Is Joe Hoeffel, the former Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania, one of these politicians whose view on gay marriage is “evolving” now that he’s seeking a new, higher office? Hoeffel, who’s running in the 2010 race to become Pennsylvania’s governor, has a section on his campaign website — complete with a photo of two gals in love — specifically about The Marriage. But while Hoeffel (pictured stumping for Obama in 2008) was never so terrible to vote for the Bush-era Federal Marriage Amendment that would have banned gay marriage at the federal level, it was only in 2004 that he was vocally opposing gay marriage.
In the 2004 U.S. Senate race (and his last year as a congressman), where Hoeffel was the Democratic nominee against Republican Arlen Spector (who, of course, is now a Democrat and fighting to save his own Senate seat), he declared in a debate that he was for same-sex civil unions, but against same-sex marriage, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer and further confirmed here.
Huh.
This is the same man who’s now saying, on his website, “This is discrimination, and it is time for our society to recognize what is right. It is time for the majority to stand with, rather than against, the same-sex couples who strengthen our communities and our commonwealth. I support full marriage equality for all Pennsylvanians. As Governor, I will stand up and speak out in support of legislation in the Pennsylvania Senate to make it a reality.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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He’s also the guy who made this video, fingering key LGBT related issues that he supports — while even mentioning God. GOD!
Hey, that’s great stuff, Hoeffel! And we would love to have you on our team. Everyone says you’re this big progressive out of Pennsylvania. Cool!
But voters would be wise to know that you weren’t on our side for full equality back in your 2004 Senate race, and now that this whole gay marriage thing is gaining traction, and Pennsylvania runs blue, you’re suddenly coming out in full force to let us enjoy something you’ve been doing for 32 years with your wife Francesca.
Listen: We don’t want to give you too much shit here, for you at least backed civil unions. And hey, people change their minds all the time. But when you update your stance on something as basic and fundamental to being a human being as the right to be free from discrimination, and do so while running a political campaign … well, forgive us for being skeptics.
(NB: OnTheIssues.org claims Hoeffel sponsored, in 2001, the Equal Rights Amendment in 2001, which would prohibit federal, state, and local discrimination based on sex — something Congress has been trying to add to the U.S. Constitution every year since 1923, but failed to meet the 1982 deadline for ratification. Last year, New York’s Democratic Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney reintroduced the bill, but this time without a state ratification timeline. We couldn’t find Hoeffel’s involvement in ERA from 2001.)
Meanwhile, isn’t it interesting to hear Hoeffel — a clear gay marriage flip-flopper evolver — taking someone else to task about changing their ways. In response to Sen. Arlen Specter changing parties (something that has gotta hurt, given Hoeffel lost to Specter), Hoeffel said:
So why aren’t more of us happy about the switch? Because it is one thing to welcome an opportunistic change of parties for the immediate advantage it gives us, but it is another thing entirely to pledge now that we must support Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary of 2010.
[ …] But I have not come to terms with Arlen’s greatest failing– for the last eight years he supported George W. Bush, the worst President this country has ever had.
Hoefell then threw his support behind Rep. Joe Sestak to take on Specter.
Dee
Saint Lucia pop-up is annoying as hell
Lukas P.
Call me skeptical. If he wants to prove his status as a believer in same-sex marriage, then he needs to demonstrate in a publicly accessible forum that he is capable of rebutting arguments against marriage, willing to lose votes from the anti-gay throngs, and ready to take well-deserved heat for his change of heart.
If he doesn’t cave there—big IF—then he’ll only be credible (IMHO) if he is willing to go to bat for some other key uncompleted items on PA’s gay wish list.
Fair enough?
Mike
Wait, are we upset that he’s now backing us? Shouldn’t we be happy?
Lukas P.
@MIKE: I can’t speak for others, but I’m not upset, just cautious and skeptical. If he can prove his new belief system isn’t just a political calculation and can bear up under pressure without reverting to his old stance, then I think he’s worth considering. Otherwise, he’s just testing the gay waters.
Jeff K.
Personally, I don’t care if his change of heart is sincere or just a political ploy. As long as he keeps good on his promises when elected, it doesn’t really matter in the long run.
rf
We all know that many politicians who claimed to be against same sex marriage either never actually cared or secretly support it. The anti gay movement is a political ploy to get republicans to the voting booths. and even so called liberals who only support civil unions in public are just trying to get elected. 5 years ago supporting same sex marriage would not get you elected, almost anywhere. that’s reality
We aren’t going to know about this guy or Ford until, or if, they get in office. I do think its interesting that they are fully supporting it now in public which means the tea leaves must be saying something very good. Here’s the answer, we can still try out pols who claim to support us but we MUST remove those who claim it and then don’t deliver–right NJ and NY democrats???
