Subject: Clinton Supports ENDA, Dole Opposes Special Rights
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 1996 16:14:49 -0400

Network of Lesbian and Gay Democratic Clubs and Organizations

For Immediate Release					October 17, 1996

Contact: 	Eric Bauman (800) 225-4157 or (818) 780-4590 
		fax (818) 786-6981  email: [email-masked] 

PRESIDENT CLINTON TELLS THE NATION HE SUPPORTS ENDA
DOLE SAYS HE OPPOSES SPECIAL RIGHTS

San Diego, CA - Last night it was put up or shut up time. The most dreaded
moment of the 1996 presidential campaign for the two candidates, to have to
deal with the the "gay issue" in front of 70 million Americans. A travel
agent from San Diego asked President Clinton and Senator Dole to explain
their policies on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a federal
bill which would prohibit discrimination against lesbians and gay men in the
workplace.

President Clinton paused for just a moment and said, "I'm for it. That's my
policy. I'm for it." With nine simple words President Clinton told ALL of
America that he supports equal rights for lesbians and gay men. He didn't
duck, he didn't swerve, he simply said "I'm for it." 

Senator Dole, on the other hand, said, "I'm opposed to discrimination in any
form, but I don't favor creating special rights for any group."

Network Co-Chair Eric Bauman said "This simple exchange between the two
candidates clearly defines and illuminates the choice we face on November
5th: a president who opposes discrimination against lesbians and gays, and
who in front of the entire nation is willing to endorse federal civil rights
laws to protect us, or a president who calls ENDA the creation of special
rights. Any lesbian or gay man who still has doubts about who to vote for or
which candidate supports our community just isn't listening. This wasn't a
speech at a gay community fundraiser, this was a statement seen and heard by
over 70 million Americans"

In a further response to the question, the President said, "I believe that
any law-abiding tax-paying citizen who shows up in the morning and doesn't
break the law and doesn't interfere with his or her neighbors ought to have
the ability to work in our country and shouldn't be subject to unfair
discrimination. I'm for it (ENDA)."

Dole continued his response with "But as far as special rights, I'm opposed
to same-sex marriages,  which the president signed well after midnight one
morning, in the dark of night -- he opposed it."

President Clinton ignored the reference to DOMA, an opportunity to tout his
signature as proof of his more conservative credentials. Clinton refused to
take the bait and kept his response focused on the issue of ending
discrimination.  

The final question of the night was from an MCC minister. She provided the
President with an opportunity to speak out further on the issue on anti-gay
discrimination and so-called "special rights." She asked President Clinton,
"Perhaps you can help me with something tonight. I've heard Mr. Dole say
several times, ‘All of us together.' And when he was asked if he would
support equal rights in employment for gay and lesbian people, you said that
you favored that, and he said that he did not believe in special rights. And
I thought the question was equal rights for all people, and I don't
understand why people are using the term ‘special rights' when the question
is equal rights. Could you help me in understanding that?

The President responded, "Now I think I have to let Senator Dole speak for
himself....Let me tell you what I feel. We have a lot of differences in our
country, and some of us believe that other people's decisions are wrong, even
immoral. But under our Constitution, if you show up tomorrow and obey the
law, and you work hard, and you do what you are supposed to do, you're
entitled to equal treatment. That's the way the system works."

 "All over the world, people are being torn apart ....because of all their
differences. We still have some of that hatred inside us, you see it in the
church burnings. And one of the things I've tried hardest to do is to tell
the American people that we have to get beyond that, we have to understand
that we're stronger when we unite around shared values instead of being
divided by our differences."

The President ended his response by saying, "Let me say again, there is no
more important responsibility for the president than to say if you believe in
the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence,
that's all we need to know. And you can be part of our America, and you can
walk across that bridge to the 21st century with us." 

Bauman summed up his response to the debate by saying, "The last four years
have been filled with ups-and-downs for the gay community. We've gone from
the highs of ‘92 presidential campaign to the lows of the passage and signing
of DOMA. Last night President Clinton gave us a new high, risking a backlash
against him from conservatives, he not only endorsed ENDA and spoke out
plainly against anti-gay discrimination, he ended his response by inviting
lesbian and gay Americans to walk across the bridge to the 21st century with
him. Does anyone still doubt that Bill Clinton is the best friend our
community has ever had in the White House?"

The Network of Lesbian and Gay Democratic Clubs is an organization
representing the interests of grassroots lesbian and gay Democratic activists
and organizations around the country. Eric Bauman is the co-chair of the
Network and the president of Stonewall Democratic Club in Los Angeles.

-end-