GAY, LESBIAN LEADERS GET CLINTON PLEDGE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, April 17, 1993                   TAG: 9304170214
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KNIGHT-RIDDER/TRIBUNE
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium
GAY, LESBIAN LEADERS GET CLINTON PLEDGE
After years of being shunned at the White House, gay and lesbian leaders spent an hour in the Oval Office on Friday with President Clinton and came away with pledges of support for their causes.
Clinton told the activists he would not attend a huge gay rights march in Washington on April 25, but probably would address the demonstration in some fashion, perhaps by a live hookup from Boston where he will be speaking to an association of newspaper publishers.
It was the first presidential meeting in the White House with gay and lesbian leaders.
Participants said Clinton used the occasion to offer his support in principle for civil rights legislation outlawing discrimination against gays and lesbians and give them tips on winning public support for their agenda.
"This meeting symbolized the entry of gays and lesbian people into the mainstream of American life," said Tom Stoddard, coordinator of the Campaign for Military Service, a group seeking to lift the ban on gays in the military.
But the White House also showed signs of not wanting to alienate voters unsympathetic to civil rights for gays and lesbians. It banned television camera crews and reporters from observing the beginning of the Oval Office meeting. When the White House wants to publicize an event, it often allows such coverage.
Clinton insisted his decision to be out of town during the gay rights march was not intended to avoid any political fallout from being associated with the demonstration, which is expected to draw as many as 1 million people.
"I don't see how any serious person could claim that I have snubbed the gay community in this country, having taken the position I have not only on the issue of the military, but of participation in the government," Clinton said at an unrelated news conference before the meeting.
"I mean no snub, but presidents usually don't participate in marches. That has nothing to do with my commitment on the fundamental issue of being anti-discrimination," Clinton said.
Participants said the session with Clinton was warm and friendly - there were even jokes about the "Gay '90s" - and said Clinton expressed confidence that Congress would go along with his plan to lift the ban on gays in the military this summer.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB