Reply #21: In the long run, candidate interviews don't mean a whole lot. [View All]

[kweerwolf]

I've done candidate screenings with my LGBT Democratic club and just by virtue of it being an LGBT club, all candidates will give lip service to "equality." That doesn't mean it will translate into support for LGBT issues once elected. We've had candidates we've endorsed based on their screenings either fail to act on LGBT issues or vote with "the other side" a few times. After that they will not return phone calls or give you the old "it was necessary to vote that way because that's the reality of politics" answer.

Also, Miers ONE interview with an LGBT group was 16 years ago and her opinion is sure to have undergone some evolution (or 'devolution') during that time.

There's an interesting article about Miers' interview with the gay group in the Dallas Observer:

"She was honest with me," Bartos says. She says Miers told her she was very uneasy about seeking gay and lesbian endorsements. In the same conversation, Bartos says, Miers told her she was opposed to abortion. She says Miers had been pro-choice in her youth but had experienced a "born-again" religious awakening that caused her to change her mind.

Bartos says she persuaded Miers it would be a mistake not to show up for the candidate night at the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus.

"She went, and she told them what they didn't want to hear."

The caucus confronted Miers with a list of test questions. Miers answered their questions honestly but did not seek their endorsement. It didn't take long for the caucus to decide that Miers definitely was not their friend.

http://www.dallasobserver.com/Issues/2005-09-29/news/schutze.html