Jun 01, 2007  |  By: KEVIN NAFF  | COMMENTS     

be more progressive than Ted Kennedy on gay rights, gay voters shouldn’t let Edwards shrug off this offensive remark without at least an explanation.

He should either publicly disavow it or explain why he said it and how he came to a new stance on gay issues in the intervening years. The many prominent gay rights supporters who have publicly backed his 2004 and 2008 campaigns deserve no less.

To Edwards’ credit, he outlines support for several key gay rights initiatives in a new questionnaire released by HRC late last week, including the Uniting American Families Act, which would remedy a cruel injustice that has separated thousands of gay couples. UAFA absolutely deserves to be a part of the current immigration debate, but unfortunately our lawmakers seem to have trouble juggling more than one issue at a time, so it’s not likely to go anywhere this year.

Edwards is smart to get out in front of the UAFA debate. Because in 2007 there are enough candidates in the running, including Rudy Giuliani on the GOP side, that gay voters and donors needn’t tolerate a hypocrite like Edwards.

Someone who rails against the injustices of poverty while paying $400 for a haircut and takes piles of cash from gay donors despite his apparent discomfort with us doesn’t deserve gay money, gay votes or gay support.

“Those people” have better options in 2008.