Comparing Edwards and Obama's LGBT platform underscores the issues of Obama's lack of specificity:

[readmoreoften]

This is not an Obama bashing OP. It's not a McClurkin thread. That being said it is a pro-Edwards OP. I'm going to use John and Barack's statements on LGBT policy to underscore some of the issues people have with Obama's vagueness and how we worry that this can be translated into inaction if elected.

On marriage, both candidates use almost identical rhetoric and name specific benefits that they believe LGBT people deserve. Edwards adds that same-sex couples should also have the same rights as far as immigration laws go. Obama doesn't mention this.

Edwards on Marriage:

Equal Rights for Same-Sex Couples
Edwards believes that all couples in committed, long-term relationships should have the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities, whether they are straight couples or same-sex couples. He supports civil unions to guarantee gay and lesbian couples the same rights as straight couples, including inheritance rights, hospital visitation rights, equal pension and health care benefits, and all of the 1,100 other legal protections government affords married couples. Edwards supports the full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. He also believes same-sex families should be treated in the same manner as other families by our immigration laws. Edwards believes the right president could lead the country toward consensus around equal rights and benefits for all couples in committed, long-term relationships and he opposes divisive Constitutional amendments to ban same-sex marriages.

Obama on Marriage:

Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples
Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples equal legal rights and privileges as
married couples, including the right to assist their loved ones in times of emergency as well as equal
health insurance, employment benefits, and property and adoption rights. Obama also believes we need
to fully repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal
legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex
couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions.

Obama makes a separate point about his vote against the Constitutional Ban. Edwards, who wasn't in office to make such a vote, vows to oppose such bans and calls them divisive.

While Obama says in his policy that he supports equal adoption rights, Edwards makes this a specific point and backs up his commitment making it not just an equality issue, but a national child welfare issue, which I think is saavy and important for reaching our opposition:

<>
Adoption
Edwards believes that gay and lesbian parents should be able to adopt children just like any other parents. There are over 120,000 children waiting for homes in our nation's foster care system. Adoption placements should be decided by judges and adoption agencies based upon the best interests of the children. Both members of a same-sex couple raising children together should be able to form a legal relationship with their children.
<>

Workers Rights

Both candidates support ENDA for same-sex and transgender Americans. Obama sponsored an ENDA in Illinois that covered same-sex partners. Edwards co-sponsored the national ENDA when in the Senate. Edwards also specifies that he intends to add additional enforcement to federal agencies, which shows a more nuanced understanding of the issues.

Obama:

Fight Workplace Discrimination and Promote Rights
Obama believes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act should be expanded to include sexual orientation
and gender identity. Obama sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment

Edwards:

Workers should be judged by the quality of their performance, not their sexual orientation or gender identity. While in the Senate, Edwards cosponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. He also believes that stronger enforcement is necessary to prevent employment discrimination by federal agencies.

Perhaps the greatest difference is the specificity in dealing with HIV/AIDS:

Edwards:

<>
HIV and AIDS
The loss from HIV/AIDS is almost beyond understanding. Edwards believes we have a moral imperative to do much more, and do it much better. He is the first presidential candidate -- Democratic or Republican -- to propose a comprehensive strategy this year to stop the HIV/AIDS epidemic at home and around the world, building on his plan for true universal health care with specific proposals to expand Medicaid to cover HIV-positive individuals before they reach later stages of disabilities and AIDS and increase support for the Ryan White CARE Act and HOPWA programs. He will also fight the disease in the African-American and Latino communities where the harm is now greatest and employ science-based prevention strategies -- including comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education and harm-reduction programs that provide high-risk individuals with access to clean syringes.
<>

Edwards calls it a moral imperative. He talks about specific strategy: true universal health care, Medicare covering HIV-positive people before they are symptomatic. He also points out specifically which communities need the most health (which shows research and understanding as well and it shows that he understands the need to eschew the notion of HIV/AIDS as a 'gay disease.') He also commits to using SCIENCE-BASED prevention (a dig at fundie abstinence programs) as well as sex education and--most radically, in my opinion--commits to providing access to clean syringes.

These are not politically easy things to take a stand on.

