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Obama: "I think same sex couples should be able to get married"

May 9, 2012#1

Charlie Don't Surf

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-announces-his-support-for-same-sex-marriage.html

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.”

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.

“It’s interesting, some of this is also generational,” the president continued. “You know when I go to college campuses, sometimes I talk to college Republicans who think that I have terrible policies on the economy, on foreign policy, but are very clear that when it comes to same sex equality or, you know, believe in equality. They are much more comfortable with it. You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we’re talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently. It doesn’t make sense to them and frankly, that’s the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective.”

Roberts asked the president if First Lady Michelle Obama was involved in this decision. Obama said she was, and he talked specifically about his own faith in responding.

“This is something that, you know, we’ve talked about over the years and she, you know, she feels the same way, she feels the same way that I do. And that is that, in the end the values that I care most deeply about and she cares most deeply about is how we treat other people and, you know, I, you know, we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated. And I think that’s what we try to impart to our kids and that’s what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I’ll be as a as a dad and a husband and hopefully the better I’ll be as president.”

Previously, Obama has moved in the direction of supporting same-sex marriage but has consistently stopped short of outright backing it. Instead, he’s voiced support for civil unions for gay and lesbian couples that provide the rights and benefits enjoyed by married couples, though not defined as “marriage.” At the same time, the president has opposed efforts to ban gay marriage at the state level, saying that he did not favor attempts to strip rights away from gay and lesbian couples.

The president’s position became a flashpoint this week, when Vice President Joe Biden pronounced himself “absolutely comfortable” with allowing same-sex couples to wed.

Obama aides insisted there was no daylight between the positions held by the president and his vice president when it comes to legal rights, but as other prominent Democrats also weighed in in favor of gay marriage, the disconnect became difficult for the White House to explain away.

The announcement completes a turnabout for the president, who has opposed gay marriage throughout his career in national politics. In 1996, as a state Senate candidate, he indicated support for gay marriage in a questionnaire, but Obama aides later disavowed it and said it did not reflect the candidate’s position.

In 2004, as a candidate for the US Senate, he cited his own religion in framing his views: “I'm a Christian. I do believe that tradition and my religious beliefs say that marriage is something sanctified between a man and a woman.”

He maintained that position through his 2008 presidential campaign, and through his term as president, until today.

As president in 2010, Obama told ABC’s Jake Tapper that his feelings about gay marriage were “constantly evolving. I struggle with this.” A year later, the president told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, “I’m still working on it.”

“I probably won't make news right now, George,” Obama said in October 2011. “But I think that there's no doubt that as I see friends, families, children of gay couples who are thriving, you know, that has an impact on how I think about these issues.”

Obama’s decision has political connotations for the fall.

The issue divides elements of the Democratic base, with liberals and gay-rights groups eager to see the president go farther, but with gay marriage far less popular among African-American voters.

Just yesterday, in North Carolina, voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional ban on gay marriage. President Obama carried North Carolina in 2008, and its status as a 2012 battleground was guaranteed by Democrats’ decision to hold their convention in Charlotte this summer.

Obama’s likely Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, opposes gay marriage, and fought his state’s highest court when Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage in 2004, when Romney was governor. Romney said on the campaign trail Monday that he continues to oppose gay marriage.

“My view is that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman,” Romney said. “That’s the position I’ve had for some time, and I don’t intend to make any adjustments at this point. … Or ever, by the way.”

Well, this is awesome.

May 9, 2012#2

Ravenpoe

So... He supports gays AND evolution? Why does he hate America so much.

May 9, 2012#3

sixpackshaker

The Will and Grace Bump.

May 9, 2012#4

BananaHands

Well, fuck.

May 9, 2012#5

sixpackshaker

He likely just lost a quarter to half of the independent vote.

May 9, 2012#6

Dave

It's going to hurt him politically but it's the right thing to do. Or should I say the correct thing to do. The Right thing to do is tell people how to live and who to love while at the same time getting divorced, beating their kids and telling everyone how holy they are.

But this was a damned good thing he did today.

May 9, 2012#7

BananaHands

It's going to make things interesting and I think it'll put a lot of pressure on Romney.

He'll focus more on the marriage issue while Obama can push the economy.

May 9, 2012#8

Krisken

He needs the youth vote. This is how he'll re energize that voting demographic.

May 9, 2012#9

Charlie Don't Surf

Yeah. This was good. I'm happy.

May 9, 2012#10

sixpackshaker

Also making the statement now, i.e. this early in the campaign, might help make it a non-issue by time Election Day rolls around.

May 9, 2012#11

Bowielee

Speaking as part of the demographic this actually reflects, the fact that the commander in chief even said this is a huge win. Even if it does turn out to be a purely political maneuver.

