Martin O'Malley Takes Shot At Clinton Over Gay Marriage And Immigration

[Purveyor]

‘I’m glad Secretary Clinton’s come around to the right positions on these issues,’ top potential challenger says in response to Guardian question

Nicky Woolf in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Ben Jacobs in Washington
Thursday 16 April 2015 19.44 EDT

Hillary Clinton’s top potential challenger for the Democratic presidential nomination has taken his most direct policy shots at the former secretary of state since her campaign for the White House began, calling out Clinton by name for what he all but called a flip-flop on marriage equality and immigration reform.

Former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, at his first public event following Clinton’s campaign announcement on Sunday, also endorsed a national $15 minimum wage – the only major potential candidate for US president to do so.

O’Malley has treaded lightly before officially declaring a run for president himself, with carefully prepared answers and the release of a video on Wednesday that indirectly alluded to Clinton’s evolution on same-sex marriage just hours earlier. Since Clinton hit the campaign trail, he had avoided mentioning her by name.
Hillary Clinton: an empire of progressives strikes back
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But in response to a question from the Guardian at an event at Harvard University on Thursday, asking for his response to Clinton’s updating of her positions on both marriage as a federal right and driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants in the days following her high-profile announcement on Sunday, O’Malley pressed harder.

“I’m glad Secretary Clinton’s come around to the right positions on these issues,” O’Malley told the Guardian during the forum at Harvard’s Institute of Politics. “I believe that we are best as a party when we lead with our principles and not according to the polls.

more...

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/16/martin-omalley-hillary-clinton-gay-marriage-immigration-reform

[DFW]

1. This is NOT the kind of primary discussion that will help us

Rather than give Republicans cheap shots to replay ad nauseam once the primaries are done ("and we are just quoting other Democrats!!&quot , tell us about what's good about YOU, Governor.

If we want to hear digs at Democrats, we can always turn on Fox Noise.

[cali]

4. primary fights are about distinguishing yourself from your opponents-

and lord knows HRC certainly took shots against Obama as he did against her.

It's standard.

[DFW]

5. I know it's standard. We need a new standard

Leave the negative crap to the Republicans.

If Hillary hasn't grown up from her potshot-taking of 2008, then she's no better.

ALL our candidates should articulate the positions that they think qualify them for the presidency, and stake out positions that distinguish them from their opponents. Just tearing the opposition down qualifies them for an anchor position with Fox Noise. Different job, different set of skills.

[onehandle]

2. Martin O'Malley endorses Hillary Clinton for president, May 2007

[Admiral Loinpresser]

3. Maybe at that time in 2007

he, like many, perceived her to be the presumptive nominee, not realizing a relative unknown would beat her in Iowa.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. In 2007 Hillary and Obama were BOTH opposed to marriage equality, O'Malley sure as shit did not

talk about that then, when he could have, should have and when the entire LGBT movement was pleading with Democrats everywhere to stand up and say something positive about us. Obama's campaign used anti gay hate preachers, all the way to the Inauguration. I do not recall O'Malley issuing any objections to that, much less organizing any opposition to any of those insults.
When a person fails to stand up for others when they are needed, and later makes use of the issues they failed to take a stand on as a device to enhance their own political standing that person is being exploitative of the issues and of the people they failed to stand up for when it mattered. Where was Martin's dedication to equality in 2007/2008? Why did his endorsement of Hillary then lack pointed commentary about her views on marriage equality?

[Admiral Loinpresser]

7. I was being ironic directly above, I will change tone here.

You make a fair point. Equality for LGBT people has been slow and hard fought.

Without trying to be defensive, I will appeal to your sense of real politik. When endorsing someone, a politician does not normally criticize the positions of the endorsee for obvious reasons.

As to O'Malley's record, I believe it is better than either Obama or HRC. In his second term he promoted and signed into law a marriage equality law in Maryland. This was one of the first passed in the nation, I believe. So I think he has a pretty good record.

[geek tragedy]

8. pretty weak tea. nt