Joyce L. Arnold, Liberally Independent, Queer Talk, equality activist, writer.
President Obama in an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, this afternoon [Via Think Progress]:
“I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”
This follows Biden’s remarks on Sunday, yesterday’s vote in North Carolina that passed a “marriage definition” amendment, intense and widespread conversations and editorials over the last several days … and literally decades of work by LGBT and supportive advocates, including the last three years of the Obama administration.
As Joe Sudbay writes:
Obama became the first President of the United States to support marriage equality. It’s a very welcome development. As you know, the President first announced that he was evolving during our interview on October 27, 2010.
Sudbay includes this from John Aravosis:
A few points. First, this is major news and these aren’t “just words.” When the President of the United States makes a statement about an issue this big, the words have impact. They can impact court cases around the country, and just as importantly, people’s attitudes. Those attitudes matter at the ballot box and in the schoolyard. The President’s opinion matter. …
What happened, I think, was that it finally became more obviously harmful than helpful for Obama to continue the “evolving” process. I’d guessed that, if something didn’t basically force it, he would wait until after November to make such an announcement, and wondered if it would happen even then. Whatever the various reasons that brought him to his announcement today, he finally got there, and for that, I’m grateful.
As I am to all those grassroots people, and organizations and bloggers and more, who have done the work that made this happen, as they made the repeal of DADT happen, and will, eventually, bring about marriage equality, employment protection, and more.
This post was updated with video.
I have to give him credit for being open about how he feels. Wedge issues seem to be part of the re-election srategy.
I wish there was a viable alternative to Obama and Romney.
This is great news!
Now where are all the available gay husbands? See, Obama didn’t think of that, did he? You can’t just go telling people they can get married if there isn’t a good supply of potential husbands to go around.
I guess we’ll have to convert some straight ones. Ladies, hang on tight to your men!
Meh RR, I’m quite sure there are plenty of straight women who would gladly offer up their husbands to the queer nation.
(
Note to self, must learn to give better foot rubs, no tickling allowed)
Well guess I will have to go back on my “the LGBT community will have to only fight this state-by-state to pressure whoever is President”. Doesn’t matter the timing. President Obama just came put there and said it. Frankly I’m a bit stunned. LOL!
I don’t think you need to go back on that yet, T.
He did say this as well……..The president stressed that this is a personal position, and that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own.
I don’t think that now knowing Obama is “evolved” today would have changed the vote in NC yesterday.
Of course not. Superstition addled homophobes aren’t going to suddenly start acting all enlightened and stuff just because President Obama came around to sanity.
A reason to celebrate! Don’t forget to thank Pres. Obama on Facebook. I agree with you, Joyce — doesn’t matter who or what motivated him to finally come forward in support of same-sex marriage. He did it.
Seriously, what the hell are we supposed to be thanking President Obama for? He said that he “personally” favors Gay Marriage, but he believes it’s an issue that should be left to the mercy of the majority in the states.
In other words, he’s got nothing against gays getting married, but if the majority doesn’t mind depriving people of their basic civil rights, well, what are ya gonna do?
This is the same attitude a lot of Northern politicians had toward civil rights for blacks in the 50s- “sure, we’d LIKE them to have rights, but it’s got to be left to the majority.”
There is NOTHING lauditory about claiming personal tolerance but saying that it’s ok for others to be intolerant, especially when the intolerance of others denies a group it’s Basic. Civil. Rights. It’s a “some of my best friends” argument, and I wish I could say I was shocked by the praise he’s getting for it, but I’m not. Just disgusted.
Wake me up when the President says something of true value on this issue- like the right to marry is inalienable and not subject to the will of the bigoted majority. Until then, his “personal” support and a dollar will get a gay couple which wants to wed in NC a cup of coffee. PERIOD.
President Barack Hussein Obama makes history! Again! Hmmm! How many times does that make? Obama2012!
Solo, are you choking on that popsicle, dear? Somebody call 911!
You are in some seriousness need of some sex.
Here’s a THANK YOU card to sign.
Signed/shared
Your email address just got harvested. Enjoy the avalanche.
That’s why I have an extra gmail account I never use for anything other than signing things like this.
Never was big on hiding or not participating because I was scared of getting e mails.
I am very greatful too !! I really didn’t think he would. So Thank you President Obama. RAJenson said this was a loser for Obama !! I wonder if RAJenson tune will change and try to wiggle out of it LOL !!
I hope I am wrong but It is a net loser for Obama. Rachel Maddow outlined all the pro gay rights intiatives that President Obama either by a Democratic controlled Congress or through executive orders. The list is rather enormous. He has alwayes been pro gay marriage. As a state senator he introduced legislation in committee to legalize gay marriage. Now that as President he came out in favor of gay marriage it will have an impact in the battleground states (Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida and others).
