During the recent inaugural festivities, gay GOPers were celebratingalbeit somewhat cautiouslythe new Bush administration, while gay Democrats were celebrating past victories and gearing up to fight new battles. We traveled in both circles and here's some of what we heard.
The Democrats
On the eve of Clinton's last day as president, Stonewall Democrats and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) hosted a celebration of the Clinton-Gore years at the tony Washington Club on gay-friendly Dupont Circle. The event also marked the beginning of an out-of-power strategy for gay Democrats.
U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told the more than 500 cheering gay Democrats that, because Dick Cheney said in a debate he thought definitions of marriage should be decided by the states, he will introduce a "Frank-Cheney" bill to repeal Section 2 of the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Trailing around after Frank was independent filmmaker Bart Everly, who has a documentary in the works about the openly gay lawmaker.
Of major interest: Frank's fellow Bay Stater, Sen. John Kerry, has national ambitions. If he gets on the Democratic ticket in 2004, Frank will run for his Senate seat, with a good shotin very Democratic Massachusettsat becoming the nation's first openly gay senator.
U.S. envoy to Luxembourg Jim Hormel, a tall, distinguished-looking, silver-haired patrician, who looks every bit the part of ambassador. The openly gay diplomat has kept a low-gay profile since President Clinton gave him a recess appointment to circumvent the Senate's confirmation process. But when Hormel came to the podium at the Democratic gala, he planted a big kiss on the cheek of emcee Tim McFeeley, NGLTF political director, then proceeded to blast "the fairy tales of John Ashcroft." Hormel contradicted Ashcroft's contention that the two had known each other for years, and thus Ashcroft could judge Hormel's fitness for the post, saying, "I do not remember a single conversation I had with John Ashcroft." Hormel, who was a dean when Ashcroft was a student at the University of Chicago law school, added that the Bush nominee for attorney general opposed his ambassadorship "solely on [his] sexual orientation."
Other guests at the Democratic event included gay writer David Brock, once the scourge of the Clinton White House, whose investigative report in conservative magazine The American Spectator prompted the Paula Jones lawsuit and subsequent impeachment of the president. Brock redeemed himself in many Democratic eyes, however, by writing The Seduction of Hillary Rodham, a pro-Hillary book. Doug Hattaway, commenting on the lack of news media attention to his sexual orientation during his stint as Al Gore's communication director, said simply that it wasn't news. He then added, somewhat plaintively, "but it would have been if I had become the White House communications director." And Paul Dionne, former president of the Capital Area Log Cabin Republicans What was he doing there? He was there with his partner, Tim McCoy, a loyal Democrat and former vice president of the Virginia Partisans. Love conquers all.
The Republicans
Nearly 300 gay GOPers and their straight allies gathered at a breakfast to announce the organization of the Republican Unity Coalition, a pro-gay group headed by Charles Francis, the increasingly influential gay friend of President Bush. The host committee included Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), as well as New York Gov. George Pataki and Big Apple Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Those attending included California State Republican Chairman John McGraw and U.S. Rep. Steve Horn (R-Calif.), who barely escaped defeat by lesbian Gerrie Schipske (D) last fall. U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio), vice chair of the House Republican Conference, was also there. A surprising guest was ex-U.S. Rep. Jon Christensen (R-Neb.), an anti-gay pol who racked up an HRC rating of zero during his two terms in the House. Christensen was accompanied by his wife, 1997 Miss America Tara Dawn Holland. (Her dress was "awful, just awful," announced the man seated next to me.)
Former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), who emceed the event, said he had known fellow Wyoming pol Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter Mary, "since she was born" and called her "remarkable." U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), who chairs the influential National Republican Congressional Committee, told the audience that "Gays and lesbians, [and] people of color are a decisive challenge for us," adding, "There's much we can do and much we need to avoid doing." The clout of the event in the capital's gay community was symbolized by the presence of HRC Executive Director Elizabeth Birch, a staunch Gore backer, and HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg.
The buzz over the eggs and bacon was that Mary Matalin, the Republican co-host on CNN's Crossfire who touted Bush at gay gatherings in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and, D.C., is joining Cheney's staff as senior counselor to the vice president.
