Oh Laura Bush. Just when you started earning some cool points with The Gays you go and throw it all away by saying you had zero responsibility in trying to convince your husband that we are equal people.
Now that you’re no longer a resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, you came out — on your vain book tour, of course — in support of same-sex marriage (as well as a woman’s right to choose), with the caveat that you understood why your husband did not.
What was it you wrote in your book? Oh, right: “In 2004 the social question that animated the campaign was gay marriage. Before the election season had unfolded, I had talked to George about not making gay marriage a significant issue. We have, I reminded him, a number of close friends who are gay or whose children are gay. But at that moment I could never have imagined what path this issue would take and where it would lead.”
Except now, in an interview with the Texas Tribune, you claim that conversation was really just an aside, because it didn’t fall on you to talk to George about doing the right thing: “I’m not elected. I was not elected. George is. He’s the one who’s elected. I was not the elected official. It was not my responsibility, I didn’t think, to speak out in ways to get in some sort of debate with him. I just didn’t see that as part of my role.”
You didn’t see it as part of your role, but it is. Because it is a human being’s responsibility, when she has the ear of the most powerful man in the world, to say, “Hey, you know those homosexual Americans? Yeah, let’s not be assholes to them.”
Except in promoting your book, you claim you did say that. And now you say it wasn’t your job to do it?
Isn’t one major tenant of the Republican party say something about “personal responsibility”?
CJ
Wow, you really misread what she said, Queerty. Laura Bush has already made it clear that she spoke with her husband, as his wife, about this topic. But, she’s also talking about not taking this debate with him PUBLIC. She’s not an elected official. If you’re going to report on her statement, it needs to be read in context.
Besides, if you’re going to be critical of someone, don’t attack a wife of a President for not debating him in a public forum. What First Lady goes out and speaks against her husband in public? Do you expect Michelle to do that? As Laura said, she was not an elected official. She talked to her husband privately – as a wife.
And another besides, Laura Bush believes in full marriage equality. Obama, our fierce advocate, only believes in civil unions. Biden, Pelosi and Reid believe similarly. So much for equality. You get equality on their terms.
Rainfish
@CJ: Yes…Obama,Reid, and Biden are major a-holes, but you got ol’ Nancy wrong on this particular one, CJ.
(read below, an interview from over six years ago)
Nancy Pelosi Supports Same-Sex Marriage
By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Wed Mar 24, 2004 at 05:47:17 PM EST
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was a guest on Fox’s Neil Cavuto show today. Before today, she had not stated her position on gay marriage. Cavuto pressed her, and she said she supports same-sex marriage and endorsed San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s granting of same-sex marriage licenses.
“Can same sex couples marry?” Cavuto asked.
“Yes,” Pelosi responded.
“So what the mayor of San Francisco is doing, you would approve of it?” Cavuto asked.
“Yes,” Pelosi said.
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2004/03/24/859/62953
—– She hasn’t changed her position—–
Now Obama, well, that’s another story (read below):
“The President has spoken out in opposition to Proposition 8 because it is divisive and discriminatory. He will continue to promote equality for LGBT Americans,” the White House said Wednesday night after the ruling …and (then) tried to clarify its position the following day. “The president DOES oppose same-sex marriage, but he supports equality for gay and lesbian couples…” Aug. 2010
…WTF!!!!
(Imagine if a “self-professed” pro-civil rights white President would have said: I oppose segregation, but I don’t think Black people should sit at the front of the bus.)
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/tag/same-sex-marriage/
…then there is this litte gem:
“I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages,” Illinois State Sen. Obama said in an answer to a 1996 “Outlines” newspaper question on marriage — that is, before he became a lying, backstabbing, spineless weasel of a President.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/13/obama-once-supported-same_n_157656.html
…hmmmmm
—————
Now, let’s hear all of the “so, you think McCain/Palin would be better on gay rights?” crap.
Actually, McCain’s justice department would be doing the exact same thing that Obama’s injustice department is doing right now (even after federal courts struck down both DADT worldwide and DOMA in Massachusetts). Nice try though.
So, the Senate doesn’t pass DADT repeal, and Barry’s homophobic goons at the DoJ win on appealing a federal court’s decision (which they were not legally obliged to oppose) that had already struck down DADT as unconstitutional. Then, what do we have? We have DADT forever. Suck on that, Obots.
“Change you can believe in!” …can we sue for false advertising?
And I thought Bill Clinton was a jerk. Obama just spooged on the entire GLBT community in a scenario reminiscent of a prison rape scene and some in the GLBT community are just handing him the KY and begging for more “tough love”.
…Pathetic.
reason
George has his own convictions, he makes up his own mind. My gosh, these are adults that we are talking about. I highly doubt that Bush is not going to pull every leaver he needed to in order to win his election and please his constituents on the misgivings of Laura. The tenets of the republican party don’t apply to Laura, she is a democrat that supports her husband and plays the role.
Avenger
What I wouldn’t give to have George back in office! Best president ever.
Paschal
@CJ: Actually Nancy Pelosi suports marriage equality. She voted agaisnt DOMA, FMA and welcomed the legalisation of marriage equality in California. It’s easy for someone who is not elected and has been out of the political limelight to speak his/her mind freely. It’s much more difficult when you seek re-election.
hephaestion
Laura Bush is either the stupidest woman on Earth or the least sincere. (i.e., a Liar.)
reason
@Paschal: You forgot that she also passed DADT repeal in the house.
tjr101
I like Laura Bush, but more and more we are seeing that she is just another closet liberal in the GOP that sat quietly for 8 years watching millions of lives being ruined, all for votes.
