Obama supports gay marriage

Gay Marriage Reversal Means Cash For Obama

www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/gay-marriage-reversal-means-cash-for-obama

President Obama’s endorsement of homosexual marriage is a cynical ploy to gain votes for his re-election. His opinion means nothing legally because the states vote on this iseue. Senator Obama Obama opposed gay marriage, after he favored it.

His opinion evolved for political expediency — donations. Long before this juncture he could have made known the courage of his conviction. His campaign made a calculated risk because his core base, black voters, will surely stick with one of their own. In doing so, they created a wedge issue to attract independent voters in the cultural war. They calculated that the damge done by energizing their cultural opponents would be offset by donations to counter Republican PACs.

VP Biden’s remarks on Meet The Press were known in the Hhite House before they were broadcast.

www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2012/may/08/gay-rights-united-states

Obama comes out in favor of same-sex marriage

By Dana Milbank, Published: May 9

President Obama’s long, tortuous metamorphosis on same-sex marriage finally reached its evolved state right in between stinky cheese and “General Hospital.”

Smoked out by his own vice president, Obama decided to come out of the closet on the issue to ABC News’s Robin Roberts, who rushed her scoop onto the air Wednesday afternoon during the closing minutes of “The Revolution,” ABC’s new talk show featuring a “stellar dream team of experts that will help complete transformations in all areas of life.”

Just before George Stephanopoulos and Diane Saywer broke in, “style guru” Tim Gunn was interviewing “celebrity trainer” Harley Pasternak about the scent of food.

“Harley, I understand that there’s a relationship between the smell of our food and how much of it we consume,” Gunn prompted.

“There’s a new study that showed that the stronger of a smell a food has, the less we’ll actually eat,” Pasternak affirmed.

Just as the celebrity trainer was saying, “I’m gonna have some smelly cheese,” the news team broke into “The Revolution” with word of Obama’s evolution.

“As I said, I’ve been going through an evolution on this issue,” the president said for the umpteenth time. ABC was so determined to trumpet its scoop that Obama was covered chin-deep by a Chyron topped with the words “ABC News Exclusive.” He detailed his thinking, from civil unions through “don’t ask, don’t tell,” before getting to the point: “I’ve just concluded that, for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

In a sense, what Obama finally said during the ABC clip was the obvious conclusion to his intellectual wandering. Public opinion is shifting rapidly in that direction , and Wednesday’s statement will invigorate young voters and the Democratic base — including the one in six of Obama’s fundraising “bundlers” who are openly gay.

It’s tempting to label this as another case of Obama leading from behind. Political observers pretty much assumed that was his view, even before Vice President Biden forced his hand by articulating it himself on Sunday. And Obama didn’t commit to doing anything to advance same-sex marriage; he merely stated his view.

And yet, his statement required bravery. By taking sides on the highly divisive issue, he risks antagonizing swing voters, particularly in conservative-leaning states such as Virginia and North Carolina. He also puts himself at odds with the 30 states that constitutionally ban same-sex marriage.

Maybe Obama was inspired to sentimentality by his evening plans, hosting a Burt Bacharach concert at the White House, but he was unusually lyrical in the interview. “I think about members of my own staff who are incredibly committed in monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together,” he said. “I think about those soldiers or airmen or Marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf, and yet feel constrained . . . because they’re not able to commit themselves in a marriage.”

In clips subsequently dribbled out by ABC News, Obama spoke about how his “change in perspective” was brought about by his daughters, who have friends who are the children of same-sex parents. “It wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently,” he said. He directly challenged religious conservatives: “When we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the golden rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated.”

Obama’s lofty thoughts were at odds with the haphazard way the big moment developed. While reporters awaited word, ABC signaled the gist of the news by coding the story on its Web site with the phrase “obama-sex-marriage-legal” in the URL. In the Twitterverse, reporters gossiped about whether ABC staffers had been ordered not to tweet before the interview aired. “Tweet tweet tweet tweet,” teased ABC’s Jake Tapper.

