Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama. Photo by Rex Wockner______
' [ I ] f our Constitution really means what it says, that all are created equal, if it really means what it says, that there should be equality of opportunity before the law, then our brothers and sisters who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender should have the same rights accorded to them as anyone else, and that includes the ability to have a civil marriage ceremony.' — Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich at the CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate, July 23.
'How would I want my two daughters treated if they grew up and had a different sexual orientation than their parents? Good jobs, equal opportunity, to be able to retire, to visit each other, to be with each other, as other people do. So I feel very strongly, if you ask yourself the question, 'How would you like your children treated if they had a different sexual orientation than their parents?' the answer is, 'Yes, they ought to have that ability in civil unions.' I don't go so far as to call for marriage. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman.' — Presidential candidate Christopher Dodd at the CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate, July 23.
'I would do what is achievable. What I think is achievable is full civil unions with full marriage rights.' — Presidential candidate Bill Richardson at the CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate, July 23.
'I feel enormous personal conflict about this issue [ same-sex marriage ] . I want to end discrimination. I want ... equal rights, substantive rights, civil unions ... but I personally have been on a journey on this issue. I feel enormous conflict about it. As I think a lot of people know ... my wife Elizabeth spoke out a few weeks ago, and she actually supports gay marriage. I do not. But this is a very, very difficult issue for me. And I recognize and have enormous respect for people who have a different view of it.' — Presidential candidate John Edwards at the CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate, July 23.
'I remember hearing [ former GOP Sen. Rick ] Santorum ranting about how homosexual marriage threatens heterosexual marriage. I could be wrong, but I think heterosexual marriage is threatened more by heterosexuals. I don't know why gay marriage challenges my marriage in any way.' — Elizabeth Edwards, wife of presidential candidate John Edwards, to Salon.com, July 17.
' [ W ] e've got to make sure that everybody is equal under the law. And the civil unions that I proposed would be equivalent in terms of making sure that all the rights that are conferred by the state are equal for same-sex couples as well as for heterosexual couples. Now, with respect to marriage, it's my belief that it's up to the individual denominations to make a decision as to whether they want to recognize marriage or not. But in terms of, you know, the rights of people to transfer property, to have hospital visitation, all those critical civil rights that are conferred by our government, those should be equal.' — Presidential candidate Barack Obama at the CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate, July 23.
'My only ask was that if his [ Dick Cheney's ] daughter doubted my tolerance to her [ lesbian ] orientation that I would hope that he would help make it clear to Mary that this is a—I was just worried about—the reason I'd federalized the issue [ of same-sex marriage ] is because I was worried about the courts' defining the issue and that we'd end up with de facto marriage that was not traditionally defined, I guess is the best way to put it.' — President George W. Bush to Weekly Standard writer Stephen F. Hayes in his new book 'Cheney: The Untold Story of America's Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President,' as reported by The New Republic, July 16.
'You know when we lost everything, it was the gay people that came to my rescue and I will always love them for that.' — Tammy Faye ( Bakker ) Messner on TV's Larry King Live, July 19. She died the following day, of lung cancer. —Assistance: Bill Kelley
