Howard Dean praises Kerry as pro-gay candidate (11990)

In an interview Wednesday on a gay radio talk show, former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean praised his former rival, John Kerry, while slamming President George Bush's support for a constitutional amendment that would outlaw civil marriage for same-sex couples. Giving his first gay-media interview since withdrawing from the presidential race on satellite radio service Sirius OutQ's John McMullen Show, Dean said there's no doubt that Senator Kerry is a better candidate for gay and lesbian Americans than the president.

"[Kerry] is less inclined, for example, to have a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage," Dean said. "That's not the federal government's business, and what that really is--President Bush knows that's not going to pass. What it really is, is a thinly veiled appeal to people's bigotry about gay and lesbian people, and I think that's unnecessary, and I think John Kerry won't do that."

Dean did not specifically reiterate his previously stated opposition to same-sex marriage on the show but said he prefers to focus on making sure gay and lesbian couples have equal rights to focusing on what he called "an argument over one word."

Dean appeared on the show primarily to discuss his new progressive grassroots political organization, Democracy for America.

The John McMullen Show is broadcast seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time on Sirius OutQ, one of more than 100 channels on the satellite radio service, which requires a dedicated receiver and a monthly subscription. Some OutQ programming can also be heard for free on the Internet at www.siriusoutq.com, using Windows Media Player software.