Sexy Rexy
She was probably too drunk to argue the point with him.
Lefty
Is it wrong to find GWB vaguely attractive whilst loathing him with every ounce of one’s being at the same time?
ewe
Laura Bush never felt the responsibility to read in order to push literacy either.
RichardR
@Lefty: yes. I confess I find the younger W somewhat attractive, in a sort of privileged frat-boy way, and I too am wrong to do so.
Soupy
When I was in university, I was in the same fraternity as him. Which makes us “frat brothers.” I’m not proud of it. I knew a lot of guys like him in my frat. I wrote a lot of their essays for money.
Rainfish
@CJ: Yes…Obama,Reid, and Biden are major a-holes, but you got ol’ Nancy wrong on this particular one, CJ.
(read below, an interview from over six years ago)
Nancy Pelosi Supports Same-Sex Marriage
By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Wed Mar 24, 2004 at 05:47:17 PM EST
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was a guest on Fox’s Neil Cavuto show today. Before today, she had not stated her position on gay marriage. Cavuto pressed her, and she said she supports same-sex marriage and endorsed San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s granting of same-sex marriage licenses.
“Can same sex couples marry?” Cavuto asked.
“Yes,” Pelosi responded.
“So what the mayor of San Francisco is doing, you would approve of it?” Cavuto asked.
“Yes,” Pelosi said.
—– She hasn’t changed her position—–
Now Obama, well, that’s another story (read below):
“The President has spoken out in opposition to Proposition 8 because it is divisive and discriminatory. He will continue to promote equality for LGBT Americans,” the White House said Wednesday night after the ruling …and (then) tried to clarify its position the following day. “The president DOES oppose same-sex marriage, but he supports equality for gay and lesbian couples…” Aug. 2010
…WTF!!!!
(Imagine if a “self-professed” pro-civil rights white President would have said: I oppose segregation, but I don’t think Black people should sit at the front of the bus.)
…then there is this litte gem:
“I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages,” Illinois State Sen. Obama said in an answer to a 1996 “Outlines” newspaper question on marriage — that is, before he became a lying, backstabbing, spineless weasel of a President.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/13/obama-once-supported-same_n_157656.html
…hmmmmm
—————
Now, let’s hear all of the “so, you think McCain/Palin would be better on gay rights?” crap.
Actually, McCain’s justice department would be doing the exact same thing that Obama’s injustice department is doing right now (even after federal courts struck down both DADT worldwide and DOMA in Massachusetts). Nice try though.
So, the Senate doesn’t pass DADT repeal, and Barry’s homophobic goons at the DoJ win on appealing a federal court’s decision (which they were not legally obliged to oppose) that had already struck down DADT as unconstitutional. Then, what do we have? We have DADT forever. Suck on that, Obots.
“Change you can believe in!” …can we sue for false advertising?
And I thought Bill Clinton was a jerk. Obama just spooged on the entire GLBT community in a scenario reminiscent of a prison rape scene and some in the GLBT community are just handing him the KY and begging for more “tough love”.
…Pathetic.
JumpingUp
The W. Bush couple HAVE done more for AIDS causes in Africa than any other Pres., though.
Joe in Savannah
I am probably going to get yelled at for this, but oh well, here it goes.
I think that Laura Bush has been one of the more graceful first ladies we have had in a while. While she is obviously no Elanore Roosevelt, she did her duties and stood by her husband. She is right in saying that she was not the elected official. Her husband was the president, and while she can make her views known to him and their friends, it would not be wise to confront your husband publicly like that. And even if W did believe in gay marriage, he would have never supported it as President. Growing up with W in office, and seeing how Obama runs his presidency, I have come to realize that its all politics. Personal feeling has no say so what so ever. If you, yourself, believe that gay marriage is for the good of the country, but your party does not, then you, as a president do not support it. As much as I hate to say it, this is the case. It should NOT be, however, the Presidency is less about personal believes, and more about party politics.
And even if she was to come out and say that she was pro gay marriage, it wouldn’t have helped sway W’s mind. Look at McCain, basically his entire family is pro gay rights in nearly every way, but that doesn’t make him change his mind. He has an image to uphold, and a party to support, do you think he is going to gamble being voted out of office because he wanted to stand by his personal believes instead of doing what was right for the good of the party?
And before you start yelling at me, this is apparent on both sides of the aisle. A republican is no different from a democrat in the sense that they will both do what it takes for their party to advance, so we as republicans, or demorcats, cannot fault the other for it, as we are both guilty.
pete
Actually, Betty Ford was one First Lady who publicly disagreed with her husband on the issue of women’s rights and abortion. She was one tough cookie, even when she brought substance abuse and addictions to the public’s attention.
ewe
@JumpingUp: oh really? With whose money?
RichardR
@JumpingUp: Yeah, right, with abstinence-only education and banning condoms and funding right wing Xians who teach and preach that de lawd will keep you safe.
Sexy Rexy
To each his/her own I guess, but I don’t find anything remotely physically attractive about Dubya…he’s got ferret face and he always looks like he just swallowed cod liver oil.