NOTES FROM THE 2ND TIER

Who knew there was a gay TV channel? Golf, I know about. Even Home and Garden. But gay? LOGO hosted a presidential forum yesterday; six Democrats appeared; not surprisingly, all the Republicans declined. Four of the six Democrats would have been better off following the Republican example, ‘cause they had nothing to bring to the table other than a little political suave.

Richardson, Obama, Edwards, and Clinton all said pretty much the same thing: Some of my best friends are gay. They gushed about civil rights and civil unions, but stopped short of gay marriage, which is, after all, what the forum was about. Not being psychic, I wouldn’t presume to know why they stopped short – but I can guess. Richardson and Edwards seemed to have religious problems with the notion of same-sex marriages; lame, but probably sincere. Obama and Clinton would probably embrace the idea, but for the millions of votes it might cost them. Can you be more disingenuous than that?

Hillary took the biggest hit. Singer Melissa Ethridge talked about the excitement of “coming out” during Bill Clinton’s inaugural week. Everyone in the gay community was so hopeful, she said, because of promises made during the campaign, only to be bitterly disappointed when those promises went unkept. If Hillary were elected, she asked, how long would it take her to made good on those promises? Hillary shucked and jived and finessed, but really had nothing to say.

Enter Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel. The Ohio Congressman and the former Alaska Senator let everyone know exactly where they stood. No hemming and hawing – just a simple yes vote. Kucinich said it all when he noted that gay marriage wasn’t really the issue at all; the issue was equal rights, and if everyone didn’t have ‘em they weren’t equal.

At first blush, both of these “2nd tier” presidential candidates seem to be extremist in their views, but a closer look reveals that is only in comparison to the cautious behavior of the top contenders. Gravel, who left office a quarter century ago, seems a bit further out on a limb. He is angry that the media has marginalized him and he doesn’t hesitate to say so. In the process, though, it makes him look looney. As interesting as he is, he does seem to be just a hair too old for the job.

Kucinich, on the other hand, is the same age as me and a real firecracker. He’s had a colorful career, including being rated as one of the worst mayors of all time and then being honored twenty years later for having been such a forward thinker. I encourage you to go online and read his profile in Wikipedia. His presidential platform includes such radical ideas as: universal health care; immediate withdrawal from Iraq; withdrawal also from NAFTA and the WTO; and repealing the Patriot Act, among other things. He has also sponsored a bill for the impeachment of both Bush and Cheney.

Obama is infinitely more appealing. Richardson is more qualified. Edwards is sexier by far, and Hillary has all those international connections. But Dennis Kucinich, a 2nd tier candidate, is a straight talker who deserves first rate consideration.

a foot on either side