You would think the president knows what goes on under his own roof. But according to one of his former speechwriters, Barack Obama isn’t in on everything that happens in the White House. In this case, the secret was a big one: a gay couple married in the White House at a time when then president was officially opposed to same-sex weddings.
The former speechwriter, Jon Lovett, is openly gay (and was closely linked to Ronan Farrow.) Since leaving the White House in 2011, Lovett has spent his time in Hollywood, serving as a writer on the HBO series “The Newsroom.” Lovett is pretty irreverent (and very funny), but when it comes to breaking the rules, presiding over a gay marriage in the White House has to take the (wedding) cake.
Lovett recounted the tale for a storytelling show on Aspen Public Radio. The segment has yet to air, but Politico reported it anyway. He doesn’t provide the full name of his friends, but Lovett notes that he was able to give White House tours anytime he wanted.
“Steve and Justin and I walked through the double doors into the ground floor of the West Wing, past the Situation Room, down the hall past the offices of the [NSC], up the stairs by the cabinet room and the Oval Office, through the doors of the Colonnade that connect the offices of the West Wing to the stately rooms of the residence, and we turned right down the stone path that jutted into the Rose Garden and then I said, ‘Steve do you take Justin to be your lawfully wedded husband? And Justin, do you take Steve?’”
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“We were very nervous; they were nervous because they were getting married. I was nervous because I snuck into my boss’ house to perform a wedding against his wishes in his backyard. You can say what you will about the first same-sex marriage at the White House, at the very least, it was quite rude. … They kissed modestly, … and then I filed the paperwork — the only real evidence that this took place, because I had to list the address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.”
Lovett didn’t specify exactly when the wedding took place, although marriage was legal in the District of Columbia starting in 2010. As a reminder, this was sometime in the first Obama administration before the president had officially “evolved.” Word of a same-sex marriage happening in the White House would not have been a welcome event. Lovett also didn’t explain his credentials for performing the ceremony.
Other than Politico, the mainstream media hasn’t paid attention to the story. The right-wing media like the Christian Post and Breitbart News, are another matter.
Until Justin and Steve come forward with the marriage certificate, we just have Lovett’s word to go on. But if it is true, it’s another reminder that even in the highest corners of government, the opposition to marriage equality was already tumbling years ago. The only question now is, when will the first non-secret gay wedding take place in the White House?
Photo credit: Nick Amoscato
M K
You don’t need to wait for someone to come forward with the license….. Just go to the county clerks office and look it up. Marriages are public record.
Glücklich
I expect to be shot for saying this but…
Even as a gay man, whatever the legality of same-sex marriage in DC or nationwide, were *I* president and someone reporting to me conducted a “secret” marriage, gay or straight, in the White House whether I was there or not (i.e. *in* the building) Heads. Would. Roll. I’m not even concerning myself with pissing off an anti-gay constituency (I’m the gay president, right?) but it seems incredibly disrespectful both to the office of the president and to the White House itself – the building and its symbolism – to not ask permission at the very least before opening your own chapel o’ love there, especially to two people who are presumably total strangers to the president and his family.
I realize plenty of unsavory things go on in that place all the time and while a wedding is not unsavory, sneaking people in just so their wedding makes for an interesting story shows poor judgment on the part of anyone with clearance to come and go from the White House as they please. I’d have fired his ass personally and reamed…who?…I guess the speech writers report to the Press Secretary?
Shit, I’ve been working in New York for months and no one’s allowed to use my office in San Francisco without clearing it with me first.
Chris
@Glücklich: Or the President could simply say “Not that big a deal in a world where so much other stuff’s going on that lands on my plate,” and let go of the entire thing.
On the scale of things that I have to deal with, this invasion of privacy might rise to the level of being annoying. But on the scale that the President must deal with, I’d hope he would have more important things to do and put this alleged wedding in perspective.
Now, I’d be impressed if a gay couple were to wed in the Pope’s private chambers.
Masc Pride
@Glücklich: Agreed. The whole thing was just sneaky and disrespectful, nothing commendable. Stories like this just make gay people look bad.
Blackceo
I bet if the President is asked about this he’d be totally cool with it. This is an Obama who isn’t running again, always supported it anyway but couldn’t say it politically, and is in the middle of his fuck you second term stride.