dougsmith - 10 May 2012 09:58 AM

George - 10 May 2012 09:40 AM

I really doubt what Biden said on the weekend wasn’t planned. Not buying it at all.

Biden has always been gaffe prone, one who speaks his mind before engaging his brain. What I’ve read is that Obama planned to make this statement at some point before the convention, but Biden forced his hand.

There’s no doubt in my mind that’s what happened. Biden, FSM love his heart, has been putting his foot in him mouth for years. 

I have to admit thought that I loved it when he had the open mic gaffe the day Obama signed the affordable heath care act.

“This is a big fucking deal.” 

Wow, a black man supports gay-rights!  I am relieved to hear it.  The struggle to be more open-minded to others is a real achievement, those who do it should be commended.  I’d like to see more open-minded blacks and hope that Obama is setting a good example for them.  The gays haven’t done anything wrong and don’t deserve bad treatment, the are citizens who deserve their full rights recognized.  The civil rights movement of the 1950’s and 60’s included the women, and the gays, it wasn’t just black

My point exactly. Tying same-sex marriage to the civil rights movement will garner him more votes in the election. It also gives the impression that he’s on top of the issue even though the pundits were certain that he would eventually reveal his position. It also takes away the potential sting of Joe’s gaffe. Most people aren’t aware that the WH leaks controversial issues to “test the waters” but in Obama’s case he unleashes Biden and I don’t mean that negatively. I like Joe. He speaks his mind regardless of the potentially negative consequences, although I’m sure he’s lost the North Carolina voters. Oh well.

Cap’t Jack

The timing of supporting gay marriage does seem propitious in one way.  It comes at near the same time that Romney issues an apology for his part in bullying certain suspected gay students during his college days.

The timing of supporting gay marriage does seem propitious in one way.  It comes at near the same time that Romney issues an apology for his part in bullying certain suspected gay students during his college days

One wonders how this will eventually play out but the public is fickle! Give it a few days and see how the media spins it. Watch the Ed show!

Cap’t Jack

FreeInKy - 10 May 2012 09:44 AM

Our own Paul Fidalgo gets it:

On to the practical. Add this all up, and look at the electoral map with an analytical eye. Politically, the president would be handing the White House to Romney by advocating for or initiating federal action on behalf of national marriage equality. Imagine the barrage, the overwhelming deluge of attack ads in states like Ohio and Virginia that would hammer the president for imposing his imperial, hyperliberal will on OUR upstanding, independent, moral state. Obama’s message to the swing states is, in essence, “I’m cool with gays getting married, but don’t worry guys, I’m not going to mess with your state.” Electorally, he has no choice. And it goes without saying that, as Obama himself points out, a Romney presidency would mean the opposite; a president who would work to impose his view of marriage at the federal level, whether your state likes it or not—which is true!

So Obama’s personal moral opinion is in favor of the rights of gays to marry.  Politically he supports the process of each state determining whether gays will have the right to marry. 

This coming presidential election is all about the swing states and the independent vote in those swing states.  The Repub PACs will pour multiple tens of millions into attack ads targeted at the independents in the swing states during the last month of the campaign.  Mother Theresa might not be able to win an election for dog-catcher facing this kind of on-slaught. 

I think Obama showed courage, as he has at other times in his presidency, by asserting this personal support of gay marriage rights, despite some political risk to his re-election.