Marveling at swift and steady # of reversals closely following Prez's flip on marriage equality

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tweeted by Josh Kraushaar ?@HotlineJosh 2m

Delaware Sen. Tom Carper just announced he's switching to support gay marriage on Facebook page. And then there were 7 (h/t @mikecatalini)


. . . I know the election and the recent court action is likely driving the latest conversions by politicians, but it's worth noting that Barack Obama's pre-election reversal of opinion served as a beacon for a remarkable number of politicians (and others) like him who have since recanted their earlier antipathy toward gays and lesbians marrying.

[The Link]

1. Props to Joe Biden for leading the President on this issue.

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2. Joe just might have forced the President's hand with his own outspokenness

. . . I wouldn't have expected that statement by Pres. Obama at that time. it was either political ass-covering, or a profile in political courage; or both.

[Capt. Obvious]

3. It's great they got out there before public opinion polls reached a plurality

It showed leadership.

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5. I haven't heard one of them claim they showed 'leadership' in their switch

. . .not the principals or their supporters.

It makes sense to point out their political cravenness, but I'm not sure what point there is in throwing it out here as a strawman. Is there any value in politicians reversing their positions on gay marriage? That's the important consideration. The rest is for some political campaign.

[Capt. Obvious]

7. Profiles in courage is what it is

Strawman? Hardly.
In response to this claim that people flipping to support of equality is due to the President's flip.
Both are due to public evolving on the issue and polls reflecting that.

Is there any value? Yes. Being on the right side of history.. eventually. There will be no dinner at the Kennedy Library for them though.

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8. well, certainly the folks affected and their supporters deserve ultimate credit

. . . for moving the politics.

I do think there's value in reflecting on the political (and certainly some social) effect that followed a principled stand from the person at the top of the political tree. As in business, it takes setting an example from the head of a company to inspire the associates to adopt good practices and to inspire folks to emulate the same.

Fact is, President Obama took the first major political risk (at least among his fellow objectors) and came out intact and even energized by the response from voters to that support he offered for marriage equality. That success has undoubtedly inspired other Democrats to take the plunge, and, they certainly hope, to reap the political benefits (whatever they are) of their reversal of opinion. No way to quantify all of that, but I'm convinced of the political cover the president provided with his pre-election stance. I didn't see it as a sure bet at the time that it would be a political benefit. Who knew, after decades of consequences from conservative voters?

Still, you make a good point about the public support, which has been steadily increasing with little noticeable effect from the President's announcement, except in the margins of snapshot polls at the time.


wiki:

A May 10 USA Today/Gallup Poll, taken one day after Barack Obama became the first sitting President to express support for same-sex marriage,[21] showed 51% of Americans agreed with the President's endorsement, while 45% disagreed.[22] A May 8 Gallup Poll showed plurality support for same-sex marriage nationwide, with 50% in favor and 48% opposed . . .

A November 7–11 ABC News/Washington Post poll found 51% of respondents support same-sex marriage while 47% are opposed . . .

[Fumesucker]

4. It's much better to have "flipped" to the concept of equality than to have always been a supporter

Evidently God changes His mind from time to time, like He told Abraham "Hey, just kidding."

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6. of course, no one has been petitioning for these politicians to change their positions

. . . they must have been informed that doing so would have no value at all outside of making them a political target. No value at all . . . right?

[SharonAnn]

9. Cue, "The Prodigal Son".

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10. hey

. . . there's enough fatted calf for everyone.