Republican presidential nominee John McCain reiterated his support for California’s Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriage there, but indicated he is open to a review of the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy. (Photo by Carolyn Kaster/AP)
Republican
presidential
nominee
Sen.
John
McCain
(R-Ariz.)
told
the
Blade
in
an
exclusive
written
interview
this
week
that
he
appreciates
the
Log
Cabin
Republicans’
decision
to
endorse
him,
and
he
hopes
“gay
and
lesbian
Americans
will
give
full
consideration
to
supporting
me.”
McCain’s
decision
to
answer
questions
submitted
to
him
in
writing
marks
the
first
known
time
a
Republican
presidential
nominee
has
agreed
to
an
interview
with
a
gay
publication.
McCain
reiterated
his
long-held
position
that
he
would
leave
it
up
to
military
leaders
to
decide
whether
the
“Don’t
Ask,
Don’t
Tell”
law
should
be
retained
or
repealed.
But
he
suggested
that
he
would
support
a
“review”
of
the
policy.
Washington
Blade:
What
personal
experiences
or
friendships
in
your
life
have
shaped
how
you
view
gay
issues?
John
McCain:
I
have
known
former
Congressman
Jim
Kolbe
for
25
years. We
first
ran
for
Congress
in
Arizona
the
same
year
—
in
1982. We
served
together
starting
in
1985.
He’s
a
great
American
who
spent
two
decades
serving
his
country
in
Congress. Like
me,
he
also
served
in
Vietnam
so
we
have
a
special
kinship. When
he
came
out
in
1996,
there
was
no
question
that
I
would
stand
by
him.
He’s
a
friend
and
a
patriot
and
has
been
an
admirable
public
servant,
and
a
good
example
of
why
someone’s
sexuality
should
not
be
relevant
in
public
life.
I
have
also
known
former
Tempe
Mayor
[Neil]
Giuliano
for
many
years.
He
headed
Mayors
for
McCain
in
our
2000
campaign.
I
stood
by
him
when
there
was
an
effort
to
recall
him
in
2001,
led
by
people
who
objected
to
him
being
an
openly
gay
public
official.
He
was
a
hard-working
public
servant
and
someone
I
have
great
respect
for.
Blade:
Do
you
have
any
role
models
who
are
openly
gay,
lesbian,
bisexual
or
transgender?
McCain:
I
had
the
humbling
experience
of
speaking
at
Mark
Bingham’s
funeral
after
the
attacks
on
Sept.
11. Mark
had
supported
me
during
the
2000
campaign.
Unfortunately,
I
barely
knew
him,
but
our
country
learned
about
him
after
9-11.
He
was
one
of
the
heroes
on
9-11
who
tried
to
retake
control
of
United
Flight
93. His
efforts
along
with
the
other
brave
patriots
could
have
saved
hundreds
of
lives.
I
honor
and
respect
Mark.
Memories
of
his
sacrifice
and
the
other
victims
from
9-11
motivate
me
everyday
to
make
sure
we
keep
our
nation
safe
from
the
terrorists
who
want
to
attack
our
way
of
life
because
freedom
is
a
threat
to
their
message
of
hate.
Here’s
what
I
said
during
his
eulogy:
I
love
my
country,
and
I
take
pride
in
serving
her.
But
I
cannot
say
that
I
love
her
more
or
as
well
as
Mark
Bingham
did,
or
the
other
heroes
on
United
Flight
93
who
gave
their
lives
to
prevent
our
enemies
from
inflicting
an
even
greater
injury
on
our
country.
It
has
been
my
fate
to
witness
great
courage
and
sacrifice
for
America’s
sake,
but
none
greater
than
the
selfless
sacrifice
of
Mark
Bingham
and
those
good
men
who
grasped
the
gravity
of
the
moment,
understood
the
threat,
and
decided
to
fight
back
at
the
cost
of
their
lives.
(The
full
eulogy
is
available
at
tampabaycoalition.com/files/0921McCainPR.htm)
Blade:
Would
you
decline
to
nominate
a
qualified
Supreme
Court
justice,
cabinet
member
or
other
appointed
position
just
because
the
person
is
openly
gay?
