Today on Morning Joe, Chris Christie threw some jabs at President Obama’s relative silence on marriage equality, saying that they hold the same position—okay with civil unions, not so much gay marriage—but that Obama is just a silent coward about it.
“I’m in the exact same position as the president,” said Christie. “The Democrats in my state are criticizing me, saying my feet are firmly planted on the wrong side of justice. Yeah, my feet are firmly planted right next to President Obama’s.”
Continued Christie:
“The President is silent on this like he’s silent on every issue that’s difficult for him… Let’s have the President of the United States show some courage, come on this program, look into the camera like I’m looking into the camera, and state his position. He won’t because he wants to have it both ways. I’m not looking to have it both ways, I vetoed the bill. That’s my position.
“What I’ve offered to the supporters of same-sex marriage is if one of your reasons for why I should have voted signed it was because you’re telling me the majority of the people of New Jersey want it, then prove it. Put it on the ballot and prove it. At least I’m standing up for what I believe in. The President has hidden on this issue… This is the type of cowardice that we don’t want.”
The only thing is: the President has never been forced to make a decision on gay marriage, so, yes, while he’s not championing the cause, no, it doesn’t mean he’s cowardly. It just means it hasn’t come up.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Seamus
I have to say I agree with Christie in regards to Obama’s position. He certainly does enough to gain support of LGBT voters, but does not do enough to make their lives better. Yes, repealing DADT was a major step, but repealing DOMA is also a necessity. His stance is “Evolving.” That’s not good enough. Trying to appeal to independents and swing voters by appearing to be indifferent isn’t good enough.
Fodolodo
I have no doubt whatsoever that if Obama was a governor and a same-sex marriage bill reached his desk, he would sign it.
Alexa
Even if Christie and Obama have similar views on same sex marriage, the difference is that Christie let his personal views infect his policy decisions. He ignored the polls, and the votes taken by the NJ legislature, and let his religious views color his decision to use his veto.
Scott
Re: “The only thing is: the President has never been forced to make a decision on gay marriage, so, yes, while he’s not championing the cause, no, it doesn’t mean he’s cowardly. It just means it hasn’t come up.”
That is just incorrect. During the California Prop 8 election his position was used to sway votes for Prop 8. I watched as his “evolving position” was exploited to try to take away my marriage rights. My husband and I got married befor they could revoke my rights, but thousands of Californians since haven’t been so lucky. I am all for Obama – but in this case, Chris Christie is right.
christopher di spirito
@Fodolodo: I agree 100%. If Obama were a state governor he would never veto a marriage equality bill. Gov. Fatso, on the other hand, is a wholly owned subsidiary of the RNC and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. He thinks by vetoing the NJ marriage equality bill, he can offer his fat-ass up to conservative voters in 2016 when presumably, he runs for president.
GAYJOCK 76
sure why not? Lets just have Obama openly support gay marriage so he can lose the next election, let a republigoon become our next president so they can strip us all of the little rights we have and send us all to concentration camps. Fucking idiots.
tjr101
Hmm, then lets give Obama the majority he needs in congress and see what he does. Give Obama the majority needed to pass a repeal of DOMA and he will sign it. If a marriage equality bill where to miraculously land on Obama’s desk, he will not veto like this dumbass from NJ.
BTW while Obama does need the independent voters that are on the fence or opposed to SSM, his base of supporters are not white folks over the age of 65 who won’t vote for him anyway. Christie and the GOP need these votes which is why they pander to them.
xamthor
Repealing DADT and DOMA were BIG steps.
Obama was the 1st president to mention gays in his inauguration speech.
Obama signed a memorandum expanding federal benefits for the same-sex partners of Foreign Service and executive branch government employees.
He issued Presidential Memorandum to ensure that those hospitals that receive Medicare and Medicaid funds will give gay and lesbian patients and their families the compassion, dignity and respect they deserve in difficult times, as well as widows and widowers with no children, members of religious orders, and others whom otherwise may not have been able to receive visits from good friends and loved ones who are not immediate relatives, or select them to make decisions on their behalf in case of incapacitation.
Obama has appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in history.
No… he’s not perfect. He’s not the Messiah. But he’s a f’k ton more impressive than Chris Christie.
Robert in NYC
@Seamus: Of course Obama could have done a lot more but easy to say he’s a coward when Christie isn’t even president and NEVER will be. If anyone’s the coward, it’s hnm for not growing a pair and standing up to the religious bigots in his party whether he agrees with marriage equality or not. He’s a despicable man and a bully. All of those bashing Obama need to get real. If you vote for any of the clowns in the GOP, you’ll end up with NOTHING. DADT repeal overturned, DOMA in all states and same-sex marriage validated in the states where it’s legal as well as women’s rights overturned, ergo abortion and contraception. No sitting president in the current political climate can declare support for marriage equality and expect to win election or re-election, face facts and face reality. This isn’t Europe or Canada. Who knows, if he’s re-elected, he may well support it and what will the bashers say then? He’s done more for LGBT people than anything you’ll get from a republican controlled House and Senate, not to mention the White House. We don’t get everything we want all at once. It took African-Americans over a hundred years or more to get their rights. We’ve gained far more than they did and in a shorter period of time. At least the democrats no longer legislate against us or veto marriage equality bills as this moron in NJ did. In fact, no republican governor is going to sign off on it, make no mistake about that.