After finally delivering its scoop, and the obligatory promo of more to come on “World News” and “Good Morning America,” ABC returned viewers to “General Hospital.” In the soap opera, a woman in a hospital bed was being accused of hitting somebody over the head with a paperweight. She denied doing so.

“This wouldn’t be the first time you reinvented yourself,” the accuser said.
From “The Revolution,” to evolution, to reinvention: Politics imitates daytime TV, and vice versa.

cba321
11:23 PM EDT
Just so everyone understands the nomenclature: If Obama flip flops on an issue like gay marrriage, Guantanimo, rendition, killing innocents with drone strikes thatsometimes kill terroists, ending partisanism, etc., that is an “evolution:. If Romney changes his position on a political issue in the slightest, it is flip flopping. Got it?

TraderX
11:26 PM EDT
I think most rational people understand an evolution takes a reasonable amount of time (in years) and not taking complete opposite sides of the issue in a 24 hr timespan.

Noting
11:12 PM EDT
You’d think that Demonrats wouldn’t want to characterize their Blacks as being late evolvers.

stopdk1
11:08 PM EDT
when will “mainstream publications” criticize OBAMA from the right… i mean, will non-oped critiques of HIM ever come from the right?
i guess it is “cool” to criticize him for not being liberal enough.

Screwgun
11:01 PM EDT
Such bravery. What a man of principle. He waits until the day after the NC voters crushed gay marriage by 20 freaking points. When the phones lit up at Obama reelection HQ with gay donors cancelling their checks he must have said to his staff “Forget NC and the rest of the south, we have to concentrate on NY, CA, VT, and MA !!!” Great strategy. He should get a Profiles In Courage Award from the Kennedy Library.

stopdk1
11:15 PM EDT
i think this is the break romney needed… even though i couldnt give a **** about gay marriage…

mn3dem
10:37 PM EDT
Milbank, you can’t see you’ve been played? Biden’s trial balloon (that you mistakenly called a “gaffe” just yesterday) set up the whole press corps, bending with the pro-gay marriage breeze. Then, today, the President steps up and hits it out of the park. If you can’t comprehend that, you have no business in DC. If you don’t know who the patsy is, Dana, it’s because the patsy is you.

bo______stinks
10:28 PM EDT
Obama is a coward

mupright_2000
10:51 PM EDT
No, he’s actually very brave. Cowards hide behind the internet

Canchaz
10:20 PM EDT
“Bravery?” More like wriggle to me but what can one expect of a guy who doesn’t do politics, just Talk Shows

fat_elvis
10:20 PM EDT
You say yes…I say no….you say stop and I say go, go, go…..oh no……
“President Obama’s long, tortuous metamorphosis on same-sex marriage finally reached its evolved state right in between stinky cheese and “General Hospital.”
Until he changes his mind……again……

Desda
10:14 PM EDT
He expressed his opinion beautifully and it probably reflects that of many in the U.S. Of course there factors involved in when and how to state an opinion on a potentially divisive subject. Nonetheless, the statement is consistent with what we know of the president’s thoughts. I salute him and agree with him. Now it’s up to the states to act according to the wishes of their own citizens.

Drew95
10:21 PM EDT
Ah…the states have…and now 30 of them have Constitutional Amendments that ban same-sex marriage…meaning about 80% of Americans live in states where gay marriage is banned…try to keep up.

expatAU
10:24 PM EDT
How proud you must be drew

abovetheassault
10:08 PM EDT
MAN MARRIES MAN — a lost newspaper headline . . !

morethanbooksmart
10:01 PM EDT
Dana, your column today is a waste of bandwidth.
Everyone knew that if push-came-to-shove, Obama would side for gay marriage. Biden ‘pushed’ Obama over the hedge, so Obama had to declare.
Personally, it was always a simple question: are they (gays) people? Of course they are, so they should be allowed to have all the same rights, privileges, heartaches, and legal bills as straights.

Rich Zubaty
9:49 PM EDT
He was willing to take a stand on this, but not the public option. What a conniving wimp.

