Taking the Measure of Hillary Clinton

Before Hillary Clinton even had a chance to launch into her speech to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights group, she was greeted like a conquering hero. Amid thunderous applause, a voice shouted out, "We love you, Hillary!"

The year was 2001, and Clinton was, of course, far more than just New York's new junior senator. She was a former first lady, the wife of the president who'd taken the gay community on one heck of a wild roller-coaster ride and the woman most likely to become America's first female president.

Looking back on that night — her real debut before the national gay community as a politician in her own right — the enthusiastic, "We love you!" captured how eager much of the gay community has been to give its heart to Hillary. And that's still true six years later, as she starts her presidential campaign.

After all, how could those of us who're gay not feel drawn to a woman who's cast as the evil Queen of Darkness by the people who demonize us? And what gay person could avoid smiling at the news that "The Wizard of Oz" is one of her favorite movies?

But, wait. Just last week, after making a foolish mistake because I was rushing, I recalled the old saying, "Measure twice, cut once." Gay Americans, who form a very powerful voting bloc, should carefully take the measure of the candidates wooing us.

When Hillary Clinton spoke at that 2001 dinner, she said many of the right things: She expressed support for outlawing anti-gay job discrimination, for hate crimes laws that include anti-gay attacks, for full parental and adoption rights for gay couples, and for immigration rights for foreign partners of gay Americans.

"I am proud to stand with you in the fight to end discrimination against gays and lesbians once and for all," declared Clinton, who favors allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

"I will do my part to stand up and speak out against intolerance and bigotry and prejudice whenever and wherever I see it."

As a senator, she voted against amending the U.S. Constitution to ban gay marriage. And this October, she told gay leaders, "I believe in full equality of benefits, nothing left out."

She'd leave out the right to marry, though, just like other top candidates. Plus, she supports the obnoxious law signed by her husband that denies legally wed gay couples federal benefits. Yet if New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer wins marriage for gay couples, she's said she won't object.

So, gay America is divided. Geoff Kors says Equality California is unlikely to endorse anyone who fails to embrace gay marriage. But New York activist Ethan Geto has jumped onto Hillary's bandwagon: "It's a big mistake for the gay community to have a litmus test on marriage." Virginia Apuzzo, a gay appointee in the Clinton White House, sighs, "I'm 65 years old, and I don't want to get my full rights as an equal citizen posthumously." As for 2008, she says, "It's early in the night, and I'm not ready to go home with anybody yet."

Hillary Clinton's husband showed that no president can magically transport gay Americans over the rainbow to the land of full equality. We must build our own road, yellow brick by yellow brick. Who would do the most to help us?

Deb Price of The Detroit News writes the first nationally syndicated column on gay issues. To find out more about Deb Price and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

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