2008 candidate Richardson clarifies gay 'a choice' comment
 New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson declared homosexuality a "choice" after a question from lesbian signer Melissa Etheridge during the Democrats' "gay debate" Thursday night.
Etheridge, one of the panelists, asked the governor whether he considered homosexuality "innate" or a choice.
“It’s a choice,” he replied.
"Suggesting Richardson might have misunderstood," remarked the gay paper Southern Voice, Etheridge "then rephrased her question to ask him whether he thinks 'a homosexual is born that way, or do you think that around seventh grade, we go, 'Ooo, I want to be gay.'"
Richardson stumbled.
“It’s, it’s, it, you know, I don’t see this as an issue of science or definition,” he said. “I see gays and lesbians as people, as a matter of human decency. I see it as a matter of love and companionship and people loving each other. You know, I don’t like to categorize people. I don’t like to answer definitions like that, that you know perhaps are grounded in science or something else that I don’t understand.”
Following the forum, Richardson's camp issued a statement "clarifying" his answer.
“Let me be clear — I do not believe that sexual orientation or gender identity happen by choice,” Richardson said in the statement printed by the Voice. “But I’m not a scientist and the point I was trying to make is that no matter how it happens, we are all equal and should be treated that way under the law.”
The governor also apologized for having using the Spanish word for faggot on "Imus in the Morning."
"You know, I’m Hispanic," Richardson said. "I felt the sting as a kid of being stereotyped. And I apologize, but I meant no harm when I said that. It was one of those exchanges that I was caught off guard. No, I am not backing off. I apologize."
Read the full Voice story here.
Richardson's full press statement can be read at this link.
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