Dean slams gay marriage on '700 Club'

DNC chair misstates party platform, angering gay Democrats, activists
By JOSHUA LYNSEN | May 10, 9:16 PM


Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean has contradicted his party's platform and infuriated gay rights advocates by saying the party's platform states "marriage is between a man and a woman."

Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean, appearing on the Christian Broadcasting Network, erroneously stated that the party's 2004 platform says 'marriage is between a man and a woman.' Christian conservative Pat Robertson is host of the program.
"The Democratic Party platform from 2004 says marriage is between a man and a woman," Dean said May 10 during a "700 Club" program hosted by conservative Christian leader Pat Robertson on his Christian Broadcasting Network.


That statement contradicts the Democratic National Committee's official stance, which was adopted in 2004.


"We support full inclusion of gay and lesbian families in the life of our nation and seek equal responsibilities, benefits, and protections for these families," the platform says.


Gay organizations were quick to criticize Dean, saying this is just the latest in a series of gaffes the former Vermont governor has made on gay issues.

Neither Dean nor a spokesperson for the DNC could be reached for comment.

"Howard Dean puts his foot in his mouth so often that he should open a pedicure wing in the DNC during his tenure," Log Cabin Republicans President Patrick Guerriero said Wednesday. "Howard Dean's positions on LGBT issues have changed more often than the weather in New England, where he's from."


Jo Wyrick, interim executive director of National Stonewall Democrats, a gay partisan group, noted Dean was not accurately representing the Democratic Party's position.


"Democrats do not believe that the federal government should forcefully dictate family policy for individual states, as championed by congressional Republicans and the Bush administration," she said in a statement. "Therefore, we strongly point out that Governor Dean incorrectly spoke when stating that the 2004 Democratic Party platform defines marriage as between a man and a woman."


Within hours of the program's broadcast, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force denounced Dean's misrepresentation.


"Disturbingly, this is not the first time he has misrepresented this important and affirming plank [of the Democratic Party platform], and he has been asked before to correct the record and to cease making these misleading statements," said Matt Foreman, executive director of the Task Force.


"Governor Dean's record on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues since becoming DNC chair has been sorely and sadly lacking," Foreman said. "The Democratic Party chair should stand by and fight for the party's own platform and values."


On May 2, Dean fired the Democratic Party's gay outreach adviser Donald Hitchcock. The firing came less than a week after Hitchcock's domestic partner, Paul Yandura, a longtime party activist, accused Dean of failing to take adequate steps to defend gay rights.


Yandura and Hitchcock could not be reached by press time.


Foreman said in response to Dean's "pandering and insulting interview" with the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Task Force would return a $5,000 donation it received from the DNC.


"We do so with great sadness, knowing that the Democratic Party has long been a champion of our rights," he said. "We urge [Dean] to take the money we are returning today and spend it to defeat these attacks on LGBT people and our families."


Guerriero applauded the Task Force for taking a principled stand, and said Dean's frequent flubs on gay issues are doing gays more harm than good.


"It's not good for the movement as a whole," Guerriero said, "and he should be held accountable for these types of actions."


Human Rights Campaign officials could not be reached for comment.