A decade ago, Nobel-prize-winning author Toni Morrison famously proclaimed Bill Clinton to be the United States’ “first black president” because of his advocacy on behalf of African Americans.

Today, another Clinton - Hillary Rodham - is battling against Democratic rival Barack Obama for an equally-coveted honour: America’s first gay president.

The only two Democratic nominees left in the race to the White House have fought hard to win the votes of their GLBTI brothers and sisters. Each has been heard, loud and proud, championing gay rights - something we in Australia might find a little queer: our leaders don’t even use the word ‘gay’, let alone fly the rainbow flag.

The recent primaries in Ohio, Vermont, Rhode Island and Texas saw Hillary and Barack pull out all the stops to woo gay voters.

Camp Obama recruited ‘precinct captains’ to door-knock ‘gayborhoods’ in a desperate attempt to sell the pink credentials of their nominee. The good senator also issued an open letter to the GLBTI community, in which he wrote, “As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. Together, we will achieve real equality for all Americans, gay and straight alike.”

Hillary got wind that the letter would appear as a full-page ad in four key gay weeklies, and promptly organised a conference call with their reporters. She also managed to one-up Obama by speaking for 20 minutes to the raging Houston Area Stonewall Democrats.

Variously described as clever, conniving, feisty and fancy, Hillary has begun to take on a sort of gay icon status. She’s a bit like Cher, but without the fishnets; and Madge, but without the adopted babies. And following in those pop stars’ footsteps, she’s done away with her surname, though perhaps that has more to do with the whole Bush/Clinton dynasty thing.

The only female presidential contender has much of the world’s queer male population aroused with her power and punch. If the former First Lady makes it back to the White House (this time with an oval-shaped office) she’ll no doubt replace all the Monicas with hordes of young gay interns eager to impress.

But would queers be better off rooting (in the American sense) for Obama? Or what about supporting the largely forgotten yet potentially formidable Republican candidate, John McCain, who stirred up his conservative friends by voting ‘no’ on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage?

For America’s highest-circulation queer paper, Gay City News, the choice of nominee is clear: they’re barracking for Barack. The paper’s endorsing editorial noted that while both Democratic hopefuls are ‘generally friendly and supportive’ towards gays, Obama shows greater empathy - making him first pick. McCain didn’t get a look in. 

But golden boy Obama angered the gay and lesbian community late last year when the irreverent Reverend Donnie McClurkin, a gospel singer, performed at one of Barack’s campaign events. The problem was that Donnie had been gay; that is, until God delivered him from his ‘curse’. He’s now a ‘saved and sanctified man’, according to his autobiography.

Obama quickly posted an apology on his blog to appease potential gay supporters. McClurkin, though a “beloved figure” among African Americans and Christians, “espouses beliefs about homosexuality that I completely reject,” he wrote.

Most queers forgave Obama for his cock-up. After all, he is the only presidential nominee with a whole section of his website devoted to GLBTI people. It’s called ‘Obama Pride’ and has a rainbow banner.

Hillary’s website, by contrast, is all about Hillraisers and Hillblazers. Apparently you can become one if you want.

But to her credit, she’s established a campaign steering group of 65 GLBTI leaders - with the imaginative name ‘LGBT Americans for Hillary’ - and employs a full-time staffer to deal with queer issues. Oh, and you can buy official campaign badges declaring you’re ‘OUT for Hillary’.

Clinton campaigned strongly on gay rights in California - a key state which she won with 63% of the very substantial pink vote, according to exit polls. Earlier she attracted GLBT support by posting an ‘Ask Hillary’ video on YouTube directed at ‘gay teens’, in which she promised to stand up for them as Pres.

Obama went some way towards redeeming himself this month at a town-hall meeting in Nelsonville, Ohio, where he told a small audience of students: “Sometimes, particularly in ... the church, I hear people saying things that I don’t think are very Christian with respect to people who are gay and lesbian.”

Of course, he still goes to those churches.

Another hot issue in the US is gays serving in the military.

Republican contender McCain says the current ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy works well. Hillary thinks it should go, but maintains it was right at the time husband Bill introduced it. And Obama says “the test for military service should be patriotism,” not sexuality.

But do American gays - any gays, for that matter - consider these issues when they vote?

The San Francisco Chronicle has reported that they don’t. Most, in choosing between Barack and Hillary at least, are far more concerned about electability than policy positions. They’ve voted for the Democrat they thought had the best chance of winning the presidency.

Which prompts the question: why are the Democratic rivals being so gay?

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