Student Journalists Grill Bill Clinton on the Defense of Marriage Act

Former President Bill Clinton fielded some tough questions from college journalists about Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s and his current feelings about the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prohibits federal recognition of marriage for gay and lesbian couples, during a recent editorial board meeting with mtvU. Referring to singer Melissa Etheridge’s comment during the HRC Logo Presidential Forum that he threw the LGBT community “under the bus,” reporter Lily Lamboy of the Smith College Sophian asked President Clinton about DOMA and where Sen. Clinton stands on the issue. 

It is encouraging to see that young reporters are willing to ask political leaders such challenging questions about their support for LGBT equality.  It is also noteworthy that President Clinton misstated his wife’s position on DOMA when he asserted that she favors a full repeal of the legislation.  Sen. Clinton wants to repeal only a part of DOMA, which could have two possible outcomes. The repeal could prevent conflict between states that have different marriage laws on the books, while leaving the door open for individual states to follow in Massachusetts’ footsteps.  However, by only repealing one section of DOMA, states could still continue to reinforce bans on marriage for gay and lesbian couples. The media would do well to remember that even the closest advisors and supporters of the presidential hopefuls can misrepresent the facts when it comes to the candidates’ positions on complex issues related to the LGBT community.

Cindi Creager is Director of National News