So this is good news.
President Obama today announced that he now supports same-sex marriage, reversing his longstanding opposition amid growing pressure from the Democratic base and even his own vice president.
In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, the president described his thought process as an “evolution” that led him to this place, based on conversations with his own staff members, openly gay and lesbian service members, and conversations with his wife and own daughters.
“I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain 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,” Obama told Roberts, in an interview to appear on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Thursday. Excerpts of the interview will air tonight on ABC’s “World News with Diane Sawyer.”
Kudos to the president – and, by the way, also to Vice President Joe Biden, whose comments the other day likely prompted this, at least as a matter of timing. It probably would have been politically less risky for Obama to stay where he was – generally supportive of gay rights, but remaining at least nominally opposed to marriage. And he probably could have maintained that stance through the election, because, really, where are gay marriage proponents going to go? To Mitt Romney? And this might even cost him a few votes with voters who don’t like gay marriage but who otherwise generally support him.
But, despite all that, Obama did the right thing. Good.
…to putting marriage equality in this year’s platform.
… “What are the political implications of this?” I’ll tell you one thing, I can’t picture how Romney says or does anything in response that could possibly come off well. I suspect this will drain the oxygen out of the GOP campaign for the next few days. The right will be forced to reaffirm the anti-marriage position, but loudly now – probably kissing any moderates (that are actual moderates) goodbye.
I agree it was the right thing to do – frankly, I thought it was pretty late.
I’m not sure I buy the conventional wisdom that this is a risky move. I think it’s smart and helps his chances. He is going to raise extra millions this week because of this and likely have thousands of new, young volunteers for his campaign. He finally expressed the view that liberals (and, more importantly, Republicans and conservatives) have believed he has held all along. Maybe this will energize some Republican voters, but they already want the guy dead, and they still don’t like Romney. And now Romney is put in a tough spot. Does he have the skill to thread the needle on this issue and look moderate but still appeal to the base? Can he do that on any issue?
I think it’s a smart political move in addition to the right decision. Maybe that’s me living in the Greater Boston bubble, though.
Maybe there are people who agree with the rest of his policies but will jump ship because of only this issue. I find it hard to believe there is a noticeable population of those types of voters in any state, though.
when it could have moved some NC votes?
Frustrating.
… that this would have changed minds in NC? I have a hard time believing many people voted a particular way based on the President’s position. And, with a 22 point gap, I really doubt Obama could have affected the outcome.
Precious few people who go to the trouble of actually voting against gay marriage would have changed their votes because the president changed his position. However, I think it’s possible that the NC vote had something to do with the president’s announcement, since the convention is in Charlotte this fall.
by depriving it of oxygen, by throwing us some red meat. Then by November maybe people will dimly remember that back in the summer she had some kind of controversy about her being Native American, but it must have all turned out to be nothing because she’s still in the race.
An incumbent president in an election year usually makes major policy announcements based on the weekly twists and turns of an essentially tied Senate race.
Now that Dick Lugar has lost the Republican primary in Indiana, expect Obama to make some major changes in how we assess China’s currency, or something.
Don’t forget that the BMG comments thread is no doubt the president’s first stop each morning, right after reading his national intelligence briefing.
…an announcement 2 days ago might have had some impact on those 22 points. But not enough. It does breathe new life into those disheartened by the result, though.
Where this announcement scares me is in the population that is in-between. The hardcore pro and hardcore anti will be motivated to do a little (or a lot) more now. The unpredictable part, given that the good guys have yet to win a single ballot measure in the US, is that squishy center that is moving the correct direction, one Will and Grace episode at a time. How will they respond when the anti-= haters get into full hate mode.
(on the basis of no hard evidence) that the black vote in NC was mostly Yes on Question 1. Obama may have had influence with that constituency.
Its the right thing to do, and politically smart,making it the party of everyone.
Now if he would just lock up a few bankers…
this is the next best thing. Now those who don’t believe in same-sex marriage are still free to not believe in it, but those who do want the right to same-sex marriage aren’t forced to comply with the wishes of the people who don’t. So much freedom!!!! Love that! Well done!
Not a problem. The federal government doesn’t need to get involved in marriage rules unless they result in discrimination. If the South and Arizona want to continue their courageous march toward the 18th Century, let them. When their recreated feudal societies turn out to not be viable, they will reap what they’ve sown.
And wants to stamp out states’ rights on this issue.
Strikes me as politically risky. But so is continuing to alienate–or at least not fire up–his base. Speaking as one who has felt more than a little disnfranchised by this administration’s policies practically across-the-board—and there are more than a few of out there—this comes as VERY heartening news. In itself, it’s a positive development; and it suggests, too, that perhaps a second-term Obama will take (politically) riskier stances on other matters as well. Perhaps.
My Facebook newsfeed, which largely comprises remarks from several hundred congenitally disgruntled lefties, didn’t exactly light up with joy. My response was:
__________
So the President, who’s been twisting in the wind all week, comes out in support of gay marriage. I’m mostly seeing two strains of comment (from my comrades):
“This is politically opportunistic BS; should have been done long ago; Pres should lead on issues”;
and/or
“This means nothing so long as he remains a corporate-whore-imperialist-running-dog.”
Every now and then–for whatever reasons–our elected officials do or say the right thing. The left starts to lack credibility when that right thing is never good enough–in, of, and by itself. No, this doesn’t stop the drone attacks. But if Obama said he’d bring every soldier home from Afghanistan in two weeks, I’m convinced that folks would be screaming, “oh, that’s just great–but what about gay marriage?” That the President comes out and (finally) says what you’ve hoping he would should not be an occasion to flog him. Really.
This doesn’t mean that BO has suddenly transformed himself into a progressive hero overnight. Nor that we should backburner the (many) other issues upon which so many of us disagree with him. But if you want to be taken seriously, you have to occasionally throw your elected leaders a bone and not keep digging till you produce, or create, a fly in the ointment. There is such a thing as overmuch sourness–or bitterness.
As for the President leading on issues–uh-uh. One thing Obama was right about: “if you want me to do something, you have to make me do it.” In other words, you have to get me something approaching a majority. Well, we did that with gay marriage. (We still need to do it with the far more complex isue of climate change). Presidents–in no small part because they are presidents of the entire damn country, 3/4 of which I sometimes wish would just secede–are very unlikely to “lead” on less-than-popular issues. WE DO THE LEADING. They’re just pigs with rings through the noses. WE–some of you for decades–led on this.
Don’t miss the significance here. This isn’t about Mr Barack Obama’s (private citizen/cynical candidate) opinionating. What matters is that The President of the United States of America has put his imprimatur on recognizing gay marriage. That matters.
__________________________________
I’m still laughing at the idea, cited above,that his was intended to deflect from Ms Warren’s little brouhaha. Could actually be that one of the most significant things she’s done so far campaignwise has been to come out in favor of same-sex marriage–she sorta got this snowball rolling in late March when she called on the President to “evolve.” I was impressed, and she deserves some recognition for this now that its’ come to pass. (*throwing my candidate’s’ rival a bone myself*)
When training a dog that too often resists returning to the master on command, said animal will frequently dilly-dally before heeding the call.
The right response is to reward the dog for obeying (even if slowly). Foolish owners who instead punish the dog being “too slow” generally end up with little or no influence over the dog’s behavior.
Capiche?