Obama’s “Gay For Pay” Moment
Predictably, the mainstream media is characterizing Obama’s endorsement of gay marriage as an “evolution” of his position. Actually, it is nothing remotely so noble, and instead a good deal more crass. From Politico, via Dan Spencer:
Many are reporting that this is the first time Obama has admitted his support for gay marriage. That is incorrect. During his 1996 run for Illinois state Senate, Obama admitted his support for gay marriage in a written response to a questionnaire from Chicago’s gay newspaper Outlines:
“I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages.”
Since then, and until today’s admission Obama has been, well, nuanced. In true John Kerry fashion:
• President Obama was for gay marriage [1996].
• Before he was undecided [1998].
• Before he was “not a supporter of gay marriage” [2004].
• Before he was reminded to “remain” open to the possibility that his “unwillingness to support gay marriage is misguided” [2006].
• Before he decided that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman [April 2008].
• Before he was not in favor of gay marriage [November 2008].
• Before he was for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act [2009].
• Before he admitted to an evolving attitude toward same-sex marriage [2010].
• Before, at least for now, he was again for it.
Meanwhile, from Erick Erickson at Red State:
If you listen to Barack Obama’s statement to ABC News yesterday you’ll hear something not reflected in all the transcripts that went out yesterday. He said his administration gave up the legal fight to defend the Defense Against Marriage Act. It’s actually the Defense Of Marriage Act.
Obama claimed DOMA made marriage a federal issue and it should be a state issue. That’s a gross mischaracterization of DOMA, but for now that’s besides the point. Two days after major gay donors said they’d withhold funding from his campaign and one day before his swank $40,000.00 a person fundraiser with George Clooney, Barack Obama publicly reversed course on gay marriage. The Washington Free Beacon headline says it all: Gay For Pay.
There is no high-minded principle at work here. Only political expediency… and the promise of campaign cash.
Tags: Barack Obama, election 2012
