Kerry's signals on gay marriage mixed - AP

[question everything]

WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry, who opposes gay marriage and hints that he might support a limited ban, just two years ago signed a letter with other congressional colleagues urging the Massachusetts Legislature to drop a constitutional amendment outlawing homosexual nuptials.

And when Kerry opposed federal legislation in 1996 that defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman, he compared the law to 1960s efforts in the South to criminalize interracial marriages and accused its supporters of engaging in the "politics of division."

(snip)

A Kerry campaign official said yesterday that the candidate consistently has opposed gay marriage while also rejecting legislation, like the 2002 amendment, that he believed jeopardized the civil rights and recognition of gay relationships because it was too broadly worded.

(snip)

The emergence of gay marriage as an issue has placed several candidates – including Howard Dean, who signed a civil-unions bill during his Vermont governorship – in a delicate balancing act of trying to avoid looking bigoted while placating heterosexual and religious voters.

The White House yesterday refused to commit President Bush to supporting a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages, although conservative leaders said they have received high-level assurances he will take the step.

(snip)

Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/thu/news/news_1n12kerry.html

[bigwillq]

1. Kerry has too be careful on this issue right now

It's just part of the game now that it looks like he's heading towards the nom. When he gets elected he might change his tune

[JPace]

2. This will be a very difficult problem for Kerry....

I hope his team can navigate through this carefully.
Middle America is not ready for gay marraige...maybe
someday but not now.

[bigwillq]

4. Gay marriage shouldn't be a major issue of the election

It's a state matter but I don't think the current administration is doing a good job of regulating the situation. When one of your states is trying to pass a law to outlaw discrimination I wish the administration would try and be a little supportive

[DuctapeFatwa]

3. I'm not sure the silver tongue will help him (or any of them) on this one

While it is expected that his supporters will winknudge the theocrats and equal protection opponents, you know he's with you, then turn around and winknudge their pro-constitution secular neighbors, hey he voted against gay-bashing, he's pals with Jane Fonda!, because the issue of equal protection under the law, or not, of theocracy or secular state, is so fundamental, so clear-cut and unforgiving of even the most skilled manipulators of language and the smoothest political operators, painful though it will be, all the candidates, bush included, will have to cast their lots and take their knocks.

[xxqqqzme]

5. kerry will waffle

that's what the DLC wants. Abandon social issues cuz bogeymans coming at cha!

[MsUnderstood]

6. The signals are not mixed

from the same article

"John Kerry favors civil unions, not gay marriage. It's that simple," he said.

Remember, Kerry voted against DOMA. He is one of those who feel like America doesn't want to taint the word marriage so the solution is to use words like 'civil union'

Don't punish Kerry on this--he is singing the same song as the other democrats and he isn't trying to push a Constituional amendment (like Bush).

[DuctapeFatwa]

7. What other groups should be denied Equal Protection under the law?

There seems to be a strong bipartisan push to establish a precedent for this at the constitutional level.

Or do you think it is religion-driven? Are bush and the Dem candidates also united on making the US a theocracy?