Is the GOP actually listening to Meghan McCain‘s advice? Or do they just happen to be following her strategy? A recognizable softening on the issue of gay marriage appears to be underway inside the Republican party. And not because conservatives are suddenly lining up to watch to men screw. Rather, fewer people have the time to give a shit about an issue that, they’re finally realizing, doesn’t actually affect them.
Without gay marriage as the decisive issue it once was, which drew voters to the polls to get GOP candidates elected, Republicans are rethinking the strategy, reports the Times. Americans are worried about jobs, health care, the economy, putting their kids through school. If Lisa wants the right to visit Tina in the hospital when she’s dying, who cares?
Well the evidence says fewer and fewer people care. While 31 percent of people over age 40 support gay marriage according to a new NYT/CBS poll, 57 percent under age 40 said they did.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a socially conservative Republican, makes firm his stance on gay marriage, but might just leave it alone during his 2012 presidential run.
How about we take this to the next level?
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And then there’s former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who backs civil unions but not gay marriage. Failed presidential candidate Guiliani is gearing up for a New York gubernatorial run, and only last week made clear he would make gay marriage a wedge issue. Except, what’s this? Suddenly, some soft back-tracking: “Right now, people are not concerned about issues like gay marriage because they are concerned about the economy. … The Republican party does best organizing itself around economic issues and issues of national security,” adding he didn’t think (paraphrases the Times) “it made much sense for Republicans to be harping on the issue if the party had any serious interest in returning to power.”
Make up your mind, Rudy. In the meantime, the rest of your ilk are wising up to the new America. Join us?
mikeandrewsdantescove
Unbelievable this man used to live with a gay couple and acts like this now. I lost respect for Rudy when he bashed Obama. Now he’s just an idiot.
Mike
New Video –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5fxE-kupzo
Qjersey
Maybe someone reminded the scumbag that his wife (Donna) found out about his affair when the TV cameras showed up to ask her if she knew he was running all over town with Judy.
echelon
Rudy is old and is not a part of the new Republican party. I think he should just hang it up.
http://www.echelonmagazine.com
Cam
also, he used to be in support of gay marriage, and then flipped to try to win the nomination. ugh, politicians are so weak willed. They would all sell us out down the river for one more re-election. Ok, I take it back, except Gavin Newsom. He has a solid scorecard on gay issues. go Gavin!
Timothy
Except that he DIDN’T make it clear last week that he would make gay marriage a wedge issue.
He said that “create a grass-roots movement. This is the kind of issue that, in many ways, is somewhat beyond politics”.
That is actually just exactly the opposite of what you claim. He said it’s going to be an issue for Republicans which he would have to address due to the grass-root movement, NOT that HE was going to make it an issue.
Y’know, somewhat beyond politics. Out of his control. And, as he said later, a loser of an issue.
Lee
Ah, Tiny Tim, apparently our new resident Repug Troll.
Why can’t Rudy make up his mind?
Because Pod People don’t have minds. They just have some internal mechanism animating their constant movement, up, down, sideways, inside-out, toward their prime directive, which in his case is POWUH! Bitch would behead babies in the street if he thought that would get him elected.
Let’s lock him and Nuke Gingrich of the Three Wives in the same room and let them gum each other to death.
Helga Von Ornstein
You mean this old fart actually does have something else to talk about other than 9-11?? LOL what next? Leading an investigation into why there is NEVER any mention of the THIRD building that fell that day by the media?
Bruno
I didn’t realize Pawlenty was that socially conservative…I guess that doesn’t bother Rachel Maddow too much.
Dabq
He’s just a vile, two bit hypocrite who will do anything to stay in the limelight when he isn’t out trolling for the next dummy to marry him.
TANK
Here’s hoping he gets swine flu. Probably has an immunity…
BobP
He’s just a slimy pig. He should stay away from moral issues like the plague. Married three times, once to his COUSIN! He will do anything to get elected.
Nickadoo
@Bruno: As a legislator in the state house of representatives, he voted in favor of a gay rights measure, but while running for governor, he attempted to appeal to the far-right base by claiming it was the one vote he wished he could redo, saying, “There’s a whole series of behaviors protected in that bill that have nothing to do with biological makeup. They have to do with, just, simple preferences, for example, of wearing women’s clothing… I don’t know that we need to use our antidiscrimination laws in Minnesota and nationally to protect that kind of behavior.”
paul-e-wog
Did anyone else just get a paid advertisement in the feature ad section above “Comments Live” to donate to Sarah Palin’s PAC?
If Queerty or their owners have sold an advertising spot to this hateful harpie from hell then I’m outta here immediately. I’d like a response from whoever is now in charge explaining this. And it better be one heckuva reason you betcha’.
BrianZ
@paul-e-wog: That is just more of Google’s Adsense trying to figure out what to show you to get a click based on the content of the article. Queerty doesn’t really control which ads you see, they just sell out to Google.
Helga Von Ornstein
@paul-e-wog: The thought he was testing the “gay” waters did occur to me too.
HYHYBT
@BrianZ: Funny, aren’t they… short of an ad for the Church of Phelps, I can’t think of much that’d be *less* effective here.
Thom
Economic issues matter and marriage is an economic issue. Studies show that married people are slightly healthier (less costs) and wealthier (pay more taxes) than their single counterparts and this is true for gay people as well. Therefore, it is in the state’s best economic interest to grant marriage equality. This is because there are thousands of rights and responsibilities associated with the legal contract of marriage (yes, it is a legal contract).
Tommy
And Guilani’s opinion is different from President Obama’s how? They both support civil unions and are against gay marriage.
But everyone praises Obama!
I support the right to get married of course, but I don’t agree marriage makes people healthier, wealthier and happier. All the straight married people I know are broke and miserable!