Anchorbaby
Chris Cristie is just jealous because he hasn’t been able to see his own dick over his belly in decades while Obama keeps tripping on his. Plus really? Wouldn’t you be mad if you were born a Hippopotamus but your captors decided to raise you a male human? So sad.
And while we are at it. what kind of a fucking name is Chris Christie for a man anyway? Whats his middle name? Josephine?
DJ Carnita
Dear Queerty commenters,
Chris Christie is a totally bigoted asshole but i’m sure we can find ways to appropriately denigrate him without making fun of his weight. There are plenty of fat queers who want and deserve to get married too.
Fodolodo
@Scott: Obama opposed Prop. 8 and said as much during the campaign. Yes on 8 lied by omission about his stance.
Cam
@GAYJOCK 76: said….
“sure why not? Lets just have Obama openly support gay marriage so he can lose the next election, let a republigoon become our next president so they can strip us all of the little rights we have and send us all to concentration camps. Fucking idiots.”
_________________-
It is weird to me that when every poll and fact says exactly the opposit people still seem to beat the drum of “Gay equals loss” in politics.
The Dems LOST the House AFTER Obama refused to move on gay rights and on things like the public option in health care. Over 50% of the country supports gay marriage and around 3/4ths of the country wanted DADT repealed and yet people keep coming in here saying that any politician who supports us will lose.
Really? Both Romney and Santorum are flat out anti-gay and it doesn’t seem to have helped their poll numbers in a general match up any.
Civil Rights
The difference is that, when Obama was a State Senator, he was for civil marriage. He will come back to that position once it is politically feasible. Think of LBJ and civil rights. He pretended to be against it until he saw it was going to succeed.
I’d rather have someone pretending to be evolving on the issue and actually on the right side than Christie. Not the same.
As far as Christie’s Catholic hierarchy, they should turn over any information to the police about who in the church protected pedophiles and let the police sort it out. If only they had taken the time they used to attack civil marriage rights to protecting children under their care. Instead, they protected the pedophiles, shipping them to unsuspecting parishes without telling them not to trust their children with the molesting priests. Archbishop Ratzinger, now pope, was one of those leaders. See http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/world/europe/19church.html and similar NY Times articles.
Alexa
Jonathan Capehart wrote a good piece in the Washington Post about the interview, which he was part of.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/chris-christie-is-wrong-on-obama-and-gay-marriage/2011/03/04/gIQAVWNcVR_blog.html
B
No. 4 · Scott wrote, “That is just incorrect. During the California Prop 8 election his position was used to sway votes for Prop 8. I watched as his “evolving position” was exploited to try to take away my marriage rights.”
Obama stated that he opposed Proposition Eight. The people pushing Proposition Eight dishonestly used some selective quotes – Obama was clearly distinguishing personal beliefs (which I suspect were primarily to avoid needlessly alienating conservatives) from public policy. You can argue that Obama should have pounced on the Proposition Eight people for misrepresenting him, but Obama was up to his eyeballs in the middle of a presidential campaign and no one can do everything. The opposition to Prop 8 should have countered those statements by pointing out what Obama had actually said, which would have emphasized the point that rights granted in a constitution should not be removed to fit personal prejudices.
Tony
@Seamus: That’s a crock. As Capehart pointed out, the president and the justice department refused to defend DOMA, they are giving same sex benefits to military couples, and we’ve made the most progress with Obama in office.
Christie is a political hack who want to run for higher office.
Ronbo
Clearly, Obama played the gay community. He signed two positions supporting marriage equality, then THEN after winning the election with our money and support, Obama flipped against marriage equality (AND denied his two signatures).
Obama refused to support ENDA and enforces DOMA at EVERY opportunity – even when it is not requested or required. Only once has his Justice Dept. petitioned on behalf of limiting DOMA. It is the Obama campaign’s way of playing again for our money and our support.
Republican A or Republican Obama… I’ll choose Rocky Anderson. Obama has scammed us once, who’s in it for a second scam?
George
@GAYJOCK 76:
Exactly 100% my feelings. Obama has done more for LGBT rights in 3 years than Gov Christie has done in his entire life.
CJ
In 20 years it will basically be about WHO supported LGBT marriage rights FIRST. I’m sure there will continue to be some rabid anti-LGBT politicians in 20 years – but let’s face it – Democrats are getting to full marriage equality FIRST… while Republicans are following slowly.
Just look at recent votes in NY and WA. It’s ignorance to think that all Democrats are fully supportive and that all Republicans aren’t.
Roll back to the 2008 elections and listen to almost every Democratic presidential candidate say that they support “civil” equality…. but that marriage is for men/women.
