Hillary Clinton on gay rights

I'd hardly say that either Democratic candidate has done a great job addressing issues of equality. But who could blame them? John McCain has already said he would seek out the advice of Karl Rove, and we all know how the Republicans (and particularly Karl Rove) will have no problem using such issues against to "divide and conquer" the electorate in this election just like they did in 2004, and just like they did in 2000.

Regardless, Clinton has said she would work to repeal "Don't ask don't tell" and to extend federal recognition to same sex couples.

She called for extending federal recognition to same-sex couples, repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and rejected claims that she doesn’t speak forcefully enough on gay issues — something that supporters of rival Sen. Barack Obama have asserted during the campaign.

“I talk about gay issues frequently,” she said. “I’ve been a longtime friend of the gay community — I’ve been talking about these issues since 1999 when I first ran for Senate and went on record as the first major candidate to say we’re going to repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ I talk about ending discrimination all the time.”

“I think extending federal benefits is a very important step forward,” she said. “I don’t see why a same-sex couple in California, which has a domestic partnership law, should be able to take advantage of the Family Medical Leave Act if one of them is ill, while a couple in another state without such a law cannot.

“I would like to see federal benefits extended to same-sex couples that meet certain standards of commitment regardless of the state in which they reside. Too many couples cannot share life decisions, or jointly own property or take care of one another within a recognized legal framework. I want to change that.”

Read the full interview here.