Clinton, Obama set to participate in forum on gay issues...[Updated]
Leading Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama irked me and many others when they were a bit slow to condemn Gen. Peter Pace for saying that homosexuals are immoral. So maybe they can make it up with some good answers at a televised debate on gay issues next month presented by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and MTV Networks' Logo channel.
Clinton and Obama were the first to commit to the one-hour event followed by John Edwards, Christopher Dodd will be held on August 9th at 6:00PM PT / 9:00 PM ET in Los Angeles before a studio audience. It will broadcast live without commercial interruption on Logo's 24/7 cable television channel as well as through live streaming video at LOGOonline.com.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a pro-marriage equality candidate, has not confirmed his attendance yet, and neither has New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson who has been courting the gay vote. Sen. Joe Biden has declined the invitation based on scheduling conflicts. Former senator Mike Gravel, was not invited to the debate because he didn't meet the fundraising threshold for participants and his campaign is furious.
HRC spokesperson Brad Luna said HRC and Logo initially set out to sponsor two different forums, one for Republican candidates and one for Democratic candidates.
“The precondition we set before those forums could be confirmed was that two out of the three leading candidates would have to confirm their attendance,” Luna told The Advocate. On the Republican side, Mitt Romney declined the invitation, and Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain never responded, so the GOP forum never got off the ground."
The candidates will appear sequentially and engage in conversation with co-panelists Melissa Etheridge, performer and advocate, and Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. The panelists plan to cover a range of issues including relationship recognition, marriage equality, workplace fairness, the military, hate crimes, HIV/AIDS and other important issues.
Says Solmonese: "In the 2008 presidential election, issues of concern to the LGBT community have already been at the forefront of the national conversation. From the repeal of "Don't ask, Don't Tell" to the recent signing of a civil unions bill in New Hampshire, there is no doubt that voters will demand answers to important questions affecting our community."
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Greg Hernandez has covered the entertainment industry for the Daily News since 2001. He's considered a bit odd by some for his obsession with box office numbers, has been known to camp out near the kitchen at premieres for first crack at the hors d'oeurves, and Greg's never seen a red carpet he didn't want to stroll down.
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