McCain:
I
have
always
hired
the
most
qualified
and
competent
people
—
regardless
of
their
political
party,
race,
gender,
religion
or
sexual
orientation.
Blade:
Would
you
decline
to
nominate
a
qualified
Supreme
Court
justice
or
cabinet
member
who
had
a
history
of
anti-gay
rulings?
McCain:
I
will
nominate
judges
who
interpret
the
Constitution,
not
judges
who
legislate
from
the
bench.
Legislators
pass
laws;
judges
interpret
them.
Unfortunately,
too
many
judges
have
become
confused
[about]
their
role.
Blade:
President
Bush
has
been
praised
for
his
AIDS
relief
efforts
in
Africa,
but
many
domestic
AIDS
service
providers
say
the
U.S.
focus
on
the
epidemic
abroad
ignores
growing
infection
rates
here
at
home.
How
would
your
AIDS
policies
differ
from
President
Bush?
And
would
you
put
a
greater
focus
on
the
domestic
problem?
McCain:
I’m
proud
to
have
supported
President
Bush’s
efforts
to
address
the
international
AIDS
crisis. History
will
remember
him
for
the
PEPFAR
program,
which
has
saved
millions
of
lives.
We’ve
made
progress
on
the
domestic
front
too,
but
not
enough.
I
am
committed
to
supporting
the
development
of
a
National
AIDS
Strategy.
Countries
receiving
PEPFAR
aid
are
required
to
develop
a
national
plan;
but
we
don’t
have
one
in
our
country.
It’s
important
to
settle
on
a
national
strategy
—
with
input
from
state,
local
and
federal
government
officials;
along
with
the
private
sector,
doctors,
drug
companies
and
AIDS
advocates.
Let’s
roll
up
our
sleeves
and
put
together
a
National
AIDS
Strategy
for
more
effectively
addressing
the
domestic
challenges.
Recent
CDC
statistics
show
that
gay
men
continue
to
be
strongly
impacted
by
the
disease,
and
the
disease
is
disproportionately
affecting
people
of
color.
Our
prevention
and
treatment
efforts
must
be
improved
to
address
these
challenges.
Blade:
Would
you
resume
the
practice
started
by
President
Clinton
but
discontinued
by
President
Bush
of
creating
a
high-level
White
House
staff
position
serving
...
The
following comments were posted by our readers and were
not edited by the Washington Blade. We ask that you
treat others with respect; any post deemed offensive will
be removed.
GraceTMorton on 10/9/0811:19 PM:
I am so pleased that William Kapfer was able to share the "real": McCain
that our community needed to know about, in his recent interview. How
disappointing that a presidential candidate can be so blind to the support
of basic human rights. McCain is a bitter, mean old man that should be
out in the desert playing golf, not running for President.
phatkhat on 10/6/081:36 AM:
I certainly hope the McCain supporters realize that he is old, has cancer, and may not live until the next election. Had he chosen a different VP, it might not matter so much. But Sarah would love to burn all gay people, atheists, humanists - well, anyone who is not a Third Wave Fundamentalist - at the stake. McCain may not take a strong anti-gay stand, but Sarah WILL.
Rawkcuf on 10/4/081:27 AM:
When McCain says he will nominate the most qualified competent people, I have to object.
There is no way in hell McCain will nominate a GLBTQ person. Look who he choose for a running mate!
Political expediency will always trump qualifications and competency. McCain always has one eye on the religious right, and that has informed his campaign, and will color his administration should he be elected.
It's a shame the Log Cabin Republicans are unable or unwilling to see through this unabashed last ditch effort to cull a few more votes.
MCCAIN/PALIN = DISASTER! Heckuva job 'loggie'
Cody on 10/3/085:37 PM:
"My home state of Arizona shouldn’t be compelled to recognize a marriage from California or Massachusetts."
If Arizona decided to stop recognizing heterosexual marriages from California or Massachusetts, I'm sure we'd never hear the end of it. When you look at it this way, with states selectively recognizing marriages ("Theirs is okay, but yours isn't.") there's no way to say it isn't discrimination.
And re the Matthew Shepard Act: has McCain voted against anti-racism legislation, too? He must have, with that kind of logic.
