Revisionnism at bloomberg? Incredible.

[Mass]

Kerry never supported the constitutional amendment.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aIDFGCsTvv7Y&refer=top_world_news

On Feb. 24, 2004, as his re-election campaign was getting underway, Bush called for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, a position also taken by his 2004 opponent, Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts.

[demdiva]

1. Huh????

I've heard several times that Bill Clinton told Kerry he could win if only he'd support this amendment, and, "to his credit", he wouldn't do it. Even though Kerry is a devout catholic, he would never enforce his personal religious beliefs on others.

[Mass]

2. My guess is that they are referring to the Mass. Constitutional Amendment

that would have instituted marriages without the name (ban marriage but create civil unions with full rights).

While I disagree that this is a good solution, it is certainly not even close to what Bush wants: a federal constitutional amendment.

[demdiva]

3. I don't think it's a horrible solution

Most homosexuals I know would actually prefer to have civil unions instead of gay marriage ... I know this is probably not the case everywhere ... but I happen to know a lot of gay republicans.

[karynnj]

4. But that is totally not the same thing

[demdiva]

6. Oh totally not...

[blm]

5. Alert Media Matters that Bloomberg is outright lying on this.

.

[ProSense]

7. This is the tactic

they use to validate Bush, even if it means lying about Kerry's position!

[demdiva]

8. Oh I can't believe the Republicans would ever lie ;)

:sarcasm:

[TayTay]

9. Sen. Kerry voted NAY on the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996

See it for yourself at the Senate's official site:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=104&session=2&vote=00280

This was a gutsy move. Kerry is from an overwhelmingly Catholic state and his vote was used against him in the campaign against William Weld that year.

Globe article from that time:

GAY GROUPS LEND THEIR SUPPORT TO KERRY
Author(s): Don Aucoin, Globe Staff Date: October 10, 1996 Page: B16 Section: Metro
Several state and national organizations representing gay voters yesterday endorsed Sen. John F. Kerry in his reelection battle with Gov. William F. Weld.

"John Kerry has been there from the beginning for our community," said Gary Daffin, cochairman of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. "He has been committed and loyal. Activists said Kerry has consistently supported gay rights measures. They cited the senator's vote last month for a measure to outlaw discrimination in the workplace against gay people and his vote against the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which allows states to withhold legal recognition of gay marriages. Kerry was one of only 14 senators to vote against the bill even though he has said he is opposed to gay marriage.

Dena Lebowitz, chairwoman of the Lesbian & Gay Political Alliance of Massachusetts, which endorsed Weld for governor in 1990 and 1994, said that this time around, "We will do everything we can to help hold on to his seat."

While leaders of the organizations acknowledged that Weld has a strong record on issues of concern to the gay community, they fear that, as a Republican, he would line up with GOP congressional leaders they described as hostile to gay rights.

Also endorsing Kerry was the Gay & Lesbian Labor Activist Network. The organizations also endorsed some Democratic congressional candidates, including US Rep. John D. Olver of Amherst in the 1st District and challengers Jim McGovern in the 3d District, John Tierney in the 6th District and William D. Delahunt in the 10th District.

Also yesterday, Springfield Mayor Michael Albano, a Democrat, endorsed Kerry, and Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella, an independent, sided with Weld.

The moronic kerfuffle about Kerry not supporting Gay Marriage came from an article in the Boston Globe last April in which the Senator was asked about a plank in the Mass Dem platform in '05 that the State Democratic Convention would take up at the May meeting. Kerry said that he didn't personally back Gay Marriage, which was exactly what he said in the October debates with Bush in front of an audience of millions of people. Kerry also said that he would do NOTHING to stop the measure from going through at the convention. NOTHING. I attended that convention. I saw and spoke to a Kerry staffer. There was no agenda to even so much as speak about the platform plank. The Globe did a drive-by hit on Kerry with that piece. Here is the article:

DEMOCRATS' PLATFORM SHOULDN'T BACK GAY MARRIAGE, KERRY SAYS
Author(s): Rick Klein GLOBE STAFF Date: May 6, 2005 Page: B1 Section: Metro/Region
BATON ROUGE, La. - US Senator John F. Kerry said yesterday that he believes it's a mistake for the Massachusetts Democratic Party to include a plank in its official platform in support of same-sex marriage, saying that such a statement does not conform with the broad views of party members.