The polls show increasing and majority support for gay marriage nationwide but not necessarily in the battleground states. When it comes to actually voting for gay marriage, bans of gay marriage have passed in 30 of 31 state elections.
In the 2004 election GOP operatives in Ohio managed to get a ban on gay marriage initiative on the ballot. Christian evengelicals had the most successful registration and get out the vote drive to motivate evengelical Chistians to the polls to vote for the ban on gay marriage and for Bush. Black evengelical ministers also had a successful registration drive and get out the vote drive to vote for the ban on gay marriage and for Bush. Post election studies showed that black precints in Cleveland had the lowest support for Kerry than black support for Kerry nationwide. The get out the vote drive by GOP operatives gave Bush a narrow popular vote win in Ohio and handed the election over to Bush.
Other than Rasmussen who has a five point GOP bias in all polls, The poll of polls have shown Obama with a substantial lead over Romney in the battleground states of North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan. Battleground states polls over the next few weeks will be informative as to the effect of the President’s announcement either way
for example, Ohio:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/oh/ohio_romney_vs_obama-1860.html.
Although I aplaud the move it does raise some concerns about November. When Gavin Newsom gave the LGBT community the right to marry in San Francisco it did not do John Kerry any good. Now as then it will energize the rabid right and may result in their coalessing around an issue they all feel comfortable attacking. I’m sure there is a lot of money sitting on the sidelines just waiting for a reason to be spent. Again, I am happy for the LGBT community, but everyone should be ready for the inevitable onslaught of invective directed at Obama.
So what if it makes him lose. He can say he did something on principle (whether or not that is actually true). It also matters that 1 in 6 bundlers is a mo.
Let’s all just take a breath and say hallelujah! The President did the right thing and made history! It is a fine day. We don’t get that many.
After hearing the President, I was so proud of him and I believe he spoke from the heart. Then I wondered what is going to happen with the gay republicans.
I know that some of you don’t care what will happen in November, but I really feel that the republicans have as a majority moved so far to the right and if they get into office this country will be in serious straights. They will be sure to re-enact DADT and other things that this President has taken the risk and pushed through. Those are my fears, whether right or wrong.
Don’t kid yourselves Romney is such an “empty suit” and he will definitely allow the tea party to run things.
Anyway, I’m proud to say that I support the President, and especially right now.
fabulous!
This whole evolving business was calculated and cynical as was today’s statement, but I am still very happy that he did it.
Most likely RR. But gay marriage is such a intensely emotional issue to many that to just take a stand on it as President (the first one to do so) is damn near miraculous. LOL. Calculated and cynical yet gutsy.
Totally agree. Get it all out in the open and let the chips fall.
Obama finally got his “late pass,” eh? Well done, even if he made us wait entirely too long for it.
Yeah…well…no offense, but I think i’ll wait until AFTER…Way AFTER the “election” or “s-election” process,…(assuming that he gets “s-elected”) before I give this a$*hole any credit that’s worth giving in the humane area. May I go on…we’ve been down this road before and for a lot of us, in retrospect it was a well planned strategized hype well in advance of the “election”. I personally have no faith in the man(anymore that is), even if he has somewhat delayed the inevitable “crash” of the economy.
Yes….I think I’ll wait until WAAAAAAAYYYYYYY after to give any credit or support!
I would tend to agree with you Antonio BUT as I said above:
It puts President Obama in polar opposite to many Americans. Now Romney is in a difficult spot. Obama has drawn a line in the sand and can’t go back on his words in the slightest. So Romney has to do the same. And what will that be? Like I said above:
Some may take issue with the “calculated and cynical” part but hey, I feel that way about many politicians.
“It puts President Obama in polar opposite to many Americans.”
Hmmmmm, seems a President had to make a similar choice regarding a certain group of folks and whether they were entitled to civil rights back in the 1860s AND 1960s.
But Barack has specifically said marriage is not a civil right. He wants it left to the states. What if Lincoln had done that?
Which means his announcement is utterly pointless. That he is being heaped with plaudits is just astonishing. Might as well praise him for feeling that we should close GITMO, then not doing it. Or denouncing the Patriot Act, then resigning a strengthened vesion of it. As if all that matters is what’s “in his heart.”
Oh wait, that’s all already happened. Never Mind. Thank You President Obama for saying something is very important to you, and then doing nothing material to make it so! Ugh, what a world we live in.
The President showed courage and he deserves praise for this.
History will note that President Obama was on the correct side of the gay marriage issue.
Whatever the various reasons that brought him to his announcement today, he finally got there, and for that, I’m grateful.
As I am to all those grassroots people, and organizations and bloggers and more, who have done the work that made this happen, as they made the repeal of DADT happen, and will, eventually, bring about marriage equality, employment protection, and more. Joyce
Second this, Joyce.
