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.
The video is here. The straddle is here:
The president stressed that this is a personal position, and that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own. But he said he’s confident that more Americans will grow comfortable with gays and lesbians getting married, citing his own daughters’ comfort with the concept.
Today Barack Obama announced that he supports the freedom to marry. Personally. Because he knows monogamous same-sex couples who are raising children. (Non-monogamous couples aren’t allowed to get legally married, of course, unless they’re straight.) But the president also supports the “concept” of states “deciding the issue on their own.” (States like, say, North Carolina, which yesterday banned any recognition of same-sex relationships in reality, not in concept.) So the president supports same-sex marriage while also supporting the right of states to ban the same-sex marriages that he supports. Which means, of course, that once the dust settles… everyone is going to be upset, supporters of marriage equality and opponents alike.
I wouldn’t say that this “completes a turnabout” for the president on the issue of marriage equality. I’d say he’s almost there. His support for marriage equality in concept is huge, of course, and it’s welcome, and I’m pulling out my gay checkbook. (I’m pulling it out again.) But as delighted as I am by this news—and I’m freakin’ delighted—I’m nevertheless disappointed that the president’s support for marriage equality doesn’t extend to same-sex couples in North Carolina and other states that have already banned same-sex marriage.
Of course, everyone else on Gay Earth is absolutely delighted—so, yeah, I realize I’m an outlier here. Forgive me for being Debbie Downer about this. But if a politician came out for legal interracial marriage and then said in the very next breath that he also supported the right of states to ban interracial marriage, well, I can’t imagine that supporters of legal interracial marriage would let pass without comment.
Thank you Dan for trying to ground everyone in reality. Today’s statements changed absolutely nothing.
Obama’s decision is a good one from a right/wrong perspective. But a bad one politically. Still glad he did it, though.
well, you know, change doesn’t happen overnight. and i am not saying that there couldn’t be more done, because there is a world more of work to be done to have equality in our country. But, (and i am not saying that you are being snarky, Dan) we have to cheer the little steps, even if they seem mute, because every step in the right direction is good. so don’t look at this as a downer because it is somewhat laying in the middle, its still a public statement and it holds weight, no matter how much. that’s my 2 cents.
Maybe Michelle is going to reveal that she is really a man?
A little legal and historical context might help explain why people who apparently don’t understand stuff like federalism and separation of powers might not be wise to say stuff like “Today’s statements changed absolutely nothing.”
http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2012/0…
@5, an executive order he had written three years ago and promised to sign during the campaign about banning anti-gay discrimination by federal contractors is still setting on the shelf. He in fact explicitly refused to sign it last month. Embracing the Democratic party platform of 1860 of “states’ rights” is hardly breaking any ground without doing anything that has any immediate effect practical effect.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and forget that this is a professional liar speaking. It’s not even HIM speaking really, it’s a team of people carefully weighing everything. This is nothing more than a calculated move of campaign strategy. Obama doesn’t give a fuck about you! Yeah, he’s better than Romney, blah fucking blah, doesn’t change how full of shit he is. Dan is apologizing for being the sober voice, but I say he isn’t sober enough.