FACTBOX: Presidential candidates' views on gay marriage

Same-sex marriage, one of the most divisive issues in recent U.S. politics, has mobilized millions of socially conservative Christian voters to support candidates who oppose it.

Here are the U.S. presidential candidates' positions on same-sex marriage.

DEMOCRATIC SEN. BARACK OBAMA, CAMPAIGN STATEMENT

"Barack Obama has always believed that same-sex couples should enjoy equal rights under the law, and he will continue to fight for civil unions as president. He respects the decision of the California Supreme Court, and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage."

DEMOCRATIC SEN. HILLARY CLINTON

Opposes same-sex marriage but supports civil unions that confer the same legal rights that married couples have.

REPUBLICAN SEN. JOHN MCCAIN

Has said he is committed to "the unique status and sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman." Voted against a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution which defines marriage only as the union of a man and a woman. Supports individual states' rights to regulate and determine the status of marriage within those states.

http://www.reuters.com/article/vcCandidateFeed7/idUSN1534301220080516

to accomodate same sex couples -- i.e. all federal benefits accrued now to only straights would also go to same sex couples.

that is part of her stand.

all federal marriage benefits to include same sex civil unions?

if he has i am unaware of that.

with the part that is biased towards GLBT people.

it's the federal marriage benefits.

After hurdling the redirects to her donate page, I can't find her statement on this. Was there a press release or something similar?

Not that I doubt she supports this, but I haven't seen anything about it either here, on the daily google news search I do.

In a variety of ways, but most clearly,

“You know what I would do is immediately set up a civil union that is equal in federal rights so that all the states, all the rights that are conferred by the states are the same for gays and lesbians, same sex couples as for any other couple,” he said. “In terms of marriage, what I would do is I would say each religious denomination can make their own decision.”
http://visiblevote08.logoonline.com/2007/10/30/obama-on-ellen-gay-unions-now/

:hi:

:kick:

Looks like we're the true uniters after all, when we're not causing 9/11 or hurricanes.

although they are open to civil marriages.

Can't negate the upward trends over the past few decades.

On edit: I'm curious to see how "traditional marriage" is defined, since the parameters tend to change, depending on who you ask.