Chris
This post should be a lot nicer – Pennsylvania is an old state so his stance is meaningful.
Jeff K.
Well regardless, I’ll vote for him. Although I am a little uneasy about his prospects. We have a lot of forward-thinking people in Pennsylvania, but betwixt Philadelphia and Pittsburgh we also have a lot of people who aren’t so much. I always assumed the latter group outnumbered the former.
terrwill
Boy, like deja’ vu all over again………
Politician needs the Gays to vote for them to get elected. Politician “sees the light” and changes views towards the Gays……..As soon as the hand comes off the bible Politician treats the Gays like the red headed stepchild…..tolerated but shown none of the love………….
Brian NJ
Another Corzine. Supporting gay marriage is the perfect issue for a Democrat — you can always promise to get to it after you do other things, like they promised the HRC with Obama. Because if the right gives you any problems about the issue, you can run from having to do anything about it. Ask the gays to wait and give you more time. They will agree. They are so nice! — And don’t mind finishing last. After all, you are so busy with other things, you don’t want to give the right ammo, right? You just tell gays you will get to it in the democratic lame duck session – you promise!!!
Gays will go along with that — they are so NICE!!!!
merkin
Why the lengthy tirade? I dont live in Pennsylvania, so I don’t know this guy’s history. But is sounds like he went from supporting civil unions to supporting full marriage equality. I’d call that an ally.
And as for those posters who seem angry that this is some kind of political opportunism–wouldn’t a politician turn MORE conservative if he was running on the state level? I imagine there are pockets of PA a lot more conservative than his district. There’s a lot of Amish in PA (do they vote?)
Mike in Asheville
If everyone were forced to stay with their socio-political opinions from 2004, there would not be a single state with legalized same-sex marriage (while the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court determined that it was unconstitutional discrimination to not allow same-sex marriage in 2003, attempts by the legislature to overturn same-sex marriages were put to a vote in 2005 only after several “pro same-sex marriage” legislators CHANGED their opinion; in 2004, a majority was anti same-sex marriage but, fortunately, the legislative leaders kept postponing the vote).
Also, in other areas, keeping a 2004 socio-political opinions in place, there would be no Obama but a McCain/PALIN (ouch for fuck’s sake) administration, and Republican control of the House and Senate (House switched in 2007, Senate in 2009).
Changing public opinion about same-sex marriage is the fastest way to achieve it around the country. Study after study shows that the general public is much more favorable to LGBT and same-sex marriage issues when a member of the general public has gay friends, neighbors and family members. I know this will not work everywhere, but instead of spending millions on TV commercials that underplay the “gay” in same-sex marriage, the LGBT community would be better served if we could get LGBT awareness to go talk to your neighbors. Sure doors will be slammed shut, very rudely, but for every slammed door, there will be also many a mind opened.
I don’t know enough about Joe Hoeffel and other issues he is for/against; but don’t piss on someone who has come forward, unequivocally, and states that he/she NOW supports marriage equality. And yes, while Obama has shit on the LGBT promises he made, Obama never said he supported marriage equality, he limited his support to civil unions.
Shawn
Okay…lets get something straight about PA’s political landscape.
In federal elections, yes, we run blue…but in state elections, that’s just not always the case. It tends to be a very close race. The only reason our current governor is in there is mainly because he, a democrat, chose a Republican Lt. Governor. Rendell is not exactly Mr. HUGE democrat on this either. Yes, he has gone to 1 gay pride parade…but he usually leaves us fend for ourselves…
So I honestly don’t think this guy has that much of a chance….
stitch
Let’s not paint PA as light pink just yet. PA voters have a history of doing the right thing. Several years back, Don Sherwood was an umpteen term incumbent Republican in the 10th District. He won his last term running unopposed with 90% of the vote. Literally 90%. Then a sex scandal crippled him, in which a 20-something woman claimed that he not only had an affair with her, he choked her and beat her as well. The 10th district responded by giving his seat to a moderate Democrat the next year.
