Candidate John Edwards will end discrimination against gay couples.

In her second speech aimed at our community, Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Democratic Presidential Candidate, Senator John Edwards, pledged to fight for issues that effect gays and lesbians.

Ms. Edwards said that her husband disagrees with her on gay marriage but he would be a champion for legislation that would protect same-sex couples from discrimination. The former North Carolina senator opposes gay marriage but supports civil unions.

During her speech to the California chapter of the Human Rights Campaign, she also talked about hate crimes, citing the story of a Sacramento man who died after witnesses said he was beaten to death by men who thought he was gay. She slammed President Bush for not doing anything to help protect gays and lesbians against violence.

Learn more about Elizabeth Edwards in The Salon interview. She explains her confrontation with Ann Coulter that happened live on MSNBC’s “Hardball,” after Coulter called John Edwards a “faggot” at a conservative conference.