Compare with Obama:

<>
Fight AIDS Worldwide
Obama has been a global leader in the fight against AIDS. He traveled to Kenya and took a public HIV
test to encourage testing and reduce the stigma of the disease. Obama worked to reauthorize the Ryan
White CARE Act, one of the largest sources of federal funds for primary health care and support services
for HIV/AIDS patients.
<>

Obama talks about himself, not the issue. It is good that he travelled internationally to fight AIDS with a symbolic action (note: I think symbolic actions are important). But he doesn't commit to any sort of specific strategies. Will he initiate a faith-based abstinence program? We don't know. Sex education and clean syringes? Probably not. Or who knows? But there is no specific commitment whatsoever.


In the end, Obama comes across as trying to prove himself (Obama did this and that) and doesn't make specific commitments on more touchy subjects (LGBT immigration rights, science-based sex education, needle exchange programs) and is at times a little vague on exactly how things are going to be implemented. This tells me that things could go pear-shaped under an Obama presidency (LGBT couples rights without immigration, national faith-based AIDS education or no funded education at all, etc.) Edwards, on the other hand, puts the issues in terms of other people's needs (which shows empathy) and definitely outlines clear-cut positions with well-defined intentions.

It's not that Obama has a substandard platform. Both platforms are relatively similar. It's that Obama's is sort of dashed-off. It lacks the careful thought and specific commitments of Edwards' plan.

This is an example of what I think distinguishes Edwards as a candidate.

[rosabianca]

1. thank you

I have been trying to explain to someone very stubborn why Edwards is the better glbt choice (actually, better choice, period) than Obama and this will be very helpful.

[jackpan1260]

2. Thanks, but I'll most likely vote for Obama. eom

[dmosh42]

3. Also universal health plan paid by increase in taxes for ....

$200,000+ wage earners. Obama has a plan where you pay for universal coverage, with amount of premiums unclear. Also, more revenues raised by going back to some kind of fair tax for wealthy under Edwards. I particularly like that since they have been waging class warfare on lower and middle incomes since Bush was elected. (another reason why no media coverage for Edwards)

[sandnsea]

4. Here

Promote AIDS Prevention: In addition to assuring access to treatment, Obama believes we need to increase
the focus on preventing new infections. We cannot keep pace with treatment needs if we don’t also focus on
prevention. This means pursuing a strategy that relies on sound science and builds on what works. Obama
supports comprehensive sex education that is age-appropriate. He supports increasing federal appropriations for
science-based HIV prevention programs. Obama supports the JUSTICE Act, which would prevent transmission
of HIV within the incarcerated population. He also supports legislation that would lift the ban on federal
funding for needle exchange as a strategy to reduce HIV transmission among injection drug users and their
partners and children.

Bring Medicaid Coverage to Low-Income, HIV-Positive Americans: Obama is a co-sponsor of the Early
Treatment of HIV Act, which would provide Medicaid coverage to more low-income, HIV-positive Americans.

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/election2008/OBAMAFactSheetAIDSFINAL.pdf

There's a lot more.

[readmoreoften]

6. I'm judging by what's on their websites as position statements. /nt

[sandnsea]

7. More cherrypicking and bullying n/t

[bunnies]

5. Re: HIV AIDS... these are the facts per the "ONE" mailer I received:

Edwards: As President I will provide $50 billion over five years to fight global HIV/AIDS, ensuring universal access to preventative and treatment drugs by 2010, while providing our fair share to the Global Fund. I will also provide increased funding to fight tuberculosis, the leading cause of death among HIV positive people.

Obama: I'll double annual foreign assistance from $25 billion to $50 billion by 2012, including at least $50 billion total by 2013 for HIV/AIDS, malaria & TB. That will mean lifting the 33% cap on US contributions to the Global Fund, ensuring at least 4.5 million people are on ARV treatment by 2013, and preventing 12 million new infections.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. Wow! So different!

:sarcasm:

[bunnies]

10. That was my point. :) nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. I know

I was directing that at the OP.

:-)

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. Are you kidding?

Their positions are almost identical.

Can you post a separate post with quick summary of the differences, like bullet-pointed?

If anything, your OP completely undercuts the "Obama is anti-gay" or "soft on anti-gay" arguments. His policies are virtually identical to Edwards, despite your attempts to draw these fairly finely-grained distinctions. As breathing policy, they are the same.