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/obama-comes-out-in-favor-of-same-sex-marriage/2012/05/09/gIQA1RPCEU_allComments.html

milwspor Today at 3:03 PM
There aren’t many people who will base their vote on this issue. Those who are opposed would’ve voted against him anyway. The progressives who favor marriage equality were disappointed that Obama didn’t go further on some issues. This may help him win them back.Overall it’s likely to be a wash or a small net gain for him. He can certainly count on gays and lesbians going out to vote for him now in large numbers. That’s something that was far from certain before today.

Randomwalker Today at 3:10 PM
The Black community, black ministers and churches specifically, do not support same sex marriages.

LGBTime Today at 3:28 PM
There will be no more elections won or lost because of some idelogical battle over what gay people can and cannot do.Same sex marriage is in the courts hands and soon enough it will all be set right…and everyone who stood against equality will slink back under the rock where they crawled from.

RelaxDudes2010 Today at 3:16 PM
On balance, Ohio opposes homosexual marriage, as does VA, NC & the blacks & hispanics in FL & NewMex, AZ, CO, etc. This could cost him in those key states.

Tyrell Track Master Today at 3:21 PM
Not man *sane*people. Unfortunately the GOP does a very good job of bringing out the crazies to vote against things like this.

gawebcat Today at 3:28 PM
As far as I am concerned, this is purely a state issue and does not belong in national politics. Obama and Biden are making it so. Romney will have no problem, one way or another on this issue like most mature adults. Thirty-two states now have laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. That means Obama is going against the grain. He can make it Federal government issue by winning the election and appointing more liberal judges who will override state statutes to legislate from the bench, that being how he’ handle objections to his RULERSHIP. With Obama, it’s MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY.

divindude Today at 3:38 PM
Gawebcat, I doubt you can back up your comment on Obama and the highway. He’s not scooter or W.

attc44 Today at 3:00 PM
What an interesting point in the election cycle for a flip flop.

packerbacker03 Today at 2:47 PM
He might as well support it now, rather than win re-election and try to legalize it after… ahem, he apparently learned you can’t drop bombs on people from Scott Walker.

attc44 Today at 3:07 PM
What half the electorate considers “a bomb”, the other half considers to be common sense legislation.

packerbacker03 Today at 3:11 PM
Whether you think it’s right or wrong is not what constitutes “a bomb”, but rather the unexpected nature at which it was delivered does.

attc44 Today at 3:17 PM
It was only unexpected to people with their heads buried in the sand.

Smooth Jimmy Apollo Today at 3:03 PM
What don’t you get? Gay marriage destroys traditional marriage which leads to more single parent families. It’s harder to support your family as a single parent which leads to less food on the table. Those without food on the table, are more likely to commit crimes to get what they do not have. Higher crime rates lead to a greater need for a police force. More police requires more taxes, but with nobody willing to start businesses in these high-poverty, high crime, gay marriage areas, there is nobody working which means no taxes to pay for the police. This increases government debt until the United States goes bankrupt and is ruined as a country. As you can see, gay marriage must be stopped. Who’s with me?

Adamsrib Today at 3:13 PM
Smooth: do you have the studies and statistics to back up your words? I don’t believe they hold water. Somehow, somewhere people are being dupped and brainwashed. The same “freedoms” that will allow marriage for everyone are the same “freedoms” that allow anyone to worship wherever and whomever they desire.

Smooth Jimmy Apollo Today at 3:24 PM
@adamsrib, I thought it was pretty obvious that I was joking. As Chris Rock said, marriage is not sacred in this country – not as long as we have reality shows like The Bachelor or the old shows like Joe Millionaire. Those who oppose gay marriage hide behind the Bible to act like they’re not being homophobic – they are. I know they are because homosexuality is only forbidden in the Old Testament – in the same spot where eating shellfish or pork is forbidden and disobedient children and people who work on the Sabbath are put to death, yet very few people follow those rules too. They just cherry pick that which supports their homophobia. Those who suggest that gay marriage will destroy a sacred institution or that it will have any negative effect on this country whatsoever are foolish.

wisco1999 Today at 3:16 PM
Straight people are destroying marriage! How about, you have to actually STAY MARRIED FOR LIFE? Like it says! They should outlaw divorce. That is about as stupid as YOUR arguement Smooth.

Tyrell Track Master Today at 3:22 PM
Smooth – is your comment meant to be a joke? You know utterly nothing about gay marriage. Zero evidence supports your rant.

Smooth Jimmy Apollo Today at 3:28 PM
@tyrell, adamsrib, and wisco, I was joking. I thought my hyperbole was obvious enough. I fully support gay marriage.

LGBTime Today at 3:32 PM
nice sarcasm Smmoth.

packerbacker03 Today at 3:04 PM
I think most would consider “justice for all” a true ill of society…
John Casper Today at 3:40 PM
Paul’s Letter to the Galations 3:28. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

www.jsonline.com/news/usandworld/national/obama-voices-his-support-for-gay-marriage94086fed3c1c44b794b801660865ee07-150821055.html

john walsh says:
May 9, 2012 at 3:57 pm
“President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage less than 48 hours after the Washington Post reported that prominent political donors were threatening to withhold donations over the president’s position on gay rights.”

SLhipster says:
May 9, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Wow… guess he needed that money for election year! How sad.

Ipis e’verywhere says:
May 9, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Dear Annise,
Do you really need Obummer’s ok to make your life happy?

JB says:
May 9, 2012 at 4:12 pm
You can have all the personal beliefs in the world, but one person can’t change the laws of the land.

Choice says:
May 9, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Way to go President Obama! You manned up! A good character trait.

Alex says:
May 9, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Time to VOTE REPUBLICAN. When he should be busy with high gas prices, the economy and the terror threats, he has to give an opinion on something that people know is wrong for a few extra votes.

PDiddie says:
May 9, 2012 at 4:58 pm
He has been busy — lowering them:

http://fuelfix.com/blog/2011/09/22/cheer-up-gas-prices-are-going-down-again/

Please do tell us now that the president has nothing to do with gas prices.

Joe says:
May 9, 2012 at 4:49 pm
It’s sad what some people will do at election time. Some will sell their soles to the devil others will ….you know!

Jim from Texas says:
May 9, 2012 at 4:56 pm
The inmates truly are running the asylum!
Personally, I’m fed up with the minority dictating to the majority!

Ann says:
May 9, 2012 at 5:48 pm
The majority of people support gay marriage (~60%, per polls). I think it’s the other way around.

RightWingDino says:
May 9, 2012 at 5:00 pm
We all need to get out and vote like never before Christian conservative candidates. No Obama, no Parker, no gay hugging, just have a responsible government again.

American Defender says:
May 9, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Just makes SANE people SICK! And he “CHANGED” his mind for the VOTE! Just like he “CHANGED” his religion when he entered POLITICS! He COULDN’T run as a MUSLIM!

wdsheffer says:
May 9, 2012 at 5:53 pm
I’m conservative when it comes to economics and limited government, but I can’t get behind the religious right on legislating morality. I want to see Obama out of office, but it’s not because he’s cool with gay people getting hitched. There are many more important things for our dear leaders to be concerned about.
If you want to protect marriage then here’s how: separate the rite (marriage) from the legal status (civil union). If you want a marriage, you get it at a house of worship before God, but it carries no weight with the state. The state will only recognize civil unions. Any two consenting adult humans who want one and are not already bound by one may have a civil union and be granted survivorship and visitation rights, etc. This way the state has no role in determining who is allowed to be married and the religious institution does not have to be “tarnished” by the state.

Sean says:
May 9, 2012 at 5:57 pm
ooOOOOooo yah…OH wait that’s right it’s not his decision. It doesn’t matter what his opinion is. That’s what is great about this country, we arn’t a monarchy and the law isn’t based on the King’s mood. We are a nation of laws, not opinions. You’d call me a Republican, except I’m not against gay marriage and I’m not a Christian. The only problem I have with gay marriage is the same reason I’m against all marriages and that’s the extra tax deductions. The Government should not be involved in my love life, gay or straight.

http://blog.chron.com/houstonpolitics/2012/05/parker-on-obamas-support-of-gay-marriage-wow/

Obama supports gay marriage