Is the President's position on gay marriage 'evolving'?

[bigtree]

excerpt from President Obama's interview with progressive bloggers: http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2010/10/obama-on-marriage-attitudes-ev.html


Q . . . Since you’ve become President, a lot has changed. More states have passed marriage equality laws. This summer a federal judge declared DOMA unconstitutional in two different cases. A judge in San Francisco declared Prop 8 was unconstitutional. And I know during the campaign you often said you thought marriage was the union between a man and a woman, and there -- like I said, when you look at public opinion polling, it’s heading in the right direction. We’ve actually got Republicans like Ted Olson and even Ken Mehlman on our side now. So I just really want to know what is your position on same-sex marriage?

THE PRESIDENT: Joe, I do not intend to make big news sitting here with the five of you, as wonderful as you guys are. (Laughter.) But I’ll say this --

. . . I think it’s a fair question to ask. I think that -- I am a strong supporter of civil unions. As you say, I have been to this point unwilling to sign on to same-sex marriage primarily because of my understandings of the traditional definitions of marriage.

But I also think you’re right that attitudes evolve, including mine. And I think that it is an issue that I wrestle with and think about because I have a whole host of friends who are in gay partnerships. I have staff members who are in committed, monogamous relationships, who are raising children, who are wonderful parents.

And I care about them deeply. And so while I’m not prepared to reverse myself here, sitting in the Roosevelt Room at 3:30 in the afternoon, I think it’s fair to say that it’s something that I think a lot about. That’s probably the best you’ll do out of me today. (Laughter.)


THE PRESIDENT: The one thing I will say today is I think it’s pretty clear where the trendlines are going.

Q The arc of history.

THE PRESIDENT: The arc of history.


read interview: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/27/obamas-interview-with-progressive-bloggers_n_775112.html

[Touchdown]

1. Wake me when he's 'evolved'

You know, when he jumps into the 90s.

[kenny blankenship]

3. I'm sure he will come around. As soon as he's no longer able to help in any way-he'll see the light.

And not a moment before.

No blinding flash of Grace was ever more predestined than this one.

[Unvanguard]

2. Publicly, maybe. Privately, I think he's supported it for years.

It would be nice to see him "evolve" into actually saying the words...

[LonePirate]

4. The private views of a politician matter not. It is what they say and do publicly that matter.

As far as same sex marriage goes, Obama is still a public bigot and we should not tolerate that from him or anyone.

[mkultra]

5. honestly, i would expect a serious attack on DOMA in the second term

i think that the issue of gay marriage doesn't really have enough public support to make it uncontroversial.

[LonePirate]

6. I prefer the President to act because something is right not because something is uncontroversial.

A strong and wise leader does not wait for popular opinion to evolve before doing what is right.

[bigtree]

7. I think he intended in this short term of his presidency

. . . to get the DADT law repealed in Congress. That's what he's said. His strategy is to get his republican-friendly generals to change the restrictions and penalties and then take that to Congress and dare them to oppose the military (as opposed to opposing him personally on this).

Further, his view has been that any unilateral move by him to reverse the law would be met by legislative opposition which could deepen and further complicate the unraveling of DADT. It's not as if these legislators can be counted on to stand firmly behind him on this issue.

I do think he's going to eventually brush past the objectors and do something on his own IF this strategy doesn't pan out. He's definitely been waiting the election out to provide just the right landscape to grow support for whatever alternative he comes up with.

On DOMA, I don't see much hope for him leading on this legislatively. I just don't know what the effect of some half-hearted recantation will be.

[mkultra]

11. yeah, on DOMA he honestly needs to strong leadership in the house

to pull it through. He is just not getting it.

[mkultra]

8. well, i would prefer that too. If only he werent encumbered by congress

which will always vote based on popularity in their own constituency.

[Touchdown]

9. Yeah. I used to blame everybody else for my fuck ups too.

But I was 17 back then.:eyes:

[mkultra]

10. welcome to 18

:)