Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Video: Gay Rights Group Heckles Harold Ford
By
Ben Muessig
Published Feb 25, 2010
Modified Feb 25, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Muessig
Published Feb 25, 2010
Modified Feb 25, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Possible Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. was booed and heckled by a gay Democratic club for his past record on same-sex marriage. Since voting twice to amend the Constitution to ban gay marriage as a Congressman in Tennessee, Ford claims he has come to support marriage equality. But that wasn't enough to win over the Stonewall Democrats in the West Village.
"I'm not ashamed to say that throughout my time in Congress there are issues that I evolved on, I matured on," said the likely Democratic rival of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand at the raucous meeting at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. Though he emphasized that he is now a full supporter of marriage equality, members of the audience repeatedly interrupted his speech with chants of "You lie!" and "New York doesn't want you!" according to Queerty. Attendees also held up signs, some scribbled on the back of "Gillibrand For Senate Signs according to Gay City News, reading "Anti-Choice, Anti-Gay, Shame on Harry, Go Away!"
Here are two videos of the contentious meeting. The focus is soft, but they're still pretty interesting, especially at around 5:45 and 7:45 in the first video, and 4:55 in the second video:
Ford maintains that in order for gay marriage to win broader support, former same-sex marriage opponents like himself must alter their positions. "The reason support for marriage equality continues to go up is because people like me change our minds," he noted. NY1, which also has some video of the speech, reports that Ford is expected to decide whether or not he'll run for Senate on Sunday.
Tagged
campaign
gay
gay marriage
gay rights
harold ford
kirsten gillibrand
marriage equality
Politics
same sex marriage
senate
stonewall democrats
Ben Muessig
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
5 men charged with trespassing in 2 Manhattan manhole cases
Two people who were found soaking wet and smelling of sewage say they went underground to look for jewelry, according to police and a criminal complaint.
By
Charles Lane
Published Oct 23, 2026 at 7:49 p.m. ET
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
News
6-year-old girl breaks leg after getting hit by falling bricks in Queens
The girl was walking with her mother in Maspeth on Thursday. The Department of Buildings cited the owner of a garage for “failure to maintain” it.
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani extends ban on permits for new street fairs due to NYPD overtime
By
Carol Chen
Inside the Midtown Bus Terminal rebuild: Decks over Lincoln Tunnel approach, a new park
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Black couple seeking Queens apartment sues over racist text from broker
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .