"I think the President believes this is an issue that's best addressed by the states."

[FLAprogressive]

This is a quote from Robert Gibbs when asked about gay marriage.

Well guess what, we've left it to the states.....look where it's gotten us.

Maybe it's time for our gutless president to take a stand on something for a change.

[Shrek]

1. It's amazing what qualifies as fierce advocacy these days. n/t

[NYC_SKP]

2. I've already seen several threads blaming Obama for the failure to defeat state measures.

Which, it seems to me, lets individuals in those states and throughout the nation who cared a great deal about these...

...off the hook.

Of course the president could do more.

But there's plenty of blame to go around.

Prop H8 passed in CA in large part due to complacency by progressives.

Shall we blame candidate Obama for that?

Why didn't he come out more strongly then???

[FLAprogressive]

5. so when the fierce advocate doesn't fiercely advocate we should be OK with that

[NYC_SKP]

12. No.

I just hope nobody shifts blame so far as to give up. The responsibility to get things done begins and ends with us.

FWIW, he could be a lot more supportive and I don't really get why he hasn't been able or willing to find the words that would do that without compromising his personal position on same-sex marriage.

[Toasterlad]

21. He's Already Compromised His "Personal Position" on Same-Sex Marriage.

ala John Kerry, he was "for it before he was against it".

In 1996, Barack Obama was completely fine with same-sex marriage, and vowed to fight for it.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

8. a recording from obama stating that he was against gay marriage was used

to defeat prop8 in california

so yes, i blame obama partly for that as well.

naturally, jon & jane citizens who actually voted are very much to blame. however holdig our leaders to task, is what we should be doing.

[NYC_SKP]

10. If you wanna talk about quotes... soundbites...

Gavin Newsom's "whether you like it or not" statement was used to great effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kKn5LNhNto

So sad, because he was right in so many ways but it wasn't going to play state-wide.

I know Obama could be a lot more vocal on the issue, even if his personal definition of marriage prevents explicit support, he could be urging citizens to take up the issue with passion within their states.

And I hate that it divides us.

It's fine to criticize as long as we don't shift blame to the extent that we abdicate responsibility for getting things done.

Take care,

NYC_SKP

[Brickbat]

11. It's called leadership.

You might not be familiar with it because you haven't seen him show it.

[Le Taz Hot]

13. No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Proposition H8 passed because there were MASSIVE amounts of money coming in from out of state by the RCC and the Mormons AND it was preached from the pulpit in almost every church in this state that the Invisible Man in the Sky was going to damn The Faithful to hell if they voted "No" on H8. Complacent, my ass! Most of us worked TIRELESSLY to ensure that piece of offal didn't pass. And, why DIDN'T Obama come out strongly against Prop. 8??????? Maybe we should have left slavery up to the states as well and President Change would have been busy cleaning someone's toilet instead of running for the highest office in the land.

[TokenQueer]

15. Yes.

The proponents for prop used Obama's voice in robocalls to African Americans. He said nothing to refute this tactic. He shares the blame for the prop 8 result.

[dionysus]

28. fuck it, let them stew in outrage, you know they will anyways.

[joeycola]

34. Being a second class is no fun.

[dionysus]

35. no, it's not. so blame the voters in maine who did this. i swear if an asteroid vaporized the planet

you guys would blame obama for it.

[joeycola]

44. He could Lead on this issue. but insteads he sits on the fence and daggles

carrots most of the time.

[jgraz]

49. God forbid your presidential binky has to take responsibility for anything

Gee, now who does that sound like?

[Neecy]

36. Let's take your marriage away

I want to watch you "stew in outrage"....and I'll enjoy every fucking second of it.

[jonnyblitz]

40. argh. I guess I am not in the mood for you O-FUNDIES today

either. i best go back to raking leaves now.

[joeycola]

46. I did that yesterday and got them in piles --but it rained

for several hours last night. NOW they are wet and soggy. No fun. so I am airing them out. te he. fun time today.

