Kerry response to Bush on same-sex marriage amendment

[lcooksey]

A pretty clear stand on the issue.

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2004_0224b.html

“I believe President Bush is wrong. All Americans should be concerned when a President who is in political trouble tries to tamper with the Constitution of the United States at the start of his reelection campaign.

“This President can’t talk about jobs. He can’t talk about health care. He can’t talk about a foreign policy, which has driven away allies and weakened the United States, so he is looking for a wedge issue to divide the American people.

“While I believe marriage is between a man and a woman, for 200 years, this has been a state issue. I oppose this election year effort to amend the Constitution in an area that each state can adequately address, and I will vote against such an amendment if it comes to the Senate floor.

“I believe the best way to protect gays and lesbians is through civil unions. I believe the issue of marriage should be left to the states, and that the President of the United States should be addressing the central challenges where he has failed – jobs, health care, and our leadership in the world rather than once again seeking to drive a wedge by toying with the United States Constitution for political purposes.”

[BigBigBear]

1. Nice response

Subtle confirmation Bush is frantically trying to reclaim his base - that should be obvious to anyone paying attention.

[blm]

15. Yep...just like the Flag-burning Amendment circa 1988 for his daddy.

Much easier to demagogue flag burning than explain the S&L's, BCCI, IranContra and illegal wars in Central America.

Typical.

[Loonman]

2. Reasonable

State's Rights is what the wingnuts say they respect the most.

That's a lie, though, Repubs have no respect for state's rights.

[Faygo Kid]

6. Agreed. A good response by Kerry; glad you mentioned state's rights

"State's rights" only exists to the Rethugs when they can advance their wealthy friends, or tell the rest of us what to do. Stay focused, Sen. Kerry, stay focused - as you have done here. Rove will thrash about for whatever works, until he finds it - if he finds it (besides Diebold).

[molly]

3. I believe people who are in love should be allowed

to marry. If they are purple and pink, black and white, man and woman, woman and woman, or man and man. There are many gay and lesbian couples who make a home for many unwanted children.

Let me also say - this is Bush's way into changing the entire constitution. We need to stop him.

[NewJeffCT]

12. I agree

But, I think the American people need to be brought around slowly on gay marriage - yes, it is unfair to an older gay couple that has been together for years. It will take time for the more close-minded folks to accept this and a lot of education for the not so close minded types to deal with it.

[vi5]

4. Good response and I'm glad he was quick about it....

One of the things I worried about was his tendency to wait and to come out with measured, too ponderous responses to issues and attacks.

This came out quickly and it is to the point.

Nice work, Sen. Kerry. You are giving me hope.

[Sophree]

8. He does know how to cut straight to the matter,

doesn't he? A President in political trouble trying to tamper with the Constitution. Kerry sure does know how to fight, too! i love it.

[yellowcanine]

5. Woo hoo - I am sure Karl Rove's panties just tightened up a little

Kerry must have had this response "in the can" and ready to go because he got it just right. Bring it on pretzel boy. This is shaping up as another bad week for Bush. First the stupid Rod Paige remark about the NEA being terrorists and now the marriage amendment backlash.

[Beetwasher]

7. A Good Reasonable Response

Love this part about "Americans should be concerned when a president in political trouble..." That's a terrific way to frame it!

[calimary]

10. Absolutely! I LOVED that little insinuation. It's certainly true.

Make sure you call your congressperson about this. See my fresh, new signature line just below for more...

[Skidmore]

9. Will the Log Cabin come crashing down finally over

this blatant assault on civil rights? Or will conservative gays continue to hide in it.

[lcooksey]

14. Log Cabin Political Director said no endorsement for Bush

Mark Mead was on a Washington Post chat yesterday, but they don't have the transcript up yet. The chat link is
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58401-2004Feb20.html

He said that if Bush backed a Constitutional amendment they would not endorse him. But they would not endorse any Democratic candidate in the race, either.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

16. If that's "Log Cabin Republicans" then

their head was on the BBC today attacking Bush's plans (& also saying that it was like groundhog day with Bush Sr. Apparently Log Cabin guy worked on the 1992 campaign & watched it get derailed by Robertson & the religious right. He predicted that if Bush pushes this then Bush will lose in November.

(who are the Log Cabin Republicans? never heard of them before)

[calimary]

17. It's an organized group of gay republicans.

An attempt, I believe, to prove that the late and NOT great Lee Atwater's phony claim of a "big tent" in the republi-CON party was truthful. Just incomprehensible baloney, in my opinion. How can anybody who's gay EVER vote for The Party of Pharisees? How can anyone who's a minority of any kind vote for The Party of Pirates and Profiteers? How can anybody female possibly vote for The Party of the Bodysnatchers? JUST ABSOLUTELY BEYOND ME.

The Log Cabin people are the ones to whom other republi-CONS always point, to prove that they like non-mainstreamers, too. They haul 'em out every so often, or one of them gets onto talk shows every so often, to show that there is a "kinder, gentler side" of the republi-CON party. They are pro-capitalist, and that's what they usually fall back on - all that crap about the GOP being the party of fiscal responsibility and sound business and "rising tide raises all boats" Arthur Laffer crap. They are also, in my opinion, self-delusional.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

19. Thnks! (I feel the same way about the Tories over here!)

(But to be fair to Log Cabin guy (on the Beeb anyway) he totally destroyed the woman from the Heritage Foundation in the debate they had)

[Blue_Roses]

11. Wedge issue pure and simple

Kerry's spot on. Bush has nothing to run on and this definitely appeals to his base. Nothing but a wedge issue

[Oilwellian]

13. Kerry hit the nail on the head

The White House press conference today was predominately about Bush's amendment proposal. It's an obvious ploy to prevent the nation's focus from remaining on the issues that are actually affecting our lives.

[adriennel]

18. the issue can't be left to the states

this is a really dumb thing for Kerry to say (not that I'm surprised).

Heterosexual couples are considered "married" in all states. So why are the Dems promoting separate but equal? Not enough conviction for equal rights.

[seabeyond]

20. kerry made a boo boo

he said an amendment is ok as long as it included that there could be civil unions between gays..........NO AMENDMENTS......that is the issue, no bush doesnt get to mess with constitution, i dont want his paw prints on it. all need to say a flat out no missing around no to any kind of amendment

[sangh0]

21. You also made a boo-boo

You seem to have assumed that there's a possibility the Repukes would allow a Constitutional Amendment that enshrines the rights of homosexuals to pass.

It will never happen, my friend.

[Moderator]

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