John Edwards for President
Apr 10, 2007
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
The John Edwards for President campaign announced today that prominent LGBT leaders from across the country endorsed Senator John Edwards for President.
"I am honored to have the support of so many well-respected LGBT leaders," said Edwards. "They work hard every day to make our country a better place and I am proud to join with them to fight for equal rights for all Americans."
The following LGBT leaders endorsed Edwards for President:
Skip Paul, Corporate Executive
Darren Star, TV Producer
Julie Johnson, Human Rights Campaign Public Policy Committee Co-Chair
Eric Stern, Former National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director; Former Democratic National Committee LGBT Outreach Director
David Mixner, Former Bill Clinton for President Adviser; LGBT activist, fundraiser, author www.davidmixner.com
Dennis Erdman, TV Producer/ Director
Mary Snider, Human Rights Campaign Board of Directors Executive Committee Member
David Tseng, Kerry-Edwards 2004 National LGBT Advisory Committee Co-Chair; Former Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National Executive Director
David Mariner, Former Out for Howard Dean Co-Chair; Founder, www.outfordemocracy.org
James Duff, TV Producer
Ramon Gardenhire, National Stonewall Democrats Black Caucus Co-Chair; Former DNC LGBT Deputy Outreach Director
Scott Benson, Majority Leader Minneapolis City Council
Shane Larson, AFL-CIO Pride @ Work National Executive Board Member; Association of Flight Attendants (AFA)-Communications Workers of America (CWA) Government Affairs Director
Scott Wiener, Human Rights Campaign Board of Directors Member; San Francisco Democratic Party Chair* (for identification purposes only)
Jeff Gardner, Garden State Equality Vice Chair; New Jersey for Democracy Co-Chair
Lynne Wiggins, Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) National Leadership Council Member; Former Human Rights Campaign Board of Governors Member
Ken Keechl, Broward County Commissioner; Former Dolphin Democrats President
Linda Elliott, Human Rights Committee Board of Directors Member
Dave Garrity, Former Democratic National Committee Member
Mark Periello, Former Human Rights Campaign staff member; Democratic strategist
Ron Ginsburg, LGBT Community Activist; business owner
Randall Kelly, LGBT Community Activist; attorney
Stephanie Kornegay, LGBT Community Activist; business owner
Robert D. Horvath, Mautner Project Board of Directors Member
Patrick J. Lyden, LGBT Community Activist; Homeland Security Advisor
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In My Own Words: John Edwards for President
Apr 11 2007
By David Mixner
http://www.davidmixner.com
In 2008, the Democratic Party will have an exciting field of electable presidential candidates to choose from. Each has the ability to lead our nation and make our party proud. Clearly, even at this early point in the race, there are three major contenders – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Barack Obama, and former Senator John Edwards. Their proficiency at fundraising and a frontloaded primary system will most likely prevent any other candidate from gaining much ground.
In previous years, candidates like Senator Chris Dodd, Senator Joe Biden, or Governor Bill Richardson might have had an opportunity to break through. In 2008, however, the nomination will probably be locked up just four weeks after the Iowa caucuses! On February 5, almost 20 states will hold their primaries on a single day. Unfortunately, this new system may only increase the power of the money elite and diminish the possibility of an insurgent campaign.
Only one Democratic presidential candidate, Congressman Dennis Kucinich, unequivocally supports marriage equality. All of the other candidates support some form of civil unions. In addition, all Democratic candidates have staked out decent positions on key LGBT issues, such as employment nondiscrimination, hate crimes, HIV/AIDS, and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." They all have their own rhetoric, but the substance behind their positions is generally the same.
Let me be very clear. I am disappointed that none of the major candidates support full marriage equality. I deeply believe that our nation has arrived at a place where it is politically possible for a national campaign to be successful and support marriage equality for the LGBT community. It remains my hope that the major candidates may still come around on this issue and follow the courage of other national leaders such as Senator Russ Feingold.
