Barack Obama defends “our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters” in historic convention address
“I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination.”
8/23/2008
Democratic VP candidate Joe Biden believes same-sex unions are inevitable. But he does not support gay “marriage”
Joe Biden, a six-term senator, is considered “generally pro-gay”. According to The Washington Times, he supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), federal hate crime legislation that includes sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories, and the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” He does not support same-sex marriage but does support civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, the same position held by Obama.
In 2003, Mr. Biden said that lesbians and gays are entitled to the same rights as other Americans, but reaching that point will “be an incredibly difficult thing for America to grapple with.”
“We’re going to go through a process here that is necessary for this nation in terms of how we deal with the rights and the recognition of gay unions. And I don’t think that gets settled by a constitutional amendment. It makes it more divisive.”
He also said, “It’s going to be something we have to go through as part of the maturation process of the nation.”
Senator Biden currently lives in New Castle, Delaware with his wife Jill Tracy Jacobs.