May 9, 2012#12

GasBandit

It is the right thing to do. If only there was a way to combine the democrat social platform with the republican fiscal platform... :troll:

May 9, 2012#13

Bowielee

GasBandit said:
It is the right thing to do. If only there was a way to combine the democrat social platform with the republican fiscal platform...

May 9, 2012#14

Dave

I disagree, GasBandit. I think the Democratic fiscal policy is at this time stronger and makes more sense than the Republican one only because the Republican one wants to get rid of pretty much all taxes on businesses, remove all regulation, and completely gut helping programs such as social security and medicare/medicaid and care for women. While the Democrats only have TAX THE RICH at least it's a more viable fiscal program than letting the richest of the rich get even wealthier at the expense of those who can least afford it. But hey, as long as they make more money for their friends who cares, right?

May 9, 2012#15

Shegokigo

I'm pretty conflicted about this.

1: I don't really care about marriage (personally) as I don't plan on participating in it. I do however have friends that didn't even consider trying due to how pointless it would have been for them to try and just be shut down. Granted, this doesn't mean anything's changed but I do know it's a right step for the future.

2: This could be suicidal for his campaign. I don't honestly think he'll win over as many republican voters as he's going to lose democratic ones. Most of the people cheering for this news were already on his side....

May 9, 2012#16

ElJuski

Obvious this was going to happen. Always knew Obama was keeping these things under his wings for election time.

May 9, 2012#17

GasBandit

Dave said:
I disagree, GasBandit.

I know you do. I know you do.

May 9, 2012#18

sixpackshaker

Fox can change headlines so fast.

May 9, 2012#19

BananaHands

Shegokigo said:
View attachment 6071

Romney is going to have to take a stance against this. It's going to cause the same situation/conflicting feelings on the republican side as well.

May 9, 2012#20

GasBandit

I went to go look to see if that was still the headline, and got blindsided by how awful all the fonts are on that page.

May 9, 2012#21

ElJuski

Yup. The Dems can easily win a game of these social issue smokescreens against the Repubs, since the GOP has sauntered itself over the idealogical edge. Most moderates, it seems, don't give a shit about issues like gay rights or gun control. Romney boxed himself in.

May 9, 2012#22

Krisken

sixpackshaker said:
Fox can change headlines so fast.

Wait, I thought it was disrespectful to say it's a 'war' when it isn't really a war.

May 9, 2012#23

sixpackshaker

Krisken said:
Wait, I thought it was disrespectful to say it's a 'war' when it isn't really a war.

It is only disrespectful when the other side is saying it.

May 9, 2012#24

Krisken

sixpackshaker said:
It is only disrespectful when the other side is saying it.

Somehow I knew that deep down. ::smacks fist::

May 9, 2012#25

Just Me

Someone has to say it: It's okay to be Takei!

May 9, 2012#26

makare

war on marriage?! I think we might be able to actually win that one. Marriage is a pussy.

May 9, 2012#27

Krisken

makare said:
war on marriage?! I think we might be able to actually win that one. Marriage is a pussy.

Takes a pounding and keeps going?

May 9, 2012#28

GasBandit

I wish there WAS a war on marriage.

May 9, 2012#29

Gared

I just wish someone, somewhere would respond to the oft-asked question of "How does two guys (or girls) being able to marry effect your marriage in any way?"

May 9, 2012#30

ElJuski

Because if people did, then the GOP wouldn't have a leg to stand on. Social issues is the only veil that's left to a defunct party system that needs revitalization to make this two-party system worthwhile.

May 9, 2012#31

GasBandit

Gared said:
I just wish someone, somewhere would respond to the oft-asked question of "How does two guys (or girls) being able to marry effect your marriage in any way?"

Not that I support the argument, but I've always assumed it was the same kind of anger that some engineers hold for people who call themselves engineers who don't have an engineering degree.

May 9, 2012#32

sixpackshaker

Krisken said:
Takes a pounding and keeps going?

dries up at the first sign of conflict.

May 9, 2012#33

AshburnerX

I kinda of almost want Romney to come out in support of it as well. Just to see how the Far Right reacts.

May 9, 2012#34

Charlie Don't Surf

AshburnerX said:
I kinda of almost want Romney to come out in support of it as well. Just to see how the Far Right reacts.

the reaction at Free Republic is delicious and a nectar from which I would drink eagerly

May 9, 2012#35

BananaHands

May 9, 2012#36

Cajungal

I read this as "I don't think..." at first and got very annoyed.

May 9, 2012#37

Shegokigo

Cajungal said:
I read this as "I don't think..." at first and got very annoyed.