[Captain Hilts]

3. Well, that 'worked' for slavery and, now, it's 'working' for abortion rights. nt

[joeycola]

TRANSLATION: NO LEADERSHIP FROM OBAMA.

[freddie mertz]

24. That is being charitable.

Another way to put it is: Obama is content to allow this discrimination to continue.

[joeycola]

33. Yours is more specific. and I agree with it.

[mmonk]

4. I've looked at history and think that's a bad idea.

I know if you belonged to any religion other than Protestant Christian, you couldn't hold office in some states. Another adoption of Republican politics for the weak ass Democrats.

[katandmoon]

6. There are no words for how much I despise Obama anymore. This is one of the reasons why.

[dionysus]

7. you despise obama because the residents of maine voted to-- well, you hate obama for existing so it

doesn't surprise me.
let me get this straight, you're not blaming the citizens of maine, who voted to do this... it's all the presidents fault. amazing.

[katandmoon]

25. I despise Obama because he is a total coward on gay rights. A total coward.

[dionysus]

27. you despise him for everything. enjoy the next 7 years.

[Neecy]

37. Don't take the gay vote for granted

Without us he may not have 7 more years...

[dionysus]

39. i don't like what went down in maine, okay. but why aren't you blaming the voters who did this?

you really going to blame obama for the fact there is apparently a bigoted majority in the state of maine?

you think obama can *command* people to stop being homophobic? do you really? you should know better than that.

[Neecy]

43. I do blame the voters.

I also blame the Mormon money that poured into the state, as well as the bigotry of the RCC.

But the weasel words of Gibbs are really symbolic of this whole administration. They want our money and our votes, but they won't spend a dime of political capital when push comes to shove. Don't underestimate our anger or brush it off as petty outrage. You do that at your own risk, because as things stand now a LOT of us are staying home in 2012.

[HamdenRice]

32. That would be my question also! nt

[paranoid floyd]

9. What are the other reasons?

[katandmoon]

26. He's the president of Wall Street, not the U.S.

[bullwinkle428]

14. Probably a good thing he wasn't President in the 1950s or 1960s.

[d_b]

17. ouch

[mmonk]

18. In reality he couldn't have become President then.

However, there were plenty like him philosophically in office back then.

[freddie mertz]

23. And they were called "segregationists" and "Dixiecrats."

If it was up to them, there would have been no Civil Rights or Voting Rights legislation in the 1960s.

And no President Obama now.

Sheesh...

[Robb]

16. Obama is the single most recognizable person on the planet.

He could've swung Maine 5 points with a "good luck."

He didn't. And, as I point out in my sig line, he said he would.

[gblady]

20. he may be the most recognizable person....

he stumped for both Corzine and Deeds....
both lost...

go figure.

[okieinpain]

19. funny. n/t.

[freddie mertz]

22. Lame. Inexcusable. Imagine this being said re Civil Rights in the 60s.

Ultimately this is a matter for the Federal government and the courts to decide.

For the WH to dodge it this way is (another) profile in cowardice.

AT BEST.

[dionysus]

29. oh bullshit. it's a state referendum. but whatever, you'll cry at anything he does or doesn't do.

[freddie mertz]

38. I guess you just don't care about equal rights under the law.

Or some such.

Just stay happy and keep kissing the feet of your imaginary plaster saint, and don't worry your little heart about such things.

[dionysus]

41. that's bullshit fred. you're blaming the president for the results of a state referendum.

in fact you blame him for anything you can think of.

[freddie mertz]

42. I'm criticizing the WH statement in the OP.

Read it?

[joeybee12]

45. He can't...the rose-colored glasses blur his vision...n/t

[Hell Hath No Fury]

30. Agreed.

It's called Leadership, somthing O has been a bit shy about showing on some very important issues.

[debbierlus]

31. Pathetic. It is up to the states to decide if they want to break the 14th amendment

And, deny equality....

The south argued that slavery was a states rights issue as well.

[Vincardog]

47. Maybe it's time for our gutless president to take a stand on something for a change. K & R

[freddie mertz]

48. This really is the worst policy statement yet from Obama & co.

Craven, cowardly, dishonest, and evil.