Democratic Candidates Come Out for Gay Rights Forum

Gays and lesbians are active in Democratic politics and constitute one of the party's more reliable voting blocs, but the nation is divided on some of the issues they care about most. Last night in Los Angeles, six candidates for president answered questions from a very interested audience. Gravel and Kucinich said they were in favor of same-sex marriage; Clinton, Obama, Edwards and Richardson all were opposed—saying the rights of gay and lesbian couples could be guaranteed by civil unions. None of the candidates changed their positions, but they offered a contrast to what their Republican counterparts have been saying. Matt Foreman is executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.