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| Steve Elmendorf served as Rep. Dick Gephardt’s chief of staff, one of a
handful of openly gay people in the former Democratic House leader’s office,
Elmendorf said. Elmendorf is one of three gay people playing key roles in Gephardt’s
presidential campaign. (Photo courtesy of Dick Gephardt for President)
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HOME > NEWS > NATIONAL NEWS
By: LOU CHIBBARO JR. COMMENTS
 
continued...
Gephardt “adds a unique element” to Gephardt’s
profile on gay issues.
“She is going to be a very strong advocate for the community,” he said.
On the Gephardt campaign Web site, Chrissy Gephardt discusses her role in
a Gephardt White House if her father were to win the presidency.
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| Chrissy Gephardt, the lesbian daughter
of presidential candidate Dick Gephardt, said that if her father is elected,
she would be able to advocate for gay rights inside the White House. |
“I tell people that I am like a live-in lobbyist,” she said. “I am a social
worker who fights for social justice on a daily basis. Since this issue is
near and dear to my heart, I will be fighting for equal rights for gays and
lesbians when my dad gets to the White House,” she said. “Plus, my dad sees
my relationship with my partner, and I know that he loves me unconditionally.
I will be pushing my dad on every issue that is important to me and to gay
and lesbian voters.”
Polls have shown that Gephardt is trailing former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean
in the upcoming presidential primaries and caucuses in many key states, including
New Hampshire. Pundits have said Dean and Gephardt are running neck and neck
in the Iowa caucuses, the first contest of the 2004 presidential race.
Why should gays vote for Gephardt instead of one of the other Democratic presidential
contenders who have also expressed strong support on gay issues?
“The real issue is when you get to the general election,” Elmendorf said. “We
argue that Gephardt has a unique appeal to the middle part of the country,
in states like Missouri, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois.”
Gephardt’s appeal to voters in these states gives him a better chance of beating
President Bush than his Democratic rivals, Elmendorf said.
With Republicans<
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