Barack Obama said yesterday, before signing the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, that he was “not going to make more news” by trumping this week’s big gay news by stating he was suddenly going to back same-sex marriage, an issue on which he’s said his views are “evolving.” Asked about that position again at Wednesday’s post-repeal presser, Obama repeated that his “feelings are constantly evolving” — but still believes is between a man and a woman. Which means, for the time being, Obama publicly supports gay men and women who want to die for their county, but not gay men and women who want to marry the ones they love.
still second-class
Obama: ‘At This Point’ He’s Ready To Let Gays Die For America, But Not Marry
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Sid
Separate but equal. (sigh.) For someone I like so much, he’s sure easy to hate.
Adam
@Sid: You hit the nail on the head. I like Obama a lot, I’d vote for him again in a heartbeat, but sometimes when he really disappoints me.
At the same time though, this is politics. This is how the sausage is made. It’s sad but it’s true. Obama said that DADT would be repealed through the legislative process, and as much as it seemed he was dragging his feet at times, it was repealed.
Jeffree
Even with DADT repealed, “Spouses” of @LGB service-members won’t have access to housing, survivor benefits, he.althcare, etc.
Yes we have made progress. But are we treated equally? Not yet.
Soon? i hope.
SpiffyShindigs
The amount of political capital Obama spent to get DADT repealed was tremendous.
If Obama’s going to make a push for marriage, it’ll be at the end of his second term, when he has nothing to lose.
justiceontherocks
Translation: the polls indicate that pushing to repeal DOMA would hurt me in swing states.
whatever
well it wasn’t quick to move on to the next grievance. you forgot to mention all the unelected republicans who are no longer in office who now courageously support gay marriage. you are slipping guyz.
kayla
Is anybody surprised? Do people really expect Obama to commit political suicide before 2012? Saying that he’s at least reflecting on the matter of marriage equality is definitely progress, do you know any major political candidate who’s pro-marriage. Hillary went to Australia and didn’t talk about evolving on the issue, she blatantly and resolutely said she was against marriage equality. This is as good as it’s going to get before 2012.
Cam
He claims his views are evolving, but when he was first running for office in IL. he said he was for gay marraige. So it would seem that his views are evolving in the OTHER direction. In the Illinois Senate he reiterated that he was for Same Sex Marriage and would fight against attempts to block it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/13/obama-once-supported-same_n_157656.html
So again, if his views are evolving their going the wrong way.
Matty G
Can we let him solve one issue at a time! Yes, I would like to eventually get married to the man I love but I also realize that it is going to take time. I think that he was right to choose his words carefully by saying that his “feelings are evolving.” I think he is thinking about us and he wanted to let us know. And it breaks my heart when people suggest that he is “quick to hate.” he is doing his job. Let him take a breather for the holiday! Don’t forget that something amazing was just accomplished!
Melanie N
I think we learned this year that Robin McGehee can get Obama to do anything. He is afraid of her because she’s a lot smarter than him.
Help fund GetEqual so our fearless leader can force Obama to end DOMA. It was Robin’s idea to repeal DAT and she got that done. Let’s make sure she has enough money to finish the job – give today.
Daez
@Melanie N: A lot smarter than a Harvard elitist. UMMKAY!
The next move is ENDA not marriage. You will have a much easier chance getting ENDA passed, and once ENDA is passed a lot more gays will be willing to fight for their marriage rights without fear of losing their housing or their job.
Ben
don’t put words in his mouth. Everyone knows it would take a miracle for him to get nationwide same sex marriage before his term would end
J Dav
@Cam:
I think it is really obvious what he believes: he is for marriage equality but it would be incredibly amateurish to come out and state that before 2012.
He is hinting at it, he is subtly pointing to it. We can smartly decide to take the hint or we can demand he makes a explicit statement, thereby damaging his reelection chances (not that I think you would care based on some of your posts I have read by you) or forcing him to come out more forcefully against marriage equality.
Everything you state adds up: he was for it before, he was against prop 8, his views are now “evolving”… What is evolving is not his actual view on marriage equality… its his public view as (candidate and) president.
Queer Supremacist
So this just proves he’s willing to lie about his beliefs to get elected. It figures.
Obama
@Queer Supremacist:
You have a choice. Do you want President Obama to be vocal on gay marriage or do you want him in the White House to fight for you?
The religious right would be insane.
George Bush won a second term by making same sex marriage a huge issue in Ohio right before the election. Democrats lost.
Maybe he’s playing Republicans and not the LGBT community. There are 2 ways to look at things. You cant convince me he has not changed public opinion on LGBT issues in a huge way and it will only go forward. Hes not stupid, he plays to win and not emotion. Push the country and help him.
justiceontherocks
@Obama – there’s one person the President “plays” for sure: you. It’s good that DADT got repealed but that was a layup. Let’s see how he does with the heavy lifting when the Pentagon brass aren’t around to do the hard work for him.
B
No. 14 · Queer Supremacist wrote, “So this just proves he’s willing to lie about his beliefs to get elected.”
What he seems to believe is that a president can’t lead the American people by getting so far ahead of them that you are out of sight.
alicia banks
ditto!
shame!!!
especially for gay war widows/spouses…
ewe
I won’t vote for him. If i have to wait another 17 years for marriage equality then i am certainly not rewarding this creton with my vote. Equality is a non issue. Someone should tell Obama.
ewe
@B: and that is no leader who thinks like that
Daez
@Queer Supremacist: Like oh my god, mmmkay, he is a politician? How horrible!!!
Daez
@justiceontherocks: Sarah Palin will make such a better president. When she is the other option in 2012, go ahead and vote for her. She will definitely help the gay rights movement, by setting it back about 100 years.
Seriously, Obama has his faults as does everyone else, but this constant attack on him from the gays is just insane. No other President has done as much for the gays in the history of Presidents and there is no way a Republican President would have done nearly any of the things Obama has.
Daez
@ewe: Ewe and I both know why you won’t vote for him. Its a combination of the fact that he didn’t step to the back of the bus to support Hilary (who would have done just about as much as he did and was even more polarizing) and the color of his skin.
His stance on the issues is not even remotely what you are concerned about. Just be honest about it.
justiceontherocks
2Daez. I wish you happy holidays. I hope you spend some time learning to read and think.
ewe
@Daez: you wish your childish dismissiveness worked on me as well as your pc bullshit does in the media. Stop making up stories to prop up your own ignorance.
ewe
@Daez: @Queer Supremacist: Like oh my god, mmmkay, he is a politician? How horrible!!!
Read more: http://www.queerty.com/obama-at-this-point-hes-ready-to-let-gays-die-for-america-but-not-marry-20101223/#ixzz192nBtNP3
Your valley girl impersonation explains a lot about your internal race baiting.
ewe
@Daez: Clinton is not black by the way cunt hence the 17 year comment. It really does boil down to yourself. get a mirror
robert
since hilary clinton does not support marriage equality for gays what is the point of this post except for more Obama bashing?? and we know that john mccain would not even vote against repeal of DADT if you can show me a democratic candidate for president who can get elected supporting gay marriage I will vote for him..wait.. vice president Joe Biden said gay marriage is inevitable is that good enough??
robert
actually I will vote for hilary next time give her a chance to get rid of DOMA which was passed under her husband’s watch.. queerty must love to do obama bashing to gin up their traffic