Clinton Says She Will Defend Gay Rights

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said she would defend gay rights as president and eliminate disparities for same-sex couples in federal law, including immigration and tax policy.

Clinton said states such as New Jersey and Massachusetts are extending rights to gay couples, ''and the federal government should recognize that and should extend the same access to federal benefits across the board. I will very much work to achieve that.''

Clinton's comments came in an interview with the Philadelphia Gay News, which was posted on its website Thursday.

Clinton said she and her husband have many gay friends whom they socialize with when they get the chance. ''I've got friends, literally, around the country that I'm close to. It's part of my life,'' she said.

She said that when they ask her why they can't get married, she tells them marriage is a state law. She said that fact helped defeat a federal constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex weddings that she said would have ''enshrined discrimination in the Constitution.''

''States are really beginning seriously to deal with the whole range of options, including marriage, both under their own state constitutions and under the legislative approach,'' she said. ''I anticipate that there will be a very concerted amount of effort in the next couple of years that will move this important issue forward, and different states will take different approaches as they did with marriage over many years, and you will see an evolution over time.''

Clinton said she opposes a measure that would ban same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania.

''I would be very distressed if Pennsylvania were to adopt that kind of mean-spirited referendum, and I hope it won't happen,'' she said.

Clinton's Democratic rival Barack Obama and Republican John McCain declined the newspaper's invitation for an interview.

Clinton also said she would:

- Eliminate her husband's policy of ''don't ask, don't tell'' that prevents gays from serving openly in the military. Asked if she could do so by a signing order connected to a military appropriations bill, Clinton said she didn't think that is possible but added that she would look into it and do it if it were legal.

- Be ''very strongly outspoken'' against foreign governments that execute gays and use financial assistance and other leverage to prevent the killings.

- Support federal domestic partner legislation to extend rights to all gay couples.

- Support services for gay youths, including guidance for schools about the discrimination they face.

- Continue to support gay pride celebrations, to the extent that security would allow. ''I don't think the Secret Service let Bill walk in a parade when he became president,'' she said. (AP)