Lorri Jean, CEO of the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, recently suggested that members of the LGBT community should not endorse any of the major presidential candidates because of their failure to support such a fundamental right for our community. I honestly considered her point.
But today, my politics are driven by my fierce desire to see an end to the war in Iraq. I am reminded daily of our struggle to end the war in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago. The parallels are striking and surreal. And I feel that I must do everything I can to elect a president who understands and shares this world view.
For the past 33 years, I supported former President Bill Clinton and his wife Senator Hillary Clinton every time either has run for office, including his very first campaign, an unsuccessful campaign for Congress in 1974, and her run for the Senate in 2006. For the first time in three decades, I sadly cannot support a Clinton for public office.
Senator Clinton is a remarkable and talented woman but her positions on the war in Iraq have left me frustrated and, at times, completely baffled. Not only has she been wrong on the war, but she seems to have trouble admitting her mistakes. She says she supports a timetable for withdrawal, but then she states that she will keep American troops in Iraq after she is elected. The bottom line is that Senator Clinton will not unequivocally commit to the end this war. Her lack of leadership on Iraq and some other key progressive issues has left me with no choice but to look to other candidates.
Senator Barack Obama was right about the Iraq War from the start. And he has a breathtaking capacity to excite new and disaffected voters. However, in many ways I think he is where Senator Edwards was in 2004 when I could not endorse him. While Senator Obama is clearly a new leader in the Democratic Party, he is unseasoned and has not offered detailed solutions to match his vision. I believe that he still has much to learn about the various elements that make up the Democratic Party and what will make a winning coalition in November 2008.
The political parties have historically used their primaries to groom new candidates. I think this year, as it was for President John Kennedy in 1956 when he was almost nominated as Adlai Stevenson's running mate, is a starting point for Senator Obama and I will be thrilled to witness him grow into a great leader.
John Edwards is one of those rare candidates who not only have the charisma to lead the nation but the intellect to move us forward.
There is no question that John Edwards will resolve the war in Iraq. His forceful speech at Riverside Church on Dr. King's birthday condemning the Iraq War changed the tone of the debate in the campaign and in the country. Rarely does a single speech echo so loud. Quoting Dr. King, Edwards said, "Silence is betrayal."
While John Edwards did vote to give the President authority to invade Iraq in 2003, he has since admitted to being wrong, taken full responsibility for his actions, and exercised consistent and powerful leadership opposing the escalation of the war. He has unapologetically called for cutting off funding and setting a timetable for withdrawal. At each campaign stop, Edwards talks about the immorality of this war with words that transcend political party. No other major candidate comes close in meeting his passion or commitment to end the war.
I believe that one of the reasons why John Edwards broke through the pack in 2004 was his message that there are two Americas – one for the rich and one for the poor. Since that time, he has become an even more forceful advocate for the more than 37 million Americans living in poverty. After the 2004 election, he served as Director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina. And unlike many politicians, who ignore people living in extreme poverty because they don't often vote, Edwards speaks openly about preventable childhood diseases, families going hungry, deplorable housing conditions, and failing schools.
The American poor, as one woman in Appalachia said to me, "have become America's dirty little secret, hidden away so we don't have to deal with them." But in John Edwards' administration, they'll finally have a place at the table.
Had I taken into account these two issues alone, John Edwards would still be my first choice. But on every other major issue such as trade, climate change, the economy, and HIV/AIDS, he has risen above platitudes and traditional platform language. He is the only candidate offering detailed, honest and pragmatic solutions to the great problems we face. He even recently mailed 70,000 DVDs to Iowa voters to explain his plan for solving America's healthcare crisis.
Since the last political cycle, John Edwards has visibly matured from a novice politician into a statesman who commands authority and attention. He has found his voice and I believe he's found ours, too.
I gladly endorse his candidacy for the presidency in 2008.
Thanks Liza. When I first saw this article I felt like David's comments were very similar to how I perceive the top 3 candidates in the race.
I am most impressed with Edwards - especially with his growth since the last cycle.
I'll definitely be in the Edwards group when the caucus starts.
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