HRC Back Story

Today, the Washington Blade released a story featuring a written interview with Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain.  We hear that the interview, posted on the Washington Blade’s website, took place earlier this week.  In his answers, McCain thanks the Log Cabin Republicans for their endorsement and says he hopes LGBT Americans don't count him out:

I hope gay and lesbian Americans will give full consideration to supporting me. The stakes are high in this election. I will have an inclusive administration and I will be a president for all Americans.

On the other hand, McCain reiterates his support for the anti-gay California and Arizona marriage amendments and doesn't deviate from his previous positions of opposing hate crimes legislation and gay adoption. He also claims that he would would review Don't Ask Don't Tell and would "rely on the commanders who will be impacted by a change in the law." 

Joe Solmonese didn't mince words in his response:

We congratulate the Washington Blade on securing a written response from Senator McCain.  Unfortunately, John McCain’s answers to those well written questions do nothing but insult the intelligence of the LGBT community. Senator McCain’s double speak fools no one.  At the end of the day, his policies haven’t changed at all. 

It’s interesting that John McCain thinks that being civil is going to win us over, but it doesn’t make up for the fact that he is against every single policy that would protect and promote equality for the LGBT community.

It’s 2008, ‘some of my best friends are gay’ doesn’t work anymore.  Sorry, we’ve already had one ‘compassionate conservative’ in the White House for eight years, we aren’t interested in another.

To read a full report on Senator McCain’s stances on issues of importance to the LGBT community, please visit:  www.hrc.org/mccain