[J a y]

[Graduation]

Originally posted by Lil Misty

Yet he does nothing about it

You know nothing about American politics. President Obama has done more for gays and lesbians than any other president COMBINED.

With that being said, I am beyond thrilled with this announcement. I think this speaks more to the fact that the POTUS can stand up for marriage equality, when 5-10 years ago that would be considered political suicide. I always knew the Barack Obama would speak out for equality at some point, I just never thought it would be during his first term.

[Konichiwa]

Originally posted by GarageGlamorous

Honestly, at this point, it's just campaign season jargon. I mean, there's a reason he waited until now to say it.

Call me back when he repeals DOMA.

1) The anti-Obama/undecided gay demographic is nowhere near large enough to influence an election.
2) He already repealed a section of DOMA and has announced his wish for the whole thing to go. Things like this take time - you can't expect for him to have accomplished everything gay-rights related in just a little over 3 years.

[RatedG²]

Originally posted by Sound Check

You know nothing about American politics. President Obama has done more for gays and lesbians than any other president COMBINED.

With that being said, I am beyond thrilled with this announcement. I think this speaks more to the fact that the POTUS can stand up for marriage equality, when 5-10 years ago that would be considered political suicide. I always knew the Barack Obama would speak out for equality at some point, I just never thought it would be during his first term.

Get him in line

[Hustle.]

Risky move after yesterday's vote in NC. This election will depend on the young vote more than ever.

[Shy Boy]

Praise him!

[itsAllen]

Originally posted by GarageGlamorous

But look at the competition.

I think at this point he could do anything short of sacrificing a lamb to Satan and still get reelected.

His competition is tied and actually ahead in most of the polls after a bruising Primary. So... yeah I'll just leave it there.

[Hustle.]

Originally posted by GarageGlamorous

But look at the competition.

I think at this point he could do anything short of sacrificing a lamb to Satan and still get reelected.

Romney and Obama are basically dead even in the polls. Don't think that way at all. Obama is in no way guaranteed to be reelected.

[J a y]

FEBRUARY 1996:
"I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages," reads a typed, signed statement from then-Illinois state senate candidate Obama in response to a questionnaire by the Chicago LGBT newspaper "Outlines." White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer later publicly disavowed the statement, claiming in June 2011 that the questionnaire was "actually filled out by someone else."

OCTOBER 2004:
"What I believe is that marriage is between a man and a woman … What I believe, in my faith, is that a man and a woman, when they get married, are performing something before God, and it's not simply the two persons who are meeting," then-U.S. Senate candidate Obama said in an interview with WTTW Chicago public television.

"That doesn't mean that that necessarily translates into a position on public policy or with respect to civil unions. What it does mean is that we have a set of traditions in place that, I think, need to be preserved, but I also think we need to make sure that gays and lesbians have the same set of basic rights that are in place.

"I don't think marriage is a civil right," Obama said when asked whether there's an inherent right to marry.


OCTOBER 2010:
"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," President Obama said during an interview with liberal bloggers. "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."

DECEMBER 2010:
"My feelings about this are constantly evolving. I struggle with this. At this point, what I've said is, is that my baseline is a strong civil union that provides them the protections and the legal rights that married couples have," Obama said in response to a question from ABC's Jake Tapper at a White House press conference.

"I recognize that from their perspective it is not enough, and I think is something that we're going to continue to debate and I personally am going to continue to wrestle with going forward," he said.

JUNE 2011:
"The president has never favored same-sex marriage. He is against it. The country is evolving on this, and he is evolving on it," Pfeiffer told progressive activists at the Net Roots Nation conference.

JUNE 2011:
"I think it's important for us to work through these issues because each community is going to be different, each state is going to be different," Obama said when asked during a White House press conference about New York becoming the latest state to legalize same-sex marriage.

