Bradley Steps Into the 'Don't Ask' Minefield

Youd think the humiliation suffered by the newly elected President Clinton over his attempt to convert the militarys gay-unfriendly stance would have Democratic presidential hopefuls running for cover. But dont tell that to Bill Bradley the former senator is courting the increasingly powerful gay and lesbian vote by drawing a very firm line in the sand. In the upcoming issue of the Advocate, Bradley tells the gay and lesbian magazine that he believes the armed forces should accept the presence of openly gay soldiers. In an interview in a previous Advocate, Bradley's archrival, Al Gore, declared only that he would seek "more compassion" in the current "don't ask, don't tell" policy. In addition, Bradley says that his presidency would push to include homosexuals as one of the minorities protected by the 1964 Civil Rights Act; Gore has proposed a more limited job-discrimination bill. Both Bradley and Gore say they oppose same-sex marriage but favor legal protections for "domestic partners."

Gay and lesbian activists are taking a wait-and-see attitude over the candidates' positions. "This constituency is sophisticated enough to know that campaign pledges often dont bear fruit," says TIME political correspondent Eric Pooley. Gore watched Clintons gay-rights campaign rhetoric capture the gay vote in 1992, and then saw the Presidents inclusive military initiative drowned by the protests from the Pentagon and Congress, resulting in the wishy-washy "don't ask, don't tell." Its also unclear whether President Gore or President Bradley would have the clout to get homosexual-rights laws passed. "Both men would have to prove themselves as bipartisan leaders who are able to change people's minds," he says. "Neither Gore nor Bradley commands a great deal of personal loyalty in the Congress. Both of them were loners when they were senators." Meanwhile, says Pooley, "it will be interesting to see what else each candidate puts on the table as they court the gay vote," particularly if the race for the Democratic nomination remains as tight as it is now.