For my readers who are fans of Hillary, I apologize for what I'm about to say. It's no secret that I'm not a Hillary fan, but this just proves my point about her constant waffling...even to the extent of contradicting what has been one of her political mainstays...federalizing various issues so as to take them out of the hands of individual states.
First, watch the Youtube video of Ellen's interview with Hillary...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3huRVrckY8
Now, I could rightfully rant about Hillary's idea of what amounts to a 'separate but equal' system of civil unions for gay couples, but the comment that stands out the most to me is that she believes this is an issue that should be left for the states to decide. Not only did she dodge the root of Ellen's question, but she contradicted some of her well known political ideals...again.
Remember her healthcare solution from 1994? The core of her proposal, and current healthcare proposals as well, is that we should federalize the entire healthcare system. Whether you agree with that or not, it's a prime example of how Hillary constantly sends homosexuals to the back of the bus...so to speak. Apparently, it's perfectly acceptable to provide healthcare for all Americans, but it's not acceptable to do the equivalent regarding gay marriage.
The bottom line is that the idea of civil unions is 'safe' and using the word 'marriage' in conjunction with the word gay would produce an impenetrable barrier to the White House. By making the statement that this is an issue for the states to decide, Hillary has adopted a blatant 'hands-off' stance...something that is in direct contradiction to her other campaign promises and political ideals. She's always held the idea that social issues were best handled at the federal level, so why not this one? The answer...cowardice, plain and simple.