Obama statement on Iowa equal marriage victory

[Maven]

"The President respects the decision of the Iowa Supreme Court, and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage. Although President Obama supports civil unions rather than same-sex marriage, he believes that committed gay and lesbian couples should receive equal rights under the law."

Meh. What a "fierce advocate."

[Name removed]

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[Tim01]

2. His strongly luke warm support.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Which he unenthusiastically provides only when heavily pressed

Change I can believe in, because I was never deluded into believing things would be otherwise with him.

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. If you support "civil unions," you DO NOT support equal rights under the law

Civil unions, domestic partnerships and the like offer only a tiny fraction of the many rights, protections and priviledges that come with marriage. There is no possible way you can spin this otherwise.

If you support civil unions rather than marriage, then you are flat-out lying when you say that gay people should receive equal rights under the law. This is exactly the same than claiming that you support segregation but believe that blacks should receive equal rights under the law.

[Shoush]

48. EXACTLY! there is no legal definition of "civil union"

Over a thousand rights are part-and-parcel of the legal marriage contract (religious marriage has its own set of strings attached); creating a new institution known as a "civil union" would require an inordinate amount of time dedicated to passing new legislation outlining exactly what citizens are entitled to when they enter a "civil union". It's ignorant obfuscation to say you support equal rights AND are an advocate for civil unions. Dividing the partnerships of US citizens into two categories - (heterosexual) "marriages" and (homosexual) "civil unions" - is SEGREGATION. :grr:

[cali]

5. oh, puke.

he could have just said that he respected the decision blah blah blah and that he believes states should make their own decisions, without the crap about how he supports civil unions.

[QC]

39. Well, he can't pass up a chance to suck up to the fundies, you know.

It's weird how he insists on doing that. They will never support him, yet he has this desperate need to make them love him.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. When places such as Iowa

start making people such as Obama look backward and stuck in the last century, we know that times are changing.
The President is nothing but self serving when he claims to support equal rights under unequal laws. Sorry but he's not an advocate of anything but religionist discrimination against minorities. He needs to own up to what he is, for one can not both fight our equality at every turn and claim also to support.

[PeaceNikki]

7. Ugh!!

Why oh WHY are Democrats STILL letting the religious right frame their positions on this issue!?

Civil unions, my ass. Equal rights. For all.

[t0dd]

8. .

I'm glad he "respects" this victory. He should congratulate us. When will the day come that the democratic party is ran by someone with a backbone.. who can distinguish right from wrong? Don't worry haters! President Obama still supports civil unions. That way miscreants like Governor Douglas can use Obama to justify their bigotry

[Maven]

9. Exactly - He gave a statement about Iowa that works *against* us in VT

[bluedawg12]

31. No kidding, just a reminder that HE would keep us in our place.

Screwing us over with that message to the Dem base. Thank you so very much for that stab in the front. :sarcasm:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. we have to work harder in 2016 to get a real progressive elected.

[bluedawg12]

11. Maven do you have a link before I jump all over this statement?

Because if it's true it is very UNhelpful.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

12. ...

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid77464.asp

[Maven]

13. It was posted at The Advocate

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid77464.asp

Look at some of the comments. :grr:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

14. i like this one a lot

"What is it Obama's buddy said, "A nation of cowards". When it comes to equality, that includes our Mr. President. Coward. "

[bluedawg12]

27. Thanks for the link. That statement was a gratuitous slap in the face.

Unfracking believable. :grr:

[bigwillq]

15. Not good enough, Mr. President.

:mad:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

16. i am going to hide this thread. its ruining my VT buzz!

kisses to you though

[Ian David]

17. What do you think McCain would have said ?

Remember the day that Massachusetts passed Marriage Equality?

Remember what Bush said and did?

[Starry Messenger]

19. ...

Somehow, "We're slightly better than the Republicans!" is not as resounding as "Yes We Can!" Obama could have been more enthusiastic. We're watching history being made here. I like and voted for the guy twice, but he is certainly NOT leading a fierce advocacy in this issue.

[Ian David]

20. No, he's not. That is why YOU should. n/t

[Starry Messenger]

21. Ok....

Whatevs. Most people in here are activists for these causes and also know that the Republicans are crap. Just sayin'.

[roughsatori]

25. You use McCain as a barometer for measuring Obama's ambivalence to Equal-Rights for all.

:wtf:

[bluedawg12]

28. Since I didn't VOTE for him, I don't give damn.

I didn't expect the man I voted for to actually step in the way of a victory, however.

[Solon]

30. Well, he probably would have said, more or less, the same thing...

He opposes a federal Marriage Amendment, and believes its a state issue. But he also opposes civil unions, which is what makes him much worse than Obama.

[bluedawg12]

32. *Snort* On 2 out of 3 of those they align. Sadly, I might add.

Then there is that nod to CU's shoved down our collective consciousness, no matter how hard we speak up for marriage equality.

[Name removed]

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[Zuiderelle]

22. Fucker. I don't care anymore what he says on this subject. Good thing it's not up to him.

[Duncan Grant]

23. A true visionary and leader.

That quote should be chiseled into the facade of the future Obama Presidential Library. Wow, that guy is amazing.

