McCain Supports ‘Non-Discrimination In Hiring For Gay And Lesbian People’ In ‘Concept’ Only
McCain Supports ‘Non-Discrimination In Hiring For Gay And Lesbian People’ In ‘Concept’ Only
After turning down an interview with the Gay History Project earlier this month, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) recently provided written answers to the Washington Blade, which “marks the first known time a Republican presidential nominee has agreed to an interview with a gay publication.” Though, as Marc Ambinder notes, it was really “a quasi-interview” since “the campaign drafted answers with McCain’s assent.”
Asked whether he would “support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) if elected president” — which passed the House last year and stalled in the Senate — McCain said that he supports “the concept of non-discrimination in hiring for gay and lesbian people,” but not legislation that would protect against discrimination:
BLADE: Will you support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act if elected president?
MCCAIN: Gay and lesbian people should not face discrimination in the workplace. I’ve always practiced that in my hiring. I select the best people, regardless of their sexual orientation. I support the concept of non-discrimination in hiring for gay and lesbian people.
However, we need to make sure legislation doesn’t lead to a flood of frivolous lawsuits or infringe on religious institutions. What I can say now is I will give careful consideration to any legislation that reaches my desk, and confer with Congress before making decisions.
McCain’s campaign says that he would “give careful consideration” to ENDA legislation if he were president, but his record indicates he would not support it. In 1996, when the Senate rejected ENDA, McCain was the deciding vote that defeated it. In November 2007, McCain reiterated his opposition, saying that it would “open the door to endless litigation and court cases.”
McCain’s support in “concept” for non-discrimination towards the LGBT community is similar to his support in “concept” for equal pay for equal work. In both cases, McCain says he supports the “concept,” but he opposes any legislation to make the “concept” a reality.
Pam’s House Blend has more from McCain’s Blade interview.
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More questions about the status of McCain’s health:
http://www.americablog.com/2008/10/something-just-went-wrong-with-mccains.html
Also, McCain became quite angry at an editorial board interview today with the Des Moines Register:
http://www.americablog.com/2008/10/something-just-went-wrong-with-mccains.html
October 1st, 2008 at 4:47 pmWell, hey, I ’support the concept’ of a McCain presidency.
But there’s no way in hell I’d actually *vote* for him, don’tcha know?
October 1st, 2008 at 4:49 pmIs there anything more meaningless than ’supporting the concept’ but not having the courage to actually step forward and do something about it?
October 1st, 2008 at 4:50 pmMcCain’s support in “concept” for non-discrimination towards the LGBT community is similar to his support in “concept” for equal pay for equal work. In both cases, McCain says he supports the “concept,” but he opposes any legislation to make the “concept” a reality.
I find it interesting, however, that McCain actually puts “equal pay for equal work” to practice in his office, where women earn – on average – more than men. Unlike Mr. Obama, who apparently still has an active membership in the “glass ceiling club.”
Careful with that link — I know how liberals hate “facts”.
October 1st, 2008 at 4:51 pmNo worries, Scaliwag — Cybercast News Service has never been known to be overly contaminated with “facts”.
Maybe that comes from its parent, Brent Bozell’s Media Research Center.
You’re not starting out so strongly here, are ya?
October 1st, 2008 at 4:54 pmLiberals do hate “facts”. We’re rather fond of facts, however.
October 1st, 2008 at 4:55 pmFacts do have a liberal bias, so that’s why we hide from them… we’re afraid that they’ll go the same way as the so-called biased liberal media….
October 1st, 2008 at 4:56 pm@ Llama,
If you go to the link and click the button that says “charts,” it does something wonderful: it brings up the data (all public record) for the aforementioned Senators.
Message. Messenger.
Time to learn the difference.
October 1st, 2008 at 4:58 pmgood catch ralph.
brent bozell,
a harbinger of facts
true life information.
^
thank you.
:)
October 1st, 2008 at 4:58 pmscaliger,
read,
learn.
*
thank you.
*
October 1st, 2008 at 5:01 pmI am often tempted to get tv just to watch shit that pisses Bozell off.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:05 pmJoe,
See post #9. Think about it. Message =! Messenger.
Then, check for yourself, here.
Good day.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pmI guess he doesn’t understand that the word “concept” doesn’t really work in this context.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:07 pmScratch that; see post #8, and think about it.
Thinking about post #9 will accomplish nothing.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:10 pmScaliger Says:
Joe,
See post #9. Think about it. Message =! Messenger.
Then, check for yourself, here.
Good day.
#
Scaliger Says:
Scratch that; see post #8, and think about it.
Thinking about post #9 will accomplish nothing.
*
confused?
^
October 1st, 2008 at 5:13 pmJoe says:
confused?
It’s either the new glasses, or I started drinking way too early today.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:15 pmWhy was Arizona admitted to the states? Between Joe Arpaio and McCain it gives one pause.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:15 pmWow, another hijacked post. Frankly, the issue is whether we want to have any teeth behind limiting discrimination for men, women, gays or other minorities. What we do know is that there has been considerable discrimination in this country on all of those basis. We also know that communities, employers and corporations have been resistant to changing on their own. (Remember how blacks fared in the 50’s, 60′ and later – remember states in the South dismantling their school systems to create private schools to avoid discrimination, remember the increase in beatings and murder to gays since Bush and his henchmen have been in power?) No, I really just care that we provide a means to enforce equality. Being for it in concept is just phoning it in.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:16 pm>Careful with that link — I know how
> liberals hate “facts”.
