Sbdolan: Sigh, why not before the NC deal?

On the electoral college, the typically non gay friendly places (I'm looking at you Texas) will ALWAYS vote Republican, even if Obama didn't change much from the Bush regime. However Florida, a very gay friendly state, is worth 29 votes and is typically a swing state. It's actually kind of a smart move. The entire bible belt isn't going to vote for Obama, so with one ballsy move, Obama can potentially nab Florida,Pennsylvania and Nevada.

Barack Obama
Born on a Monday
Marry Michelle on a Tuesday
Endorse gays on Wednesday
Divorce Michelle on Thurday
Marry Biden on Friday
Died on Saturday
Buried on Sunday
And that was the end
of Barack Obama

/Sadley, Grundy wouldn't be too terrible fo a republican candidate

Wow. Only a couple decades behind Dick Cheney. I hear in June he's going to learn the pledge of allegiance.

Is saying "Color Me Surprised" a racist statement.

that bosnian sniper: Close2TheEdge: How? The rabid right that oppose gay marriage won't vote for him anyway. Most Democrats support him, and this may be enough to sway the hardcore liberals to come back to the fold.

So that leaves Independents. And poll after poll show at best, indifference to the issue at best. All Obama has to say is, "I personally support gay marriage, but it is up to states at this time to decide the issue."

Yup, Obama has very little to lose from this move if he takes it. The virulently right is already going to go to the polls in November; this move isn't going to motivate them to get out the vote any more than they already are. Rather, it may just provoke them to even higher levels of idiocy and trigger a backlash. In the meantime, this move helps to reestablish his credibility with the left and provide additional reason to mobilize in November.

Romney's already failing to court the center in order to placate the right, so Obama has very little reason to not shift leftwards since he's still occupying the center.

Obama is a master at domestic political chess (not so good on the international front). We've forgotten what a politician who takes the longer view looks like. This is what that looks like.

SlothB77: As a Romney-supporting republican, this is fantastic. This will hurt Obama tremendously in the polls.

why do you support Romney? Is it because of his stance on the lakes in Michigan in "the parts" or his love for the trees that are the right height?

SlothB77: As a Romney-supporting republican, this is fantastic. This will hurt Obama tremendously in the polls.

Yeah he was so close to winning over bigots.

Wow, thanks E2cTek for the month of TF Gift! I've done it for others but that was my first time getting TF gifted in return! Thanks!

What is the political upside? What does he gain over Romney numbers-wise with this move? There has to be some angle...

bump: I'd like to take a moment in this thread to express my love for NC.

We are not all hateful religious homophobic, bigotted zealots - most the minority of us are rational, thinking human beings. Please do not let recent political events skew the good people of NC. We are just as embarrased about the aforementioned freakshows as the rest of the nation.

You are now returned to your thread, already in progress...


The majority of voting aged people supported the Hatemendment...until them, own your bigotry.

TommieFunk: Sbdolan: Sigh, why not before the NC deal?

On the electoral college, the typically non gay friendly places (I'm looking at you Texas) will ALWAYS vote Republican, even if Obama didn't change much from the Bush regime. However Florida, a very gay friendly state, is worth 29 votes and is typically a swing state. It's actually kind of a smart move. The entire bible belt isn't going to vote for Obama, so with one ballsy move, Obama can potentially nab Florida,Pennsylvania and Nevada.

Texas will probably go purple sooner than we think.

kukukupo: LOLOL

He has this election in the bag. If he 'comes out' as pro-gay marriage he is gonna take a serious dive in the polls

/from the people who matter
//by that of course I mean those who vote


Handing an idiotic voter a ballot is like handing a toddler a loaded gun. I remember you stated that you didnt have a problem with our government spending more of our tax dollars on the failed "drug war" than they spent job creation. I'm inclined to believe people like you would also be likely to hold foolish opinions on other issues as well.

Are you for, or against, gay marriage?

netcentric: The interviewer should ask him, as a followup question, what he thinks about politicians who will say anything to get elected.....

That would be a weird thing to ask a guy who just got done taking a principled stand that most voters disagree with.

HeartBurnKid: fracto73: ModernPrimitive01: The people have spoken on whether gay marriage should be in America. Why does Obama hate state's rights?


For it to be a states rights issue DOMA would have to be repealed. As long as it is on the books there is a federal law overriding states ability to grant marriage benefits.

Technically, DOMA doesn't prevent states from recognizing same-sex marriage. It just says that states don't have to recognize same sex marriages from another state. So it's not really overriding states' rights.

It is, however, overriding the Full Faith and Credit clause of the US Constitution, which should show you something about all these "Constitutional literalists" on the right. That it hasn't been struck down yet is a travesty.

Article IV, Section 1:
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Sadly DOMA is bullshiat, but it does not fall afoul of the FF&C. Congress gets to decide what gets full faith and credit, and in DOMA they did. Pricks.

that bosnian sniper: Saturday, Obama enters into polygamist marriage with the family dog.

SLIPPERY SLOPE!

SlothB77: As a Romney-supporting republican, this is fantastic. This will hurt Obama tremendously in the polls.

Not really, most people who would be upset by his support of gay marriage probably aren't going to vote for him anyway.
Maybe the Black religious Democrats will go against him, but I doubt enough to be significant.

DirkValentine: I hope so. Civil rights should be paramount

this is all I am thinking too. this is his/our defining moment. you have to be willing to be brave in the face of such unabashed bigotry and hate.

Dinki: Obama knows that the anti-gay marriage vote is pretty much restricted to rightwing evangelicals, that wouldn't vote for Obama in a million years anyway. So coming out in support of it won't hurt him there. And it may well energize the gay/liberal/youth vote, which he really needs.

