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We’ve heard Obama promises before, so I’m sure the reaction to this will range from pleased to skeptical. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) was interviewed by the Advocate. Would he back marriage equality in 2012, leaving “god is in the mix” behind? (The Advocate, via the Wonk Room):
GILLIBRAND: Definitely. He put the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” in his State of the Union address. So there’s no reason why he can’t lean into marriage equality in a public speech or through some action he could do through the White House. I’d be thrilled if he decided to do that. He did take the step of not [defending] DOMA through his Department of Justice, which is a fantastic step because it was one that he was unwilling to do in “don’t ask, don’t tell.” So it shows a shift in his willingness to use the power of the White House – the power of the administration – to change public perception and to change policy.So I think we could get a very strong public statement out of him.
As far as Barney Frank goes, activists at a Seattle forum were told (Joe Mirabella, The Bilerico Project):
He spoke about the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and briefly mentioned that right after the repeal passed, “someone from the White House asked me if there would be much political fallout if the President came out in support of same sex marriage.” Barney Frank replied to the staff member, “there would be absolutely no fall out.” Shortly after that conversation, the President announced he would no longer defend DOMA, according to Frank.I pressed Frank further to see if he would tell us who the staffer was, but he would not.
“This is just my intuition, but I think the President will be supportive of marriage in the states that offer it before the 2012 election,” Frank said
So – are these trial balloons or another case of Lucy, the football and Charlie Brown?
19 Comments
This is a completely vacuous statement
The question is will he be supportive of movements that are trying to legislate marriage equality, either legislatively or by ballot initiative?
Given Obama’s record, I ain’t holding my breathI very much suspect that this will be yet another Lucy and the football, with us in the role of Charlie Brown.
Agreed….
And, in LEGAL terms, he already is, stating during his run for the Dem nomination that he supported a state’s right to pass marriage equality. BUT, simultaneously, he was/is also supportive of a state’s right to BAN it. But that fact was consciously ignored by most gays who deep throated instead his fake “better” position on DOMA than Sen. Clinton when, in reality, there was no functional difference.
Forgive me if I don’t hold my breathbased on a Barney Frank prediction.
“I’d be thrilled if he decided to do that.”dosen’t suggest to me that she’s expecting it.
I’d be thrilled, too. However, unless the balance of of power in the Senate and House changes significantly towards the Democratic party next election, we’d need even more conservative votes than his to get anything passed.
Campaign funding timeI hate to be negative, but it’s as if Obama is saying “give me money and if I win I’ll give you marriage rights in 2012″. That does NOT sit well with me.
Welcometo the world of politics.
Considering how off message he and his adminoften are on LGBT issues (“God is in the mix.”) I have come to regard silence as better than the alternative.
I could imagine it.
I agree with you.
The “be nice mentality” many LGBT folks have is disgustingEspecially when it comes to folks like Bryan Fischer. I wonder what many pacifist LGBTs imposing Gandhi, MLK and Judo-Christian philosophies would do in confrontation with a man with so much venom. Show him love and kindess? Why don't Progressive/Liberal Christians ever show up in media outlets to counteract these jackasses on television so the public can say themselves “My God, they really are assholes?”
My money is on a toothless dog-whistle.At least before the election. I suspect we’ll hear something supporting “all families” or “all citizens rights to be treated equally” or possibly even something saying that he believes the definition of marriage is for each state to decide (I’ll bet less on that one, though.)
Unless the polling numbers of moderates and independent voters go a whole lot higher than they are now or one of the Republican likely candidates forces his hand somehow, I can’t believe we’d hear a clear and unqualified support for marriage equality.
Bluntly. support for “marriage in the states that offer it” is essentially a statement in support of the status quo, not a call for equality where it isn’t currently available.
Yeah, because Obama’s campaign promises are worth so much.He’s kept every single one he made in 2008, right? He closed Gitmo, fought tirelessly for single-payer health care, ended the war in Iraq… Oh, wait.
I don’t doubt he’ll make some sort of statement that sounds pro-equality. Then when he wimps out and doesn’t lift a finger on it (or any or our other issues), we’ll have to listen to all the usual excuses again–the game of 13-dimensional chess he’s playing, “blame the mean old GOP,” etc., etc.
The sad thing is, there are plenty of LGBT dunderheads who’ll fall for it.
YupSame promises, different campaign. And I will bet the farm that we get the same results when the 2012 election is over.
Ha ha ha ha. Lol LOL LOL.Yeah right. (to the claim in the thread title)
I love you all.I wish I could hang out with you all – it’s encouraging to hear from the LGBTQ people who aren’t total dupes. That “in the states that have it” caveat is very telling. You’re either FOR equality or you’re AGAINST it. Not to be all “you’re either with us or you’re against us,” but in the context of wanting EVERYONE to have the same rights, that’s really what it comes down to.
“When speculation has done its worst, two and two still make four” Samuel JohnsonMore speculation from Democrats. Like the speculation from Barney the Quisling that an inclusive ENDA would pass last year when they had the votes.
Democrats, after losing almost 30 million votes between 2008 and 2010 because they lack the guts to put a leash on predatory banksters and the Pentagon are now meekly dancing to the Republicans ‘Allemande Right’ and have agreed to the possibility of slashing social security and Medicare/Medicaid.
Democrats are Republicans in drag.
Democrats have a very bad record of pie in the sky speculating and promising in the run-up to elections. The time in between elections is under the bus time for us.
This is why one of my favorite moments in gay advocacyWas when Kyra Phillips invited Dan Savage on to talk about hate crime. ”What can be done, Dan?”
Set and match, CNN. Time to own your complicity and assistance in homophobia.
Don’t pretend you care about hate crimes when you hand your podium over to hate mongers.
That was very impolite for Dan to confront his host that way.
And exactly what needs to be done.
We can’t stop the haters from hating. But we can pressure our “friends” to stop being so goddamn nice and respectful to them.
BullYou have to wonder what piece of stuff he is going to pull this time? Will it be the refusal to sign DADT? Or how about another defense of DOMA in front of SCoUS? Maybe providing lawyers to the Prop 8 people?
The constant story is a tiny hope followed by a physical nasty. Same old story; time after time.
More not nice SPAM