CNS news? Central Nervous System news? who is that exactly?
Are they the ones who had the article that says eating soy makes you gay?
So are we to assume that you beleive Sarah Palin gave a thought provoking response to the question about seeing russia giving her foreign policy experience? or was that a tricky “gothcha! question” ?
October 1st, 2008 at 5:19 pmFlippy McSpin, to any objective observer, is fundamentally: dishonest, ignorant, dogmatic, vindictive,reckless, partisan, primitive, delusional, aggressive and incurious. All of these traits are well documented, his public record reads like a bad fantasy novel, and any one of those is disqualifying in my estimation.
While this has become more pronounced in recent weeks, his pattern is consistent and began his first year in the Senate. He talks like a “maverick” and says things the Party Faithful don’t like, then votes the party line. That’s not straight talk. It’s blatant lying to his constituents, the press, his colleagues, and the American electorate.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:20 pmMcCain’s excuse for not supporting ENDA and similar non-discrimination legislation is that it would create a “flood of frivolous” lawsuits. That argument implies that, first, there is/would be a great deal of discrimination, and secondly that any lawsuit brought based on sexual orientation discrimination is frivolous. I guess that pretty much answers all of the questions, doesn’t it.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:20 pmAnd if this had been the 1960’s, he would have supported the “concept” of equal rights for non-whites, but wouldn’t sign the Civil Rights Bill?
Supporting “concepts” doesn’t mean a d*mn thing.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:21 pmOnce again McWorse proves he’d be even more pathetic as a Bush successor. It’s bad enough when an Administration ignores the Law, but this catastrophie-in-waiting actually has the colossal temerity to Announce that he won’t Obey The Law! If he (All Gods Living and Dead Forbid!) gets elected, will Pelosi pre-announce that impeachment’s off the table?
October 1st, 2008 at 5:21 pmImpeach Pelosi, Cheney and Bush and Save the Constitution!
This is sort of like the way McCain ’supported’ the idea of a holiday for Martin Luther King, Jr., isn’t it?
October 1st, 2008 at 5:24 pmDoesn’t this imply he supports religious discrimination in the work place?
October 1st, 2008 at 5:28 pmScaliger Says:
Scratch that
A cast-your-vote scratcher! I see…F uck the GOP. Claim prize on November 4th, 2008.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:29 pmScaliger Says
October 1st, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I find it interesting, however, that McCain actually puts “equal pay for equal work” to practice in his office, where women earn – on average – more than men. Unlike Mr. Obama, who apparently still has an active membership in the “glass ceiling club.”
Careful with that link — I know how liberals hate “facts”.
____________________________________________________________
Your link doesn’t give enough information about staff employees to know if we are comparing apples to apples. There are many factors that affect pay — job description, seniority, experience, skill set, extra duties, etc. — so it’s really impossible to tell if female (or male) employees are getting the shaft due to their gender or not.
In the case of Lilly Ledbetter, apples WERE being compared to apples, as Ledbetter had the same job and same responsibilities as her male counterparts and was being paid less.
Besides, it really doesn’t matter to me that McCain plays fair with his staff pay (although he gets some points for doing so). What matters to me is if he will stand up for my right as a woman to get paid fairly, even though I DON’T work on his staff.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:39 pmScaliger Says:
@ Llama,
If you go to the link and click the button that says “charts,” it does something wonderful: it brings up the data (all public record) for the aforementioned Senators.
Actually it brings up “page not found”. But who cares? This has nothing to do with the topic. Try and keep up.
October 1st, 2008 at 5:43 pmScaliger Says:
Careful with that link — I know how liberals hate “facts”.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
No you dont. You are ignorant. You dont know ANYTHING some rightwing screechmonkey hasnt TOLD you to believe you moronic loaf.
October 1st, 2008 at 6:08 pmScaliger Says:
Joe,
See post #9. Think about it. Message =! Messenger.
Then, check for yourself, here.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You are a moron. The previously named CONSERVATIVE news service is a biased entity. Why would I take them seriously. Did they show that the people employed by Obama and paid differently have the same level of experience and qualifications if they DIDNT then its WORTHLESS. This is necessary to show any bias. Then again morons like you dont really CARE about reality. Just spew the stupidity you are instructed to believe. You are an idiot.
October 1st, 2008 at 6:13 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
I see you beat me to this argument. I should have read further before I posted
October 1st, 2008 at 6:14 pmFun Trivia game – what other issues did McCain say he supported “in concept” ?
Of course, he then said that women needed more education and training.
October 1st, 2008 at 7:06 pmFunny thing about that CNS article, Scaliwag; I did as you suggested and clicked on “see chart” and each time I did, I landed on a page that said “404 – Information Not Found”.
Thanks for the awesome lesson!
(Of course, even without the charts, the article had a wealth of information. Unfortunately, it said nothing about any of the candidates’ attitudes toward EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK. It simply compared the salaries of men and women employed by the campaigns. Since the salaries compared were all for different positions, it’s quite a leap to land on the conclusion you tried to peddle — McCain actually puts “equal pay for equal work” to practice in his office, where women earn – on average – more than men — don’t you think? Although I have seen where right-wingers love to compare apples to grapefruit and draw conclusions from the comparison. So it kinda makes sense that you would jump to that conclusion.)
October 1st, 2008 at 7:53 pmActually, McCain surely understands the word “concept.” What he doesn’t understand is the word “support.” When someone supports something in concept only, they do not support it at all.
-AF
October 1st, 2008 at 9:54 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud