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HRC to John McCain:
Practice the Inclusiveness You Preach!

Candidate Defends His Vote
for Anti-Gay Job Discrimination Church

McCain Shares Stage with Bauer,
Blasts Falwell & Robertson

Compiled By GayToday

Sen. John McCain did what few thought a Republican candidate would ever do, take on Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. But his words aren't good enough for Human Rights Campaign.

Washington, D.C.---Republican presidential candidate John McCain has condemned Pat Robertson, Bob Jones University and Rev. Jerry Falwell for their intolerance and has urged the GOP to be more inclusive. But McCain's appeal to moderation was offset Sunday morning when he defended, on ABC's This Week, his Senate vote to keep workplace discrimination against gays and lesbians legal, says the Human Rights Campaign.

"John McCain is calling for others to end discrimination and be more inclusive, while at the same time justifying his own exclusionary and discriminatory actions," said HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg.

"Right now, the main difference between McCain and the people he is condemning is that they have been more forthright in expressing their tolerance for antigay discrimination. We call on McCain to further clarify if his call to end discrimination also applies to gay and lesbian Americans."

On This Week host Cokie Roberts asked McCain why in 1996 he voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would have banned employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. At first, McCain seemed unsure of what Roberts was referring to.

"I'm not still clear about exactly what you're talking about in that vote," McCain answered. "But I am--it is clear that I have opposed discrimination of any kind and I have actively worked against it."

When pressed further and made aware that Roberts was talking about ENDA , which was voted down in the Senate 50-49, McCain defended his vote against the measure. In doing so, he contradicted his previous statement that he opposed discrimination, according to HRC.

"I don't believe that they belong in a special category," said McCain. "I think that the present laws that clearly prevent discrimination of any kind certainly applies to gays and homosexuals as well, that's why I voted the way that I did. I think that enforcement of existing law could work rather than passing special laws for special categories of people."

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"He appears to be ill-informed because it is still legal to fire people in 39 states because of their sexual orientation," said Stachelberg. "It is not credible for McCain to say that he opposes discrimination while voting against a measure that would have ended workplace discrimination against gays and lesbians. We challenge him to further clarify himself on issues of discrimination, including whether he would overturn President Clinton's executive order banning discrimination in the federal government."

If passed, ENDA would extend federal employment protections currently based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability to sexual orientation. The bill would prohibit employers from using an individual's sexual orientation as the basis for employment decisions, such as hiring, firing, promotion or compensation.

ENDA would not cover small businesses with fewer than 15 employees. There is an exemption for religious organizations, including educational institutions substantially controlled or supported by religious organizations.

Under this legislation, preferential treatment and quotas are explicitly forbidden and the legislation clearly states that affirmative action programs may not be imposed as a remedy for sexual orientation discrimination.

According to the Associated Press, McCain visited Virginia Beach, Virginia., Sunday -- headquarters for Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network -- and referred to Robertson and Falwell as "agents of intolerance." Sharing the stage with McCain for his speech on intolerance was virulently anti-gay and intolerant conservative activist Gary Bauer.

Last week, McCain disappointed gay and lesbian Americans by announcing his support of Proposition 22, an anti-gay California ballot measure that seeks to limit marriage.