Obama: For Gay Marriage Before He was Against It
Ace has unearthed a OUTLINES (gay Chicago monthly) candidates’ survey from 1996. It reveals that the-then Democratic party nominee for Illinois 13th Senatorial district, Barack Obama, “Supports gay rights, same sex marriage.“
Today, he opposes gay marriage and says it “should be between a man and a woman.” While polls show more people favor gay marriage today than did a decade ago, Barack Obama, the guy who says he favors “equivalent rights” for gays, has moved in the opposite direction.
While it’s true people can change their views over the years, this is yet another piece of evidence that the Democratic presidential nominee is trying to have it both ways on gay marriage. As I observed in July:
While he says he opposes gay marriage, favoring retaining the traditional definition (seeing it as the union of one man and one woman), he has has come out against California’s Proposition 8, the ballot initiative which would amend the state’s constitution to define marriage as believes he should be defined.
I wonder if gay activists will call Obama on his latest flip-flop. Don’t hold your breath. During campaign season, that (D) after his name renders a candidate immune to criticism from gay political organizations.
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Fascinating. And this is the first I have heard of this. Am I the only one who thinks that “coming out” against marriage equality is just one of the many hurdles that all politicians on both sides of the aisle must jump before they can lead in the polls? Geez, I don’t even think George Bush is personally against same-sex marriage, let alone John McCain. (Don’t ask me for data on that . . . it’s a gut feeling.) It’s just one of those issues on which the rhetoric has to be precise (”one man / one woman”) in order to get elected. Obama’s bailing on his former comments is proof positive that neither party is willing to go out on a limb in support of something so generally unpopular among the electorate. It saddens me, but then again it also takes this issue off the table so that gay Americans won’t be single-issue voters. Strange silver lining, I know, but there are so many other issues out there we should consider . . . if one candidate unequivocally supported same-sex marriage, I’d have a hard time even looking at those other issues. But I must, and we all must, consider everything as we vote for the future direction of this nation.
Comment by Porchbound — October 8, 2008 @ 6:26 pm - October 8, 2008
Your guy isn’t even for civil unions and supported his state level constitutional amendment which banned not only marriages, but civil unions and contracts approximating rights of marriage. Nor does he support ENDA or expanding existing hate crimes legislation to cover gays (or kill hate crimes legislation and employment non-discrimination altogether on the grounds of principle). Why should gay rights activists look to McCain and see a more supporting candidate than in Obama?
Comment by Mr. Moderate — October 8, 2008 @ 6:52 pm - October 8, 2008
They should at least be wiling to criticize him.
And not all gays favor ENDA or hate crimes legislation.
Comment by GayPatriotWest — October 8, 2008 @ 6:55 pm - October 8, 2008
They should at least be wiling to criticize him.</I.
Sure they should, I agree. They can wait until after the election, otherwise they are cutting their nose off to spite their face.
And not all gays favor ENDA or hate crimes legislation.
No, but the ones I know that aren’t think that those laws should be stripped out altogether. McCain is just dandy with the cognitive dissonance of having protected categories for intrinsic traits (race and gender) and chosen lifestyles (marriage and religion) without adding sexual orientation.
Comment by Mr. Moderate — October 8, 2008 @ 7:00 pm - October 8, 2008
Another example of how easy it is for politicians to throw gays under the bus for votes.
Comment by OutliciousTV — October 8, 2008 @ 7:50 pm - October 8, 2008
Your guy isn’t even for civil unions and supported his state level constitutional amendment which banned not only marriages, but civil unions and contracts approximating rights of marriage.
Funny, gay liberals like you, Mr. Moderate, used to say that anyone who supported “civil unions” and claimed that marriage was a “sacred union” was a homophobe and bigot who believed gays should be second-class citizens.
Furthermore, given that McCain has had a gay chief of staff for years, while Obama’s DNC is currently embroiled in a workplace discrimination scandal that has made the contempt that Obama and other Democrats feel for gays quite clear, one would think that you would be attacking your own party for not following through on its rhetoric and praising McCain for, WITHOUT a law, quite obviously exercising fairness in hiring, promoting, and praising gay employees.
But, of course, we know the problem; gay Democrats like yourself demonstrated it quite nicely when you endorsed state constitutional amendment supporters like John Kerry and FMA supporters like Harold Ford. You simply must proclaim all Democrats to be “pro-gay”, and all Republicans to be “antigay”, regardless of their actions.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — October 8, 2008 @ 8:03 pm - October 8, 2008
What is interesting to me about this is that generally most politicians come out with the more conservative view and gradually move towards some level of support if not full support, Obama is going the wrong direction.
I would love to see somebody ask him about his previous view and why he changed his mind.
Comment by just me — October 8, 2008 @ 8:23 pm - October 8, 2008
This story is just one of many flip flops of the Great Black Hope that his supporters and the MSM will ignore in order make he is elected.