That's Romney's stance. Even repeated it in response to this news.

May 9, 2012#38

Cajungal

Blech.

May 9, 2012#39

bhamv3

I need Obama to come to HF and make a post about supporting equal rights in marriage, so I can brofist his post.

May 10, 2012#40

ElJuski

I just l love how Obama Lincoln'd the shit out of this issue, just like his predecessor did almost 150 years ago, in another presidential race in another decade of social-cultural turmoil.

CRRRREEEEPYYY

May 10, 2012#41

BananaHands

May 10, 2012#42

Bowielee

ElJuski said:
I just l love how Obama Lincoln'd the shit out of this issue, just like his predecessor did almost 150 years ago, in another presidential race in another decade of social-cultural turmoil.

CRRRREEEEPYYY

So, you're saying that gay marriage will lead to Civil War 2?

May 10, 2012#43

AshburnerX

Bowielee said:
So, you're saying that gay marriage will lead to Civil War 2?

Legally, maybe. A lot of states are going to try and claim it's a state's rights issue if the Federal Government declares it legal, which means it'll go to the Supreme Court.

May 10, 2012#44

Charlie Don't Surf

yeah, this is just horrible:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76147.html

May 10, 2012#45

Shegokigo

May 10, 2012#46

BananaHands

May 10, 2012#47

GasBandit

Some people are starting to ask other questions... like why did Obama say "Should be able to" instead of "have a right to." Also, they're wondering why he took this position immediately after the North Carolina vote that banned gay marriage in that state instead of before it... implying that rather than expend his own political capital to actually help the cause, he'd rather harvest more political capital from a discouraged public immediately after a setback.

May 10, 2012#48

Shegokigo

I disagree completely GasB. As a "political move" it was very stupid. He didn't "gain" a single voter from this.

The majority of "gay marriage supporters" were already on the Obama vote train. However, there were people who were going to vote Obama, who are now very turned off by this news and while they may not vote for Romney, they may not vote at all.

May 10, 2012#49

Krisken

'Some people', eh? Who are these 'some people' so we know if they are even worth listening to.

May 10, 2012#50

GasBandit

Shegokigo said:
I disagree completely GasB. As a "political move" it was very stupid. He didn't "gain" a single voter from this.

The majority of "gay marriage supporters" were already on the Obama vote train. However, there were people who were going to vote Obama, who are now very turned off by this news and while they may not vote for Romney, they may not vote at all.

I'm not so sure this is true. Polling indicates 53% of americans are in favor of gay marriage rights. That's a lot more than there are self-identifying democrats. Plus, it gives the media something to run with and ignore unemployment figures.

May 10, 2012#51

Shegokigo

You're right, it also includes Republicans that were going to vote for Obama. This "cause" alone did not gain him a single voter or let me reword it. He definitely lost alot more supporters than gained. As there are alot more anti-gay voters that were in his voting bracket than pro-gay voters that weren't.

May 10, 2012#52

GasBandit

Shegokigo said:
Republicans that were going to vote for Obama.

... So you're saying it's not unheard of for even a republican to decide to vote for Obama, but that this wouldn't help any fence-sitters (not just republicans, but independents as well), decide to vote for Obama?

I'd also say that if gay marriage was the issue that made somebody definitely not want to support Obama here, they probably weren't going to vote for him in the first place. Of course, there's no way to quantify any of either of our statements currently. We'll just have to wait until next week and see who's crowing about a bump in the polls -Romney or Obama.

May 11, 2012#53

SeraRelm

I've some friends in NC who were doing their damnedest to get people to go out and vote on the Amendment 1 issue, but unfortunately you can only do so much and only 21% of the registered voters even voted. It's still a mess.

May 11, 2012#54

ScytheRexx

SeraRelm said:
I've some friends in NC who were doing their damnedest to get people to go out and vote on the Amendment 1 issue, but unfortunately you can only do so much and only 21% of the registered voters even voted. It's still a mess.

I am rather curious how visible the amendment was in the state. Did ads talking about it target mostly conservative neighborhoods? Did the majority of the state only find out about it a week before the vote?

Either way this whole thing makes me so angry. Every time I feel we take a step forward towards progress, another mob of idiots take us another step back. I can't believe other states are already trying the same thing.

May 11, 2012#55

SeraRelm

It's frustrating to say the least, but I'm used to the one step forward, one step back antics. That's not to say I'm accepting of it, mind you. There's been talk of ballot mishandling in a lot of locations, like people who were legally allowed to vote on the issue in some locations were given ballots that did not offer the option to vote (IE: the ones for 17 year old voters etc). I can't offer any validity one way or the other on it, but it's something to keep an eye on.