But there's always one bad fairy at the christening. D.C. City Council member David Catania (R), citing the 2000 GOP platform, told the crowd that the Republican Party's treatment of gay people has been "at best unacceptable; at worse, disgraceful." Catania then challenged the party to change.
Gore Again? Maybe, Maybe Not
Despite his plurality in the popular vote, don't assume that Al Gore will be his party's nominee in 2004, even if he wants to run. A number of Democratic politicos are putting out word of their interest in the next presidential contest, suggesting Gore's 2000 troops will not all be there for him in four years. Among the potential contenders:
California Gov. Gray Davis, the colorless but effective chief executive of the nation's most populous state, is "positioning himself," reports the San Francisco Chronicle, for a presidential bid. If he survives the Golden State's energy crisis with his reputation intact, Davis will be a major contender. He has raised some $21 million since he was first elected in 1998. Davis got strong lesbian and gay support in his 1998 election. He stumbled last year, however, by vetoing three gay-related bills, but he recently appointed openly gay attorney Robert Sandoval to a Superior Court judgeship, the first such appointment here in nearly two decades. Look for more such gay-friendly acts as 2002 and 2004 get nearer.
North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, one of the party's up-and-coming young centrists, was reportedly the last one eliminated on Gore's veep list last summer. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) rates him 71 percent in favor of gay issues.
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, also on the Gore list for the vice-presidency, is moving and shaking toward a White House bid. Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, reports Kerry has been courting former Bill Bradley supporters. A thoroughly liberal Kerry rates 100 percent with HRC.
Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, co-author of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform measure, is sending signals he's interested in the top job. Feingold has a pro-gay record71 percent, says HRC. During the Senate confirmation hearings for attorney general, Feingold grilled John Ashcroft about his anti-gay record.
Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone, who dropped out of the 2000 presidential race, is considering another go at the White House. Wellstone, who made news by addressing the 1993 gay march on Washington. HRC rates him 100 percent.
Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden ran for president in 1988, but
quit when it was discovered he'd delivered a plagiarized speech. The Delaware State News reports he wants to run for president again. Biden, a friend and ally of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), has an 86 percent HRC rating.
On the House side, Minority Leader Dick Gephardt almost ran in 2000 and may give it a go in 2004. He's been a major supporter of the Stonewall Democrats and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, and rates 100 with HRC.
Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, a loyal ally of gay folks, thought about running in 2000, but didn't. Mostly a moderate by Democratic standards, Dean may have queered it with the straights in his party by supporting same-sex civil unions in the Green Mountain State.
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, of course, gets mentioned, and would probably have major appeal to gay and lesbian voters, but she's determined to be a good senator first.
Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman doesn't rule out a future White House bid. While the ex-veep contender had some anti-gay votes earlier in his career, his recent record on gay issues has been stellar, rating 100 from HRC.
Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh was also on Gore's short list for the Democratic vice-presidential spot. Roll Call says Bayh is "definitely" making presidential moves. Bayh had a tepid relationship with Hoosier gays when he was governor but in the Senate has racked up a 100 percent HRC rating.
Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle from South Dakota knows how to wheel, deal, and compromise, which may or may not help him run for president. His HRC rate is 86 percent, very impressive for a lawmaker from a small state without a large or visible gay voting bloc.
Despite all the presidential wannabe's in the Democratic Party, don't count out Gore. An early sign that he may run again will be if he takes an active part in helping Democrats regain the Tennessee governorship in 2002he'll want to have his home state behind him next time.
Lest you think we're jumping the gun, the first poll is out
on the 2004 Democratic Iowa caucus. The survey, taken for the Des Moines Register, gives Gore 39 percent, Clinton (Hillary) 12 percent, Bob Kerrey (Neb.) 6 percent, Gov. Tom Vilsack (Iowa) 5 percent, Daschle 4 percent, Lieberman 4 percent, Bradley 3 percent, Biden 2 percent and Kerry (Mass.) 2 percent.
From the standpoint of their records on gay issues, most of the potential Democratic nominees would be acceptable to a majority of gay voters. But don't be surprised to see the Democratic politicians who have at least a touch of Potomac fever making a lot more overtures to the gay community, now a major force in Democratic Party politics.
Hastings Wyman publishes Southern Political Report, a nonpartisan biweekly political newsletter. E-mail HwymanSPR@aol.com.