It probably won’t be for another 1 – 2 years before it becomes “PC” or “safe” enough for Obama to publicly endorse marriage equality. In the meantime he’s working both sides.
ousslander
Love the mind readers on here who can see straight into Obama’s heart and mind.
IF we do vote Obama in again and nothing happens, I would say a lot of people will have to eat crow. Most likely they’ll just make excuses or say it never happened.
I will gladly admit my mistakes and eat crow if he gets rid of doma.
Mk_ultra_again
Can Obama just be re-elected already and sign a gay marriage bill so we don’t have to listen to this irrelevant, fox news style strawman that the fascist right has the same opinion as Obama. They are entirely different opinions! Obama is playing it smart. If he made a move on gay marriage now, he would undoubtedly be kicked out next term. It’s a tactical move and we all know. No one doub rd s that when he gets a second term the marriage and equalitu question will be settled once and for all. No conservative would ever, even if he was in a comfortable political position, do the right thing like that.t. I have more respect for myself than to enter into a cheap, worthless, happy meal toy version of marriage(civil union). A politician who is for any less than full equality, is the politician who is an enemy of the LBGT community.
Zack
I was late for work watching . It was so good.
j
@xamthor: omg this. this this this.
Pitou
@Anchorbaby: OOOOOOOMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGG. I can’t stop laughing!!! I’m so totally stealing that!!!
“Wouldn’t you be mad if you were born a Hippopotamus but your captors decided to raise you a male human? So sad.”
LMFAO!
Tony
So classy Joe Scarborough…. Pull out the old….”compare the despair” argument, i.e. my holocaust is worse than your holocaust bullshit argument that does nothing to advance the discussion. It’s a cop out, cowardly argument designed to shut down the debate. Pathetic and so disappointed in Joe. Thought he was slightly above and beyond this tired old tactic.
James
I don’t know why so many people don’t understand that if he supports married publicly he will lose in November .
Kev C
Both Republicans and Democrats have tried their hardest to keep gay rights out of the courts. To keep courts from deciding whether the constitution protects gays as a civil right. Obama even mooted a court decision stating DADT was unconstitutional. And because Obama did that, it is legal to discriminate against gays. WE NEED COURT RULINGS to prevent voters from deciding the fate of gay rights.
ScaryRussianHeather
Oh so it’s ok for Obama to serve his own interests getting elected by not supporting marriage equality but it’s not ok for other politicians to do the same.
Classic Democrat thinking. Democrats can lie, deceive, make back room deals,buy voters, take and spend everyone’s money on programs and crap the public hates, and do “whatever it takes” but nobody else should. Because they’re good and righteous.
isis
what an ugly fat man thats all i can say…..ugly and ignorant….atleast a pleasing personality could save him but no lol
Cam
@ScaryRussianHeather: said…
“Oh so it’s ok for Obama to serve his own interests getting elected by not supporting marriage equality but it’s not ok for other politicians to do the same.”
_______________________
What I don’t get is why you lie. I have many problems with Obama’s way of doing his job, HOWEVER, on gay rights he is much better than anybody the GOP has in the national spotlight and far ahead of Christie. He instructed the justice dept. to stop defending DOMA. He signed the DADT repeal when it hit his desk, and he said that he was opposed to Prop 8.
Pretending that he is the same as Christie is ridiculous. If you truly believe in your politician you should be honest and not try to lie about their positions. I am completely honest about how disgusted I am with some of Obama’s behavior, and yet you are in here lying about Christie and pretending he is the same. Either stop lying or stop deluding yourself.
dsp
Chris Christie go eat Santorum!
Dave
Ronbo I enjoy your posts and I agree with them. Here’s another one you made about Obama and LGBT issues and DOMA that I really liked:
I’ve been waiting at the back of the bus for over 50 years. Obama brought promise; but, we are still at the back of the bus. Notice that he has enforced DOMA more fiercely than Bush.
Obama must be forced into signing any and all GLBT equality legislation. Pelosi and the Pentagon and top military officals were our heros with DADT repeal that includes the very important non-discrimination clause. Obama sought to table it. That is the fact. When Pelosi was able to move the house Obama followed.
Obama has a clear track record of manipulating and signing mostly Republican legislation. Don’t forget…
Obama signed permanent incarceration of Americans without trial.
Obama increased the budget for wars three years in a row.
Obama has gotten the United States into multiple wars or what are now called “conflicts”.
Obama expanded our drone wars and drone assassinations.
Obama stopped all investigations against the Bush Administration war mongers.
Obama extended the Bush tax cuts for the rich.
Obama pushed health insurance NOT healthcare.
Obama removed the public option, single-payer AND medical co-ops.
Candidate Obama talks like JFK and President Obama is to the right of Richard Nixon.
You’d have to be deaf, dumb and blind to think that with this record, Obama would do anything that is progressive, liberal, or promotes equality especially for LGBT people.
Drew
Anchorbaby-Way to be a racist pig with the whole “Obama’s black/mixed race and therefore has a big dick!” racist myth and stereotype.
trevor bartlet
Unfortunately, he’s exactly right. Obama is worthless and he damn better not win reelection.