Obama did the right thing (however he got there or why he did it now. As a gay woman it doesn’t matter to me. He got there and used his bully pulpit as it was meant to be used) and I too am grateful for his announcement and for what he said in public. I especially liked the part about what he said about his family and how his daughters have friends whose parents are gay and his kids don’t even think twice about it. I liked that personal touch there very much.
And, I too applaud every single activist who has worked tirelessly to keep up the pressure on the President to do right by all of us so all of us citizens enjoy equal rights. As FDR said and I’m paraphrasing: “you (activist-citizens) need to keep pushing me to do the right thing”.
The bully pulpit does matter.
Thank you, President Obama.
Professor Turley’s view.
Rick, I know all about Obama’s record when he was a State Senator in Illinois. I made sure to get to know all about him via his legislative record and the entire Alice Palmer mess. I was and still am a Hillary supporter and I hope she runs in ’16 although if she doesn’t that’s ok too. But, that’s for another day.
You commented below that his comment today does nothing to change things especially as he also said in his opinion each state should decide if they want to pass marriage equality. I vehemently disagree with that approach and also believe that civil rights should never be put to a vote as marriage equality was 32 times with 31losses including that huge loss in NC last night.
So, I so agree with you that his comments change nothing legally for us. And, also realize that political calculation is never far from any pols overall decision to do or say anything. It’s what they do some more egregious than some others. However, for me, my appreciation for what he did and said today is this. I wish when I was a teenager struggling with my sexual identity (and, not all of us struggle or have struggled with it), I wish the POTUS at that time could or would have done the same (if only the climate then was agreeable to it as it is now). So, I am very happy for all the kids out there who are either struggling with their own sexual identities or are on the verge of harming themselves in some way because of it or are being bullied. I truly believe the support for gays and lesbians Obama showed today (outside of the political calculation) in public supporting our families will go a long way to help those kids who may be isolated or who like me are struggling with their sexuality in some way or are being bullied for being different. That is why the bully pulpit does have meaning in situations such as this and for that reason alone, I truly appreciate his comment.
But, you are right, it changes nothing for us legally.
Btw, I have enormous respect for Prof. Turley. Thanks for that link.
clicked on the wrong emo, Rick. I intended to post the smiling emo. So, for what it’s worth.
Night.
It’s about time. It was especially entertaining to go back and forth between NPR today where a resident repugnantklan/teabagger gurgled word for word the bigoted nonsense limpwithnoballs was spewing about how REAL Americans feel about gay marriage.
Yes I agree, it is a historical “position”, I don’t take lightly to that, as i said before my daughter is gay, and we share even more so in each others lives, I think, than she does with her mother. If his “position ” is true it will profoundly effect her life, positively. That aside…Obama has to be made to demonstrate, in power and action his “position” when…and it will…the occasion rises…
The best way to say you support me, is to show me!
Yeah! The President has done absolutely nothing for gay people!
His personal view has changed, but he says it is up to the states. What if integration were up to the states? Interracial marriage?
Nothing has changed.
There is a difference between being a skeptic and just being a miserable complainer. Integration is an issue of freedom of movement and association two things that are cover by the Constitution. Marriage is a state issue because when people go to get a marriage license that license is issued by that individual state, not the federal government. You are just a malcontent dedicated to being unhappy.
BINGO!
Marriage is a contract that should be bound by the full faith and credit clause among the fifty states. If Barack believes marriage contracts are just a state issue, then go ahead and tell Alabama to disallow interracial marriages. I wonder where ol’ Clarence will come down on that one.
I am in good skeptical company on this. Click around the net. You’ll find them.
DOMA is a federal act. The Democrats could put it up for repeal any time they want, at least in the Senate.
This particular bit of evolution will return to its old phenotype after the election.
Rick just because you think something “should” be a certain way doesn’t mean it is. A marriage contract is legally different from a contract between two business partners, all contracts are not the same. When President Obama said marriage is state issue that wasn’t his opinion it was a statement of fact. Legal fact! Jesus Christ on whole wheat toast!
OK, Solo. Let’s tell they states they can outlaw interracial marriage then. That OK with you?
My hat is off to the President. However he got to this point, he did the right thing, and that makes for a good day.
angels81-I completely agree.
Indeed. ANY day we come closer to full rights for ALL citizens is a good day in my book!!
My bet would be that he realizes his re-election hopes hang on an economy that could implode at any moment. In that environment, maybe it would help if he at least pretended to be for the things that some of his more assertive constituents want.
My guess is that this particular position of his will go the way of the public option starting the day after election day, but at least the leader of one major party in America is ready to say he’s for equal rights. That’s something.
We know his colors. He has shown them time and again.
One example
Obama Endorses Gay Marriage—Kinda. Now What?
Are we supposed to believe that a control freak like Obama just let Biden go out there and say something that was polar opposite to the president’s position and not know anything about it? I think the whole thing was a set up. The money hasn’t been coming in the way it did in ’08 and many of the bundler’s are gay…Hmm…let me think.