Santorum and Gingrich on Gay Votes: Won’t Get ‘Em, Don’t Want ‘Em

Republican presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich were recently asked about getting the gay vote. While their responses were different, both showed that the candidates are far from supportive of the LGBT rights (via Towleroad).

In a Tuesday interview with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren, Santorum explained how he won’t be getting the gay vote — hardly surprising given his recent endorsement by anti-gay activist Bob Vander Plaats. Using typical politician-speak, Santorum avoided answering Van Susteren’s questions directly while exposing his standard brand of ignorance about gay folks:

VAN SUSTEREN: How are you going to get the gay vote? How can you convince them that despite, you know, your views and his [Bob Vander Plaats] views, that you could — I mean, is there any way that you could convince them to vote for you?

SANTORUM: Well, look, I have nothing against gay people. They have rights of every other citizen. But what they did in Iowa and what some are trying to do, not all gays, but some are trying to do is change the laws of this country with respect to what the definition of marriage is. We have a public policy disagreement. I know there are a lot of gays who are strong on national security and believe in lower taxes and getting this economy moving and I welcome them to join this campaign. It’s what we believe is best for the country. But if there are differences, I’m certainly going to speak out on those differences when I think it’s in the best interests of our country to have laws that reflect having men and women raise children and form solid marriage bonds.

Van Susteren also asked Santorum if he could understand the heartache that gay folks have when they hear his anti-gay policy positions followed by “Vote for me!” Santorum’s didn’t answer the question, instead explaining how he believes that having a mother and a father is a child’s “birthright” and that laws that encourage a traditional nuclear familiar are what’s best for children and the nation.

Gingrich, on the other hand, isn’t even pretending to care about the gay vote. He recently told a gay Iowan that he should vote for President Barack Obama. The Des Moines Register reports:

“I asked him if he’s elected, how does he plan to engage gay Americans. How are we to support him? And he told me to support Obama,” said Scott Arnold, an adjunct professor of writing at William Penn University.

Arnold, a Democrat, said he came to the event at Smokey Row coffee house with an open mind. But he wanted to ask Gingrich about how he would represent him as president after reading past comments the former U.S. House Speaker as made about gay and lesbians.

“When you ask somebody a question and you expect them to support all Americans and have everyone’s general interest,” Arnold said. “It’s a little bit frustrating and disheartening when you’re told to support the other side. That he doesn’t need your support.”

. . .

“It doesn’t inspire hope at all,” Arnold said of Gingrich’s statements. “And if that’s what he’s trying to do and that’s what he’s trying to say, that this is a collective effort if he’s elected president, yet he tells me to support the other side?”

Gingrich, apparently, is running for President of the United (Heterosexual) States of America.

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