[keepCAblue]

24. but, but...Obama was FOR gay marriage before he was against it.

Too bad he's no longer his own man, no longer thinks for himself, nor can he even write his own propaganda.

Fuck you, Obama, and all the political/corporate whores who own you.

[mitchtv]

26. Gee, thanks for nothing

I never thought to expect any more from this loser. Why couldn't the asshole just say "good for you, congratulations"

[bluedawg12]

29. Stuffing victory into the jaws of defeat on OUR behalf. Thank you for nada.

:sarcasm:

[Runcible Spoon]

33. What a fucking cowardly response.

He could've just said something generic about being pleased that civil rights were being recognized, even if he just pushes it off his own agenda. But no, he gives us this crap.

[bluedawg12]

34. Is he still campaigning, or is it the temerity of the Court to surpass his agenda for us?

It is mind boggling. You said it just exactly right. He could have just congratulated the GLBT community on an important victory.

I guess society is moving more rapidly than his carefully planned agenda for us.

[Runcible Spoon]

35. That's OK. At least there will be Easter Eggs from him!

:puke: Take a peek in GD: P.

[dbackjon]

44. Yes

And any post in that thread that could be conceived as anti-obama was immediately deleted.

[LostinVA]

36. Just when I think Obama can't get any more.... ugh

[Boomerang Diddle]

37. Some observations on this "statement."

1) It is not a statement from the president, which should be obvious from the get-go.

2) I have searched the internet and have not been able to find any credible source for this quote beyond a few blogs.

3) The Advocate claims this statement is from "a White House spokesperson" yet apparently this "White House spokesperson" does not have a name.

4) This statement from this anonymous "White House spokesperson" appears nowhere on the official White House web site.

5) Did anyone think about any of this before throwing a fit?

[ruggerson]

38. It was a press release from the WH

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0409/White_House_responds_to_Iowa.html

[QC]

43. D'oh! n/t

[Shoush]

49. the first release left out the word "equal" before "protection"

Ben Smith posted the original release which left out the word "equal" before the phrase "protection under the law." So, for a moment there, PrezO only supported half ass-ed protection, as opposed to "equal protection". From the blog:

"...Although President Obama supports civil unions rather than same-sex marriage, he believes that committed gay and lesbian couples should receive protection under the law."
Advocates note the word "equal" is absent.
UPDATE: Nevermind. A corrected White House comment adds "equal." :dunce:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0409/White_House_responds_to_Iowa.html

[friedgreentomatoes]

41. Ok!

Let's wait and see if that press release is retracted and Obama comes himself and says something else, like, you know... that he is all for gay marriage.

I am not holding my breath, and you shouldn't either.

[mwei924]

40. Not surprising though.

That's pretty much the position held by most major figures in the party.

I have no doubt that Obama really does support gay marriage-- there's really no reason why he would truly reverse his personal beliefs from 1996 to now. It's just unfortunate that he's dug himself into a hole on this issue now. He could've been the perfect leader on this--being a product of an interracial marriage that was illegal in most states at the time. But he's obviously forfeited that.

[cboy4]

42. In other words, he's disappointed.

:eyes:

[friedgreentomatoes]

45. he is OR he has? n/t

[Politicub]

46. Would have been great if he had just said "congratulations"

But I'll take bits of progress no matter where they come from. Civil unions in this country would be a great leap forward. Though civil unions aren't equivalent to marriage, they are better than nothing on our journey to full equality.

[Name removed]

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[Duncan Grant]

50. Kick: I won't forget the content of the deleted subthreads. (nt)

:kick:

[QC]

51. Amen. n/t

[Runcible Spoon]

52. Nor will I.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

53. Nor will I

[Duncan Grant]

59. Kick: I still remember the content of the deleted subthreads. (nt)

[litlady]

54. What the hell is wrong with the Democratic Party?

I am a lifelong Democrat and I just wish everyone would step up and embrace equality. Saying civil unions only is like saying I believe in separate but equal races. I don't care if its called marriage or civil union but there should only be one type of union available under law. Religions can do whatever they want, but the law is meant to protect all the people, not deny them over 1000 marriage rights.

[closeupready]

55. Cowardice.

n/t

[Runcible Spoon]

56. Thanks for weighing in litlady.

You get it, I wish more people did.

[HillWilliam]

57. 'S'Cuzzzze me, Mr President, but the state DID make its own decision

when its constitution was put together and ratified. The Iowa Supreme Court just UPHELD it. Nothing was forced upon the people of Iowa that they weren't living with under their own approval already. Their equal protection clause was there before and after the Supreme Court's opinion that equal protection meant, you know, "equal".

So, fuck your response, fuck the Iowa governor's shit-stirring, and fuck the whining from the right. Oh, and fuck Tony Perkins for his interference, too.

With someone else's dick.

The law wasn't changed, nor was the law any different from one day to the next. It was simply upheld equally, and by their own Supreme Court.

"Make their own decisions", my fruit-flavored arse. :grr:

[Jamastiene]

58. I don't know if I can contain myself in the face of that

"fierce" advocacy. He must have broken a sweat with all the effort he put into making that statement. :eyes: