Black Box Report

Unless your last name is Kucinich, last night's LGBT debate was a tricky two-step for the Democratic candidates who showed up. With all of them supporting equal rights for gays, most of the candidates got passing grades. But they got bogged down by "semantics;" they didn't exactly distinguish themselves on the issue of gay marriage per se:

Hillary was last and answered the tough questions about the failure of Don't Ask, Don't Tell with candor. She also said her opposition to gay marriage is "personal" and whereas Obama said it's a matter for churches to decide, she said it's a matter for states to decide.

Both are cop-out positions, of course. If you support equal rights and domestic partnerships, there's no reason not to support gay marriage.

Kucinich opened his segment by stating his support for the entire LGBT agenda, automatically becoming the room favorite. Gravel supports gay marriage as well, but......he's Gravel. Too weird for any room. But for the rest of the candidates, lots of B-minus and C-pluses for dodging the real issue. Denying a group rights that other groups enjoy over an issue of semantics is just weak. If you have to resort to semantics to keep the status quo, then the status doesn't desrve to be quo. But the one F grade had to go to Bill Richardson for his botched reaction to whether homosexuality is a choice, or biological:

Let's just say it right now - Bill Richardson self-immolated tonight on live TV. I haven't seen anyone fumble a question like this so badly.

MS. ETHERIDGE: Thank you.

Do you think homosexuality is a choice, or is it biological?

GOV. RICHARDSON: It's a choice. It's --

MS. ETHERIDGE: I don't know if you understand the question. (Soft laughter.) Do you think I -- a homosexual is born that way, or do you think that around seventh grade we go, "Ooh, I want to be gay"?

GOV. RICHARDSON: Well, I -- I'm not a scientist. It's -- you know, I don't see this as an issue of science or definition. I see gays and lesbians as people as a matter of human decency. I see it as a matter of love and companionship and people loving each other. You know I don't like to categorize people. I don't like to, like, answer definitions like that that, you know, perhaps are grounded in science or something else that I don't understand.

Karen Ocamb said there were gasps, and hisses in the audience. A Richardson supporter, Richard Zaldavar, said, that it's a sentiment in the Latino and black communities that homosexuality is a choice (ostensibly to rationalize Richardson stepping on that land mine). He was given ample opportunity to extract himself from the situation, but it really went downhill from there.

"I don't know if you understand the question."

Ms. Etheridge was being too kind. At least he didn't suggest that you can pray the gay away. Richardson did himself no favors among the LGBT crowd, or among heterosexuals who just know better for that matter. But one blogger to come to Richardson's defense - sort of - was Atrios:

But in general terms, focusing on the record is something we should do more instead of trying to divine what's in the souls of candidates. There are reasons for doing the latter, as past performance is no guarantee of future returns, but ultimately it doesn't really matter what politicians think about things deep in their hearts. Bill Richardson can think (not saying he does) that homosexuality is an abomination which will be punished by an eternity in hell, as long as he's pushing for policies which provide gays and lesbians with equal rights.

And Richardson's record shows he does just that. Cold comfort for him at this point, though.

Undoubtedly there were negatives - Clinton and Obama stumbling over semantics, Edwards fumbling slowly closer to equal rights, Richardson just bumbling...and where were Biden and Dodd? Scheduling conflicts? Although given Biden's propensity for chewing his foot, maybe that's for the better. And I'm sure Dodd's daughters have to be relieved. But there were more positives to be taken away from the event as well. The LGBT discussion has gone mainstream:

We've reached a point in which Democratic presidential candidates are anxious to endear themselves to the LGBT community, and jumped at the chance to emphasize their support for gay rights. It's an impressive milestone and a huge step forward for social progress...

...The arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice.

Next, I'll preview the upcoming Republican debate at the LGBT forum to com.......

What? They're not?

Shocking.