Hillary Clinton: Is Homosexuality Immoral?

Answer the Question!

Just as Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) takes a solid lead in the Democrats' presidential polls, she made the choice to avoid a question that could alienate those one-issue voters who are focused on gay rights for 2008.

Clinton leads in the most recent poll by 15 percent. Senator Barack Obama trails in second and former Vice President Al Gore, who is not even running, and former Senator and Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards are tied for third. Neither Clinton nor Obama have yet been willing to challenge the controversial statements made by Peter Pace on Monday regarding homosexuality's immorality, though Clinton has said she does not share the view, "[P]lain and simple... It is inappropriate to inject such person views into this public policy matter..." It is important to note that both Senators have also spent a fair amount of time campaigning to the religious population of America, appealing to this often right-leaning constituency as life-long churchgoers with a solid base in their beliefs in God.

Clinton has courted gay-rights advocates throughout her campaigning; only two weeks ago, she told the audience at a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) gathering that she was proud to stand with them in supporting gay rights. When ABC News asked her to comment on Pace's comment, however, she replied, "Well, I'm going to leave that to others to conclude."

While a Clinton spokesperson has stated that Clinton "obviously" disagrees with Pace, the Senator herself has notably gone without truly answering the question: Does she believe homosexuality to be immoral? Perhaps she is counting the votes first - should she alienate the gay rights activists or the religious, both of whom she has worked to court to answer, "Clinton," in a poll.

Clinton's spokesman, Philippe Reins, said the New York senator "obviously" disagrees with Pace and that everyone, including the general, "has the right to be wrong, but should not inject their personal beliefs into public policy."