one-issue ballot in April 2007 (costing the Alaska taxpayers 1.2 million dollars) for a non-binding 'advisory' vote on the issue. The issue passed, but the Alaska legislature decided against going further.

In other words, she tried but failed several times to restrict rights that the Alaska Supreme Court ruled were constitutionally required. Her failure does not remove her intent. (more information here)

[antiochian]

It's sad, because just from what I've heard of Palin (minus the lgbt rights issue), I like her. Of course, Obama likewise does not approve of marriage rights for us, unless something's changed since I locked myself in the padded cell.

At least Obama supports us on most things.

[pnggrad79]

Obama may not support marriage rights, but he DOES support civil unions and and hey I will vote for that over some unknown Alaskan who has absolutely no clue. She had a baby at 44 and now has a daughter who is pregnant. She obviously has decision making problems. Why on earth would I vote for someone like that.

[RedneckDyke]

I think McCain picked Palin to increase his redneck cred.

I like moose hunting welder women. I want to be one. We don't have moose here but I bet they are tasty. And I'd love to learn to weld. If only to save me money so I can fix my pig trailer myself.

It's too bad she is such a fundie and a republican. I'd like to hear her "gay friends" names. I'd like to hear her mention thier names when she talks about denying health benefits. Let her have the courage of her convictions and say, "I'm for Denying Joe Bob and Betty Loo health care coverage."

[sauu4equality]

Originally Posted by matthewspeed

After I posted my message, I read the article you have provided. Thank you for that! Yes, she is absolutely a right wing politician aimed at blocking any gay rights bills.

Just to avoid any confusion, if someone didn't write this already:

NPR apologized for mistakenly letting the comment that Sarah Palin is pro-gay go uncontested. They reiterated that this is completey false. She did introduce a bill that would prevent same-sex partners of state employees from receiving health benefits. As has been reported on this site I'm sure, her church is currently embarking on an ex-gay campaign that she most likely supports since she has not publicly made any comments about it. Just want to make sure we're clear on this. Palin IS ANTI-GAY and by association, so is Senator McCain. And, just for good measure, I should reiterate that while he may not be McBush, he has agreed with Bush on every policy submitted lately by the Bush administration even if he is publicly trying to separate himself from current Bush administration's economic decisions.
McCain: Wrong on economics. Wrong for your family (the future families we could have if Obama is elected or have that need to be protected (for some of us that live in blue states). I understand that other posters may have made this point, but it doesn't hurt to hear it again. The Bush Admin and Republicans have threatened our national security by attacking a country without just cause. They have destroyed our economy by ignoring large segments of the population. Our healthcare system currently ranks 17th among industrialized nations (12th if you only count rich whites and 26th(nearly 3rd world status) if you only count African Americans). This is much lower than it was in the Clinton Days. That is reprehensible...I haven't even gotten to the hateful political campaign...

[tymejumper]

Originally Posted by pnggrad79

Obama may not support marriage rights, but he DOES support civil unions and and hey I will vote for that over some unknown Alaskan who has absolutely no clue. She had a baby at 44 and now has a daughter who is pregnant. She obviously has decision making problems. Why on earth would I vote for someone like that.

I see red flags all over that pick. She and her hubby won't even testify about her alleged "abuse of power'.(troopergate) which if she was innocent, she would proclaim it all over I would think.

She claims the investigation is 'tainted', well what do you call an investigation, costing billions, into someone getting a blow job in the whitehouse? At least Clinton cooperated! That woman scares me. Alot.

She is not gay friendly, I'll say it again....with friends like her, a gay person don't need enimies!

[BruceChris]

The voters put them both between Barack and a Hard Place

P&L, BC

[tdogg]

BruceChris, your wit is uncanny. Your charm is endless. Thanks for the chuckle! It would have been an all-out laughfest, were it not so close to the truth.

[Matt Algren]

New post up at my blog. Sarah Palin Opens Her Mouth And Removes All Doubt