Robert, NYC
RF, I was listening to Senator Loretta Weinberg of the 37th Disrict in Bergen County, New Jersey earlier this week on Air America. She is an avid supporter of marriage equality and one of the primary sponsors in her state. She said that in the brief history of marriage equality, no politician seeking elected office or incumbents seeking another term was ever thrown out of office because of his or her support of marriage equality even after they voted for it. So that’s a canard to delay doing anything about it. One of the reasons why democrats back away is solely to avoid any confrontation with their religious cultist constituents who outnumber us, a group that currently has carte blanche to do what they want when it comes to our rights. Once we start teaching the democrats a lesson by not allowing them to take our votes and money for granted come November 2010 and beyond, then we’ll be in a better position to get what we want. If they truly believe in our equality, let them earn our support by delivering the goods first and foremost, otherwise, goodbye.
PAgay
It really doesn’t matter what he said in 2004 or now. He isn’t a frontrunner in the race. It is pretty likely Tom Corbett, the popular Republican attorney general will win the election in November. The next governor of Pennsylvania will be a Republican.
PJR
I live in Philadelphia, and am involved in local politics in this city. While Philadelphia, and to a lesser degree, Pittsburgh, are socially liberal, the views of the Commonwealth’s electorate become MUCH more conservative outside of the cities – even in the outer suburbs. Pennsylvania has the second oldest population after Flordia, and has a very large Roman Catholic population. This is not to say that all Catholics of a certain age do not support marriage equality, but they do tend not to. Pennsylvania also suffers from a “brain drain” – many younger people who are educated here leave after graduation. Polls from just last year report only 42% of Pennsylvanians support gay marriage, up from only 36% in 2006. In terms of the marriage equality debate, 5 years is a very long time. I do think Hoeffel’s support of equality is indicative of his evolution on the issue, rather than “flip-flopping” for political gain. After all, his congressional district in the Philadelphia area is more socially liberal than most of the rest of the Commonwealth, which should show if he were pandering to the electorate, his stance would have become more conservative.
Sam
Disclaimer: I’m on Joe Hoeffel’s staff. I’ll keep it brief:
Joe’s stance on gay marriage *has evolved*, as have many others, over the last 6 years, and reflects his personal values rather than a political calculation. He was for civil unions at a time when few were, and didn’t change his stripes once he was elected to Congress, and he won’t now if elected Governor.
The story linked at the end has a statement from Joe in June 2009 saying that Sestak would run a strong primary against Specter. That is not an endorsement of either candidate, nor has he given one since.
Jefferson
As a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania resident, I’m a bit apprehensive even considering this as an issue Hoeffel would take as a true cause for himself. Let alone that his handling of budgetary and political controversies as county commissioner for the past three years left quite a lot to be desired. Yes, he’s a registered democrat, but that’s a very small “d” in my book. He’s demonstrated his own sense of bipartisanship by siding with the current Montgomery County Commissioner/Chairman, Jim Matthews–Republican–by slashing and hacking at wages for county workers and making these same workers take on unfair financial burdens for health insurance. Croneyism and nepotism are also keywords in Mr. Hoeffel’s political career and allowing new judge appointees to hire their wives as clerks and secretaries smacks of complete hyprocisy in my book. Who’s to say that his hypocritical ways don’t continue in regards to gay marriage. Presently, I am avowed to take anything this typical politician with the merest grain of salt and hope the average voter in PA educates himself or herself on Hoeffel’s past deeds.
jm
i don’t know much about this guy, but i understand your rage.
still, i can’t see how it hurts gays if this guy is now making public statements that support equality for gays.
i know your feelings are hurt and you’d like for this guy to have to feel your wrath over the wrong he did in the past and that you seem to feel that changing his tune now doesn’t make up for the wrongdoings of his past. i think everybody feels that way in this kind of situation.
i, personally, don’t know how to make that sad/angry feeling entirely subside in me when i encounter this kind of feeling that you’re feeling now but i’ve learned over the years that throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak, is what has happened to me when i was forced to accept new behaviour from prior adversaries. when i was too quick to anger i often lost the chance to have any sort of dialogue with the person who’d changed, and it also seemed to dampen their enthusiasm not only for me but for any other ideas that i wanted them to consider changing.
so, i would suggest that you try and find a way to realize the good that is happening now and figure out how to forgive whats gone on in the past. i believe this was the essence of nelson mandella’s effort to unite his country when apartide was abolished and he assumed the presidency. the best i can tell that was a policy that proved a very good path and seems to have made that country more able to move on and deal with current issues while letting the past be the past.