Comment by LCRW — October 8, 2008 @ 8:50 pm - October 8, 2008
Did you see the vid of reporters going after Norm Coleman’s spokeman. Man, it’s brutal. But I wonder if they’ve peeled any flesh from Al Fankin’s stinking carcass? Probably not. (Hint - he’s a Democrat)
Now, how about asking Obama why he was for gay marriage BEFORE he was against it? (Hint - he’s a Democrat)
I love it when journalists or reporters smell blood in the water. But what is it about national politics that dulls their senses.
Comment by sonicfrog — October 8, 2008 @ 10:53 pm - October 8, 2008
[...] Now, how about asking Obama why he was for gay marriage BEFORE he was against it? [...]
Pingback by sonicfrog.net » I Glimpse Of A Bygone Era — October 8, 2008 @ 10:58 pm - October 8, 2008
Seriously,
This is completely disingenuous. If OBama came out in favor of gay marriage your party would use that to crucify him. For better or worse, to publicly support gay marriage in a presidential election (from either party–yes, democrats will play the homophobia card, I agree) is the kiss of death.
Any honest person will admit Obama is closer to support on this issue than McCain and certainly Palin. Look at their stands on Proposition 8 in California.
Your support for McCain is based on other reasons than his stand on gay issues and that is fine–but be honest about it. I am lukewarm on OBama, but I support him because I suspect he will be better on issues that concern me–yes, higher taxes for the wealthy; redistributionist economic policies; fairness to workers; appointments to the Supreme Court more likely to uphold abortion rights, and probably gay rights. Is all of this because I am gay? Not really, it is primarily because f other things I believe are more important. It is fine that you think otherwise, but to get all hot and bothered about alleged changes in Obama’s positions about gey rights is not really what concerns you. You want a right-leaning president regardless of his concerns about gay rights.
p.s. I am not the self-loathing commenter “troll” GP is referring to in an earlier post even though I do live in the people’s republic of Cambridge.
Comment by Brendan — October 8, 2008 @ 11:03 pm - October 8, 2008
What is Obama’s stand on Prop 8 - for or against?
Comment by sonicfrog — October 8, 2008 @ 11:15 pm - October 8, 2008
What is Obama’s stand on Prop 8 - for or against?
Very clear– he is opposed to it.
Comment by Brendan — October 8, 2008 @ 11:19 pm - October 8, 2008
Looks the same to me.
Comment by sonicfrog — October 8, 2008 @ 11:40 pm - October 8, 2008
What do you mean “looks the same” to you? Obama is opposed to it and McCain in an interview answers:
‘Blade: What is your position on California’s Proposition 8, which would ban same-sex marriage there?
McCain: As I did in my home state of Arizona, I support the effort in California to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman. However, the people of California will ultimately decide this issue, and I’ll of course respect the decision of the voters.”
That strikes me as a hell of a difference. Again, for other reasons it is quite okay to say you prefer McCain, but say it–don’t embarrass yurself and say he is the same on gay rights.
Comment by Brendan — October 8, 2008 @ 11:48 pm - October 8, 2008
The point, Brendan, is that gay liberals are hypocrits. In general, a candidate’s position on gay marriage is the only thing that matters to many of them. They hate Republicans because they’ve been told that they’re all “homophobic bigots”. Meanwhile, they support liberal candidates despite the fact that, by their own definitions, really are homophobic bigots.
It’s disingenuous and patently absurd, but then so is everything else the left believes in, including the items you listed as important to you. You support it because you don’t think it will effect you, but shit always rolls downhill and liberal taxation of “the rich” includes anybody with any income.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 9, 2008 @ 12:05 am - October 9, 2008
Oops. My bad. When you said “He is opposed”… my feeble mind translated “He’s opposed to gay marriage”
But then again, Obama IS opposed to gay marriage. McCain is opposed to gay marriage.
Not much of a difference there.
BTW. I think McCain is being more honest than Obama on this. Obama is too chicken to stay in the pro gay marriage camp. But that’s politics I guess.
Comment by sonicfrog — October 9, 2008 @ 12:06 am - October 9, 2008
What do you mean “looks the same” to you? Obama is opposed to it and McCain in an interview answers:
Wanna take a mulligan? I’m sure Dan will oblige if you ask him nicely.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 9, 2008 @ 12:08 am - October 9, 2008
In all honesty TGC you are an intellectual midget. I disagree with almost everything GPW says, but I’ll admit I come in part because he is quite clever at doing what he does (far better than the founder GP) and he is obviously smart.
You on the other hand is profoundly stupid. When you don’t respond wtih such intelligent things as “libtard” or “fucktard” which is your typical reponse, you say things such as:
“The point, Brendan, is that gay liberals are hypocrits. In general, a candidate’s position on gay marriage is the only thing that matters to many of them.”
That is precisely opposite of what I said, but you are unable to think. I am sure he will never admit it but I suspect GPW is embarrassed by your comments.
Comment by Brendan — October 9, 2008 @ 12:26 am - October 9, 2008
I am lukewarm on OBama, but I support him because I suspect he will be better on issues that concern me–yes, higher taxes for the wealthy;
Who, despite making twice as much, pay thirteen times as much in taxes.
redistributionist economic policies
Or, in other words, punishing those who work, save, and are successful so that people who choose to be lazy, uneducated, and wasteful don’t have to work.
fairness to workers;
Which is contradicted by your prior statement that says people who work should be taxed more to “redistribute” their wealth to those who don’t.
appointments to the Supreme Court more likely to uphold abortion rights, and probably gay rights.
because “gay rights” includes murdering babies and leaving aborted children to die because they’re “inconvenient” — or, like gay liberals here have stated, aborting children because they won’t be genetically perfect.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — October 9, 2008 @ 12:30 am - October 9, 2008
The real discovery here is Obama’s membership, or at a minimum, strong linkage, to a radical Democratic Socialist Party. There seems to be a moderately strong corroboration for this. When you put it together with his relationship with the radical, unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers, his deep relationship with the radical, America-hating Jeremiah Wright, his refusal to wear a flag pin, Michelle Obama’s seething grievances, … separately, each of these may be a snowflake. But when enough snowflakes get together, blowing in the same direction, you have a blizzard. And the only conclusion is that the real Obama is a very radical dude.
McCain wants to change Washington, Obama wants to change America. Think about that.
Comment by V the K — October 9, 2008 @ 7:06 am - October 9, 2008
Obama flip-flopped on the gay marriage issue because he is now running for President. Perhaps McCain will use this flip-flop on the campaign trail or in the next debate. I doubt it, so this will become a non-issue. So the real problem may be that if Obama becomes president, he will actually endorse same sex marriage instead of just civil unions.
NDT, I agree that gay rights and the abortion issue should be separate, but careful there. Many moderates and conservatives also support “murdering babies,” “leaving aborted children to die because they’re ‘inconvenient,’” and “aborting children, because they won’t be genetically perfect.”
Comment by Pat — October 9, 2008 @ 8:06 am - October 9, 2008
[...] Obama: For Gay Marriage Before He was Against It [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Joe Solmonese Calls Palin “Caribou Barbie” — October 9, 2008 @ 9:01 am - October 9, 2008
[...] Barack Obama flip-flop on gay marriage? … Americans think he’s friendlier to religion than McCain. … He [...]
Pingback by Joe Perez :: An Integral Blog » Blog Archive » EQUAL Views for October 9, 2008 — October 9, 2008 @ 10:01 am - October 9, 2008
Whew! It is clear to me that Obama “focus grouped” gay marriage and decided that voters who support the socialist party mantra will give him a pass for flip flopping on supporting gay marriage.
Obama is going to cut taxes on people who don’t pay takes. Obama is not going to tax the middle class. Obama is going to soak the rich. Obama is going to provide free, quality health care. Obama is going to kill bin Laden, bring the troops home, mend the economy and repair the infrastructure. The Obama Youthcore is going to learn service, skills, responsibility and save the planet. Obama is going to reverse global warming and shrink the rising oceans. Obama is going to eliminate fossil fuels as energy sources within ten years. Obama has written letters to everyone telling them how to function. Obama has touched the soul of America and is readily available by phone for soul touching when called upon.
Obviously, Obama will reach out and fix the gay marriage issue. It is small potatoes to the other heavy lifting he will perform. Heck, in the grand scheme of things, it is no more than inflating your tires properly.
Obama and Joe and Nancy and Harry and Dick and Barney and Chris and Chuck will be a regular Sesame Street cast of people taking care of the neighborhood. They know just the right cheese to serve with your whine.
Comment by heliotrope — October 9, 2008 @ 10:54 am - October 9, 2008
Why anyone would consider him a radical, I can’t imagine.
/sarc
The question isn’t what did Barack Obama like about Bill Ayers, the question is what did Bill Ayers like about Barack Obama?
Comment by V the K — October 9, 2008 @ 12:10 pm - October 9, 2008
So I guess when you are running for President it is ok to lie about your actual views on gay issues and then change your mind after the election? That’s why Obama is doing it so he can get to where he needs to be to effect change for all us ignorant people who don’t know any better. And that’s perfectly fine because everybody lies, but liberals lie to actually help us, and we should be appreciate that. Yikes.
Comment by Scott Lassiter — October 9, 2008 @ 2:23 pm - October 9, 2008
Of course it is Brendan. As is everything else Barack Obama does. He obviously supports gay marriage and is lying through his teeth to get elected. But what else do you expect from a Saul Alinskyite who hangs around with domestic terrorists. He lies. He lies through his teeth all day long. He tells more lies in one stump speech than everyone in the entire Bush administration put together has in 8 years.
You is much gooder english writer.
I <3 irony.
Comment by American Elephant — October 9, 2008 @ 9:54 pm - October 9, 2008
Beats the hell out of being an arrogant fart sniffing prick. Wanna take that mulligan now? I’m trying to give you a graceful out.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 10, 2008 @ 12:11 am - October 10, 2008
And, as we’re seeing with ACORN, Brendan, Barack Obama fully supports, endorses, and pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure voter fraud.
Do you support that as well? Anything to get the Messiah “elected”, right?
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — October 10, 2008 @ 2:50 am - October 10, 2008