Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell ain't happy about today's gay marriage win. The politico, who in 2005 signed civil unions into law, today released a statement decrying the state Supreme Court's decision, which said civil unions were unconstitutional:

I disagree with today's State Supreme Court ruling but as governor, I will uphold it. I continue to believe that marriage is the union of a man and a woman.

I also believe that the historic civil union law that I proudly signed in 2005 is equitable and just. We were the first state to enact such a law through legislative action and not a court mandate.

Though she doesn't approve - and says the ruling doesn't "reflect" her constituents' views - Rell made clear that she will not support any efforts to reverse the ruling. She also thinks any fight would fail, which is good to hear.

Hoorah! The Connecticut Supreme Court today ruled 4-3 that the state's ban on gay marriage violates its constitution.

The decision came after eight gay citizens filed a lawsuit claiming civil unions were not the same as marriage and qualified as discrimination. And the Court agreed, as Justice Richard Palmer writes in the majority opinion:

We conclude that, in light of the history of pernicious discrimination faced by gay men and lesbians, and because the institution of marriage carries it it a status and significance that the newly crated classification of civil unions does not embody, the segregation of heterosexual and homosexual couples into separate institutions constitutes a cognizable harm. We also conclude that our state scheme discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation, for the same reasons that classifications predicated on gender are considered quasi-suspect for the purposes of the equal protection provisions of the United States constitutions…
…
The state has failed to provide sufficient justification for excluding same sex couples from the institution of marriage.

This is good news for those of you in New York and New Jersey, because you don't have to be a Connecticut resident to marry there.

Here's the PDF of the ruling.

John McCain's reliance on negativity has cost him at least one high profile friend. Former Michigan Governor William Milliken, a Republican, last night revoked his endorsement of the Republican presidential candidate:

"He is not the McCain I endorsed," said Milliken, reached at his Traverse City home Thursday. "He keeps saying, 'Who is Barack Obama?' I would ask the question, 'Who is John McCain?' because his campaign has become rather disappointing to me."

"I'm disappointed in the tenor and the personal attacks on the part of the McCain campaign, when he ought to be talking about the issues."

Meanwhile, Lincoln Chafee, a former Senator from Rhode Island, and Phil Arthurhultz, a former Michigan state Senator, are both backing Barack Obama. And, yes, they're both Republicans.

Craig Ferguson's talk show comes on way past our bedtime, so we missed comedy genius Betty White's appearance earlier this week. But that's why God invented YouTube, right?

Anyway, White spent some of her time portraying a John McCain spokesperson, which apparently entails describing Sarah Palin as a "crazy bitch" and Barack Obama as a "hot piece of man." Betty White, we love you.

A Wisconsin voter got all sorts of riled at a John McCain rally today.

Telling the Republican presidential candidate that he's "mad" at the "socialist taking over our country." The man then went on to blast those "hooligans" Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi. The crowd at it up - and so did McCain, who concluded, "Well, I — I think I got the message. Could I just say, the gentleman is right. The Democrats have been in the majority for the last two years. Have we seen any improvement?" The crowd replied with a boisterous "no."

Yet again, McCain allows questionable language to be released at one of his events.

[via TPM]

Two new ads were released today to fight Proposition 8, the ballot measure intended to re-ban gay marriage in California. Both were funded by the No on 8 coalition.

Above you'll find a fairy cushy commercial depicting two gal pals discussing same-sex nuptials. When one admits, "I'm not sure how I feel about this gay marriage thing," the other one coddles, I think it's fine if you don't know how you feel, but are you willing to eliminate rights and have our laws treat people differently?" The answer, obviously, is "no."

Meanwhile, No On 8 also released another ad, and this one directly takes on right-wing lies, like gay marriage will change church tax laws and inject homo-studies into education. Take a peak at that one, which we feel is much more effective, after the jump.

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Barack Obama must have loads of dough with which to play.

The Democratic presidential candidate's campaign today announced they've bought a half-hour slot on CBS' prime time schedule. Though there's no word on how much Obama spent on the time, he's obviously not worried - the Senator's reportedly in talks to sign up other networks, as well:

The Obama campaign will air a half-hour primetime special on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 8 p.m.

Sources say the Obama camp is also in talks with NBC and Fox. NBC is said to be very near a deal. With Fox, the matter is likely to remain uncertain as the time period could conflict with Game 6 of the World Series.

The direct purchase of such a large block of national airtime right before an election used to be more commonplace before campaigns began to focus their end game strategies exclusively on battleground states. Such a move is not without precedent in modern presidential politics, however — Ross Perot did a similar purchase in 1992.

Well, we certainly won't be watching if it conflicts with the World Series. That would be Un-American!

Sure, they may be vehemently homophobic and generally awful, but we have to give the American Family Association credit for their ability to spin bullshit into conservative gold.

The Mississippi-based organization this year launched a campaign against McDonald's after the fast chain sponsored the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

And, as if that's not enough, the company's VP of communications, a gay man named Richard Ellis, sat on the Chamber's board and had donated $200,000 of his own money. The nerve!

Nothing seemed to come of that protest - there was no national outrage, no golden arches fell - yet the AFA asserted today that they've won their hard-fought battle…

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Yee-haw!

Just when you thought the anti-Obama madness couldn't get any more insane, Georgia woman Melissa Neese erected this timely Halloween display, which includes both John McCain and Barack Obama. Note, however, that Obama has the "shadow of death" looming behind him, while McCain's a pristine as could be.

Despite acknowledging her McCain preference, Neese insists she's not trying to be incendiary:

“It’s kind of like the shadow of death behind Obama. We’re kind of more of McCain advocates,” said Neese.
…
Neese said neighbors and passersby need not worry.

“It’s just to encourage people to vote. That’s about it. I haven’t really finished it [display]. I was going to put pumpkins and a vote sign up there,” said Neese.

Because pumpkins will really tone down the message.

[via WSBTV]

Bipartisan group "No On 2" today released a video urging voters to, well, vote "no" on Amendment 2, which would ensure gay couples - and straight domestic partners - never receive full marriage benefits.

Recent polls show the amendment's gaining steam, so these guys need all the help they can get and have concocted a matching donation mechanism.

Click here for more information!

John McCain and his campaign team are keeping up the attacks against Barack Obama.

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This here's some sad, sickening shit: a parking lot of Sarah Palin supporters taking on Barack Obama.

One many claims the Democratic presidential candidate could be a "one man terror cell," while another asserts Obama has the "bloodlines" of a terrorist. Because he's black or becuase his father was from Kenya? Do these people even know what a terrorist is, or are they thinking "A-rab"?

In any event, we're not sure what is more distressing: the close-minded misinformation or these people's smugness, especially the woman you see above. She's the worst.

Watch the video, after the jump…

[Blogger Interrupted via MG]

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