Right. It's literally win/win/win: it doesn't lose you any votes, energizes your base, and drives your opponent into a fit of apoplectic rage.

bump: I'd like to take a moment in this thread to express my love for NC.

We are not all hateful religious homophobic, bigotted zealots - most of us are rational, thinking human beings. Please do not let recent political events skew the good people of NC. We are just as embarrased about the aforementioned freakshows as the rest of the nation.

You are now returned to your thread, already in progress...

You say "most people" to bad it isn't most voters.

Wayne 985: AdolfOliverPanties: If he announces his support of SSM it will be one of the politically bravest things an up-for-reelection POTUS has ever done. It could really backfire with the religious blacks who voted for him in 2008.

I sound like Rick Romero.

Do you think it could help sway blacks in general though? Not to paint with broad strokes, but he's clearly a popular figure in America's black community. Maybe some of them will be more apt to support it if he clearly comes out in favor.

This actually. I find it very hard to believe that he will lose the minority vote for this issue.

Rev. Skarekroe: Wayne 985: Do you think it could help sway blacks in general though? Not to paint with broad strokes, but he's clearly a popular figure in America's black community. Maybe some of them will be more apt to support it if he clearly comes out in favor.

I hope so.
But in my experience, there are a lot of things poor rural whites and poor urban blacks have in common and one of those things is a deep-rooted hatred of gays. They're both a religious folk.

Would you say they "cling" to their guns & religion? lol

SubBass49: What is the political upside? What does he gain over Romney numbers-wise with this move? There has to be some angle...

Maybe he's uncovered evidence of Romney's secret gay love triangle.

/not intended to be a factual statement

DamnYankees: It would be nice if he did, but I'm not sure how he explains the waffling.

What waffling man? People can change their minds on shiat. I grew up a Republican and even into grad school was still well in their camp. It's possible for adults to come around later rather than sooner on any issue you can name. Given Obama's age, demographics and upbringing it would actually be quite unusual for him to have held a 'pro gay marriage' belief that manifested itself naturally under those circumstances.

Good for him coming around on the matter, particularly during an election year when you just know the dipshiats on downticket state legislature races in the South will be running this interview non-stop in their campaign ads from tomorrow until November.

SlothB77: As a Romney-supporting republican, this is fantastic. This will hurt Obama tremendously in the polls.

You realize a majority of Americans have supported gay marriage for two years straight now, right?

drjekel_mrhyde: It should be a state matter

Civil rights should never be a matter left up to the states to decide.

kukukupo: LOLOL

He has this election in the bag. If he 'comes out' as pro-gay marriage he is gonna take a serious dive in the polls

/from the people who matter
//by that of course I mean those who vote

Nah. Polling is about 50/50 on the issue right now (although it polls a bit worse amoungst regular voters as opposed to the population at large, as you inferred). Obama and his political team are smart-if he thought there was a chance this would cost him the election, he wouldn't do it. Plus, nationwide polling is less important here than polling in swing states (I don't know the current numbers on it amoungst voters in Ohio or Florida, for instance).

One thing this will do is help him with his base, as well as with fundraising. It might help get the occasional lefty voter to the polls this time (or stop them from voting Green), and his SuperPAC will get a few million dollar checks instantly.

If he actually does this, it will not cost him the election, guaranteed.

This will hurt Obama's chances of carrying Utah.

Corvus: Ok for everyone saying "This is a great move" in this thread how many of were not going to vote for him and now you are? Or even give to his campaign?


Because I tell you what lots of independent voters or even some black and Hispanic voters are not going to vote for him if he says he supports gay marriage.

Also what will it actually accomplish? NOTHING. He already repealed DADT and no longer defends DOMA. Everything else is controlled by states. He could of "evolved" to this answer after the election and it would make no difference at all except give him more votes.


It won't win over people who supported Romney, but it could get people who didn't care to the polls. It is as important for Obama to differentiate himself from Romney as it is for Romney to stand out from Obama.

The_Sponge: It's not flip-flopping when Obama does it.

it's called being Versatile ;-) but i really think Biden would be the bottom.

and I think we could start calling them "Obiden" after they get married.

The_Sponge: Janusdog: I just can't hate Biden.


I can. That doofus is proud of the fact that he voted for the 1994 "assault weapons" ban.

But your a Republican idiot who thinks Sarah Palin is a genius.

/Vote Republican

Pants full of macaroni!!: SLIPPERY SLOPE!

DRINK!

Corvus: Ok for everyone saying "This is a great move" in this thread how many of were not going to vote for him and now you are? Or even give to his campaign?

I'm a bit skeptical about all the conclusions people are jumping to, but, if Obama actually endorses gay marriage tonight, I will donate $100 to his campaign. It will be the first political donation I have ever made, and will likely be the last.

Nightsweat: This will hurt Obama's chances of carrying Utah.

I'll go alert the Salt Lake Tribune...

Doc Daneeka: drjekel_mrhyde: It should be a state matter

Civil rights should never be a matter left up to the states to decide.

Just like integrating schools, amirite?

AMIRITE?

He'll say I think consenting adults should be able to marry whoever they want.

but I still get to put you on my secret kill list if i feel like it.

birchman: SubBass49: What is the political upside? What does he gain over Romney numbers-wise with this move? There has to be some angle...

Maybe he's uncovered evidence of Romney's secret gay love triangle.

/not intended to be a factual statement

Would be AWESOME.

Wasn't there some study of Romney's voice patterns that indicated that he may actually be gay? I swear I remember something about that...