Kerry, who opposes same-sex marriage but supports civil unions, said in an interview with the Globe that he would prefer that the party not mention gay marriage in its platform, because Democrats continue to disagree on how to handle the issue. "I'm opposed to it being in a platform. I think it's a mistake," Kerry said shortly after hosting a forum on his universal children's healthcare bill in Baton Rouge. "I think it's the wrong thing, and I'm not sure it reflects the broad view of the Democratic Party in our state."

Some analysts believe that the same-sex marriage issue contributed to Kerry's loss to President Bush in last year's presidential campaign. Kerry's position puts him at odds with the state Democratic Party chairman and his fellow Bay State senator, Edward M. Kennedy, who is scheduled to address the party convention next weekend.

Kerry said he does not plan to attend this year's state Democratic convention or to lobby against the same-sex marriage plank. He said he has not been closely monitoring debate over the state party platform.

The state party chairman, Philip W. Johnston, said Kerry's opposition will not affect the party's decision to support of same-sex marriage. When the party meets next Saturday in Lowell, he said, the platform is on track to be approved as it stands.

"I have great affection and respect for John, but I disagree on this issue," Johnston said. "It is important that the state Democratic Party support civil rights. We need to take a stand."

Kennedy said through a spokeswoman that he backs inclusion of a statement in support of same-sex marriage in the platform. Kennedy is up for reelection next year and has strongly supported same-sex marriage, which has been legal in Massachusetts since May 2004, after a Supreme Judicial Court ruling.

Kerry's US Senate seat is up in 2008, and he has also left the door open to a second run for the White House. He wrestled with the same-sex marriage issue through much of his presidential campaign last year, with Republicans making much of the fact that his home state is the only one in the country where same-sex couples can wed.

Kerry came out against the Bush-supported federal constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage, saying that individual states should be allowed to settle the issue on their own. But Kerry has also said that he personally opposes it.

"I'm opposed to gay marriage," Kerry said yesterday, reiterating past statements. "I support partnerships and civil unions."

Party platforms do not bind any candidates to particular policy positions, but they are often cited as guideposts intended to reflect the consensus of party members. The state Democratic Party's platform tends to tilt to the left, a result of the liberal leanings of party activists and convention attendees.

After holding more than two-dozen meetings across the state, the state Democratic Party's platform committee recommended having the Massachusetts party endorse same-sex marriage.

"We affirm our commitment to the Massachusetts constitutional guarantee to same-sex marriage and all of its rights, privileges, and obligations and reject any attempt to weaken or revoke those rights," the plank reads.

The language can be amended by a majority vote of the approximately 3,000 delegates who are slated to convene next weekend at the Paul E. Tsongas Arena in Lowell. Johnston said he does not expect an effort to strip the platform of the same-sex marriage statement.

Johnston said he disagrees with Kerry's assessment of the extent of support same-sex marriage enjoys among Massachusetts Democrats. He cited a March Globe poll that found that 71 percent of Democrats believe that same-sex marriage should be allowed.

The same poll found 35 percent support for same-sex marriage among Republicans, 53 percent support among independents, and a 56 percent approval rating overall. Johnston said that while he realizes the national view of same-sex marriage is substantially different, Massachusetts Democrats can do well at the polls by contrasting their support for gay marriage with Governor Mitt Romney's opposition.

"Most residents of the state view this as a fundamental civil right for gay and lesbian citizens," Johnston said.

Marty Rouse, campaign director for MassEquality, which supports same-sex marriage, expressed disappointment in Kerry's position and said the senator is out of step with the majority in his own state.

"We wish his views better reflected the values of fairness and equality that the people of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Democratic Party stand for," Rouse said. "Both in our personal experience and in our recent polling, we know that Massachusetts voters are very comfortable with marriage equality."

Under a deal brokered in part by Democratic leadership in the Senate, the Legislature voted last year to replace same-sex marriage with civil unions. That measure, however, must be approved again by the Legislature and then in a statewide vote next year before it can take effect.

[Mass]

10. Was it addressed to Bloomberg or to me?

Nobody is talking about DOMA. We are talking about the baseless affirmation Bloomberg is making that Kerry and Bush have the same position on the issue (Marriage amendment).

[TayTay]

11. And this is why it's baseless

There is a long history of Kerry supporting civil rights for gays. He is not the same as Bush. Here is proof going way back.

[wisteria]

12. Distortions and lies, why do they continue to do this to him?

It is always being done on issues that have the potential to create trouble.