Defense of Marriage Act: March 2008 Archives

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

Although the media is following every twist and turn of the campaigns of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination, the work of candidates to reach out to the LGBT media and to seek LGBT endorsements has yet to be addressed by many mainstream reporters, despite the unique role that LGBT movement leaders and LGBT media have had during this campaign season.

Recently, Obama's campaign announced that a diverse group of prominent LGBT leaders and advocates has publicly endorsed him.  The new group of 40 supporters includes transgender advocates Donna Rose (who is also on the GLAAD Board of Directors) and Pauline Park, GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings, actor Wilson Cruz, Missouri State Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford, and Pride at Work (AFL-CIO) Executive Director Jeremy Bishop.  The Advocate reported that one of the key issues that motivated many LGBT Democrats to support Obama over Clinton is his support for a full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  As opposed to Obama, Clinton would still allow states to determine their own marriage laws by only repealing the part of DOMA that prohibits federal recognition of marriage for gay and lesbian people. 

It's a novel trend in an election year for a major presidential candidate to publicly reach out to LGBT voters.  Many LGBT blogs and publications have already discussed the current work of the Obama campaign to mobilize the LGBT community by courting LGBT endorsements and by specifically advertising in the LGBT media.  Clinton's campaign has taken similar steps to pursue LGBT voters, including the Super Tuesday eve release of a "Message to LGBT Americans" proclaiming: "America deserves a President . . . who values and respects all Americans and treats all Americans equally no matter who they are or who they love.  I want to be that President.  I want to be your President." 

As the mainstream media continues to cover the many unprecedented aspects of the 2008 election, it will be encouraging to see journalists take note of the innovative work of candidates to address the diverse concerns of LGBT Americans and to actively seek their votes.

Cindi Creager is the Director of National News.