PrideSource: Obama tells CBN he "grapples with" abortion & gay issues

[Bluebear]

OBAMA SNUBS? Meanwhile, the Obama campaign has not responded to requests from this reporter and several large gay newspapers around the country for a sit-down interview on a wide range of LGBT-related topics. Campaign spokesperson Ben LaBolt pointed to The Advocate interview as evidence that the campaign is responsive to such requests, but he stopped short of saying whether a more comprehensive Q-and-A might be scheduled with any gay news publication in the future. Last week, the campaign did reach out to the National Gay Newspaper Guild, a coalition of the 12 largest gay newspapers in the country. It sent the papers an essay it said the senator wrote "addressing many of the issues that have come up over the past several weeks." In it, Obama reiterates his position on a number of issues -that he would repeal the entire federal Defense of Marriage Act (Clinton would repeal only part), repeal the military's "don't ask/don't tell policy," and "use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws." But he also reiterated that he believes "full equality" can be achieved without marriage licenses. And, while he says his administration would support a "fully inclusive" Employment Non-Discrimination Act, he does not specify how he would vote if a sexual orientation-only version comes before him in the Senate next year.

OBAMA BOLDNESS: In his essay, Senator Obama also asserts, "We will not secure full equality for all LGBT Americans until we learn how to address that deep disagreement and move beyond it. To achieve that goal, we must state our beliefs boldly," he wrote, "bring the message of equality to audiences that have not yet accepted it, and listen to what those audiences have to say in return." Obama spoke to one of those audiences that have not yet accepted it. Obama granted a sit-down Q & A November 11 with David Brody of CBN News, an affiliate of television evangelical Pat Robertson. Brody asked him about his positions on abortion and gay marriage. Obama called the issues "profoundly difficult" and said they are "ones I grapple with." On gay marriage, he said "My belief is that, as a public official, my role is to make sure that everybody is treated fairly, and everybody has equal rights. And I know that, sometimes in this debate, there's talk about, 'Well, we don't mind giving gays and lesbians equal rights, but not special rights.' Well, the fact is, right now, many gay couples, for example, can't visit each other in the hospital. And, when I sit down and read scripture, and I think, 'How would Jesus feel about somebody not being able to visit somebody they love when they're sick,' I conclude that that is something that is important. And certainly as a public official, it's important for me to make sure that those basic rights, that basic equality is available." To gauge the boldness of the delivery, go to www.cbn.com/CBNnews/266144.aspx.

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