"I think what you're seeing is a profound recognition on the part of the American people that gays and lesbians and transgender persons are our brothers, our sisters, our children, our cousins, our friends, our co-workers, and that they've got to be treated like every other American," he said. "And I think that principle will win out. It's not going to be perfectly smooth, and it turns out that the President -- I've discovered since I've been in this office -- can't dictate precisely how this process moves."

OCTOBER 2011:
"I'm still working on it," Obama said when asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos whether he would move from supporting civil unions for same-sex couples to supporting gay marriage.

"I probably won't make news right now, George. 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."

[Beatz]

[chilicheese01]

Wonderful.

[Graduation]

Originally posted by WoozyFloozy

Well yeah, but I also got some "this is what I believe but I won't try to enact any legislation" undertones from it. It's still great that he supports it personally, though, and I hope I'm wrong.

I think his first four years has shown him that getting anything done is nearly impossible, especially with the current Republican party having any power. He probably is wary of being able to pass ROMA, so all he can do now is state his opinion, and hope that his influence on American politics and the public will sway support fully in that direction.

This is exactly what the Democratic party needed, to be honest. This brings the national dialogue a little closer to center in the political spectrum, and instead of them always being on the defensive, now Mitt Romney will be forced to take a stand one way or another. He can't win either way; his options are a) he's a liar who will say anything to win an election, or b) he's not "Republican" enough to reach the far right.

[WoozyFloozy]

Originally posted by Sound Check

I think his first four years has shown him that getting anything done is nearly impossible, especially with the current Republican party having any power. He probably is wary of being able to pass ROMA, so all he can do now is state his opinion, and hope that his influence on American politics and the public will sway support fully in that direction.

Yeah, decided I was probably over thinking it.

This is exactly what the Democratic party needed, to be honest. This brings the national dialogue a little closer to center in the political spectrum, and instead of them always being on the defensive, now Mitt Romney will be forced to take a stand one way or another. He can't win either way; his options are a) he's a liar who will say anything to win an election, or b) he's not "Republican" enough to reach the far right.

And Mittens has to oppose it. He signed a pledge against it in August; changing positions would be one of his most egregious flip flops, and that's saying a lot.

[Amaru]

Originally posted by GarageGlamorous

But look at the competition.

I think at this point he could do anything short of sacrificing a lamb to Satan and still get reelected.

I wouldn't be so sure. Endorsing gay marriage is an extremely ballsy political move six months from an election, let alone the day after a swing state amended their constitution to ban it. I fear that this will serve as a rallying point for the conservative base who are apathetic towards Mitt Romney. Never underestimate the power of ignorance.

[Shy Boy]

A statement from the mayor of NYC. A former Republican might I add.

“This is a major turning point in the history of American civil rights,” said New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. “No American president has ever supported a major expansion of civil rights that has not ultimately been adopted by the American people - and I have no doubt that this will be no exception. The march of freedom that has sustained our country since the Revolution of 1776 continues, and no matter what setbacks may occur in a given state, freedom will triumph over fear and equality will prevail over exclusion. Today’s announcement is a testament to the President’s convictions, and it builds on the courageous stands that so many Americans have taken over the years on behalf of equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans, stretching back to the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village.”

[yogosans14]

Originally posted by Kworb

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/0...e-2/?mobile=nc

OBAMA: 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.

He's probably just saying that so he won't be the most hated president...

[Extra Espresso]

Originally posted by Hustle.

Risky move after yesterday's vote in NC. This election will depend on the young vote more than ever.

This tbh.

Originally posted by Shy Boy

A statement from the mayor of NYC. A former Republican might I add.

A mayor that only weeks ago pretty much wiped out major funding for homeless LGBT youth, so...mixed feelings...

[face]

Good for him

I was never going to vote Romney anyway, but now I'll feel better about voting for Obama.

[Stephen]

Originally posted by yogosans14

He's probably just saying that so he won't be the most hated president...

What kind of ignorance?

He's been in favor of marriage equality for a long time, and he is far from the most hated president.

[Amaru]

Originally posted by yogosans14

He's probably just saying that so he won't be the most hated president...