Still, this is the Obama's War on Marriage thread, not the NC Amendment Catastrophe thread.

May 11, 2012#56

GasBandit

Obama's views are evolving!

May 11, 2012#57

Shegokigo

Yeah, I disagreed. Big whoop. Wanna fight about it?

May 11, 2012#58

GasBandit

Shegokigo said:
Yeah, I disagreed. Big whoop. Wanna fight about it?

It's his own fault for the whole "evolving" tomfoolery.

May 11, 2012#59

Shegokigo

Well, I believe the truth of the subject was that he was always in favor of it, but knew that if he came right out and said it, his chances at winning would have been over. Which again baffles me why he'd say it now, knowing the results.

May 11, 2012#60

GasBandit

Meanwhile, in Nebraska...

Hilights-

“P- E- N- I- S goes into the anus to rupture intestines. The more a man does this the more he’ll be a fatality or a homicide…”
“A huge percent of gay men in school grounds molest boys, partly because they don’t have AIDS yet…”
“Hillary Clinton’s roommate four years in college was a gay woman. To avoid going gay like Clinton did, college students need single rooms and single gender dorms… A college woman is seduced with illegal Rohypnol to go gay.”
“Candida fungus grows hugely on a corpse. AIDS is a candida fungus disease…”
“Gays can transform to be celibate to live to be 80 years old.”
“Jesus was kissed by Judas, a homo, who tried to sabotage Jesus’ kind ideas. Do you choose Jesus, a celibate, or Judas, a homo? You have to choose!”

May 11, 2012#61

Gared

I'm... not going to watch that video at work. Are those highlights serious?

May 11, 2012#62

makare

Well, it's Nebraska...

May 11, 2012#63

sixpackshaker

makare said:
Well, it's Nebraska...

where the men are men, and the sheep are nervous.

May 11, 2012#64

ScytheRexx

That guy in the background was hilarious. Helped keep my rage in check listening to the quack.

May 11, 2012#65

Gared

Did some Googling to find that the highlights came from one whack-job old lady, not from the official text of the legislation being debated. That makes me feel a little better about the situation. But damn, there by some crazy motherfuckers in this world, yo.

May 11, 2012#66

makare

So penis is a bad word but anus is not.

Interesting.

May 11, 2012#67

Covar

makare said:
So penis is a bad word but anus is not.

Interesting.

May 11, 2012#68

GasBandit

WaPo's makin' pitchers agin.

May 11, 2012#69

SpecialKO

That guy behind her makes that video amazing.

EDIT:
The woman behind her lays it out beautifully.

May 12, 2012#70

tegid

I thought I'd just leave this here.
Also, http://think-progress.tumblr.com/post/22691147682/the-last-time-north-carolina-amended-their

May 12, 2012#71

Bowielee

Gared said:
Did some Googling to find that the highlights came from one whack-job old lady, not from the official text of the legislation being debated. That makes me feel a little better about the situation. But damn, there by some crazy motherfuckers in this world, yo.

OH, GOD, you HAVE to watch it as soon as you are able.

Yeah, it's a crazy old lady.

I was laughing my ass off at the reactions of the guy in the background.

I will make sure that this video makes the rounds in my circle.

May 12, 2012#72

Bowielee

GasBandit said:
Obama's views are evolving!

I can't do disagree and funny, but both apply.

While it's the usual sniping at the opposition, it is funny as hell.

May 12, 2012#73

Krisken

Bowielee said:
I can't do disagree and funny, but both apply.

While it's the usual sniping at the opposition, it is funny as hell.

Just hug him.

May 12, 2012#74

Bowielee

Krisken said:
Just hug him.

May 14, 2012#75

GasBandit

GOP pollster tells republicans to embrace gay marriage.

“As people who promote personal responsibility, family values, commitment and stability, and emphasize freedom and limited government we have to recognize that freedom means freedom for everyone. This includes the freedom to decide how you live and to enter into relationships of your choosing, the freedom to live without excessive interference of the regulatory force of government.”

May 15, 2012#76

Espy

I personally am both mortified and hilariously entertained by how many of my dirtbag, cheating, divorcing, having kids out of wedlock, scummy relatives are all angry about Obama supporting Gay Marriage because it will "ruin" the "sanctity" of it.

No dumb-assess. You did that pretty well all on your own.

May 15, 2012#77

Covar

I blame the Protestants. :troll:

We should define marriage as a union between a Catholic man and Catholic woman.

May 15, 2012#78

Espy

Covar said:
I blame the Protestants. We should define marriage as a union between a Catholic man and Catholic woman.

I suppose I need to mention that every single family member (mostly in-laws) I speak of is actually Catholic

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