Well, wouldn't you know it? I was right all along.
For months I have been saying that Obama - IN PRIVATE - is completely supportive of gay marriage - but that current political conditions required a softening of that stance on the issue in order for him to attain political office.
Well - now we know:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Some relevant information:
President-elect Obama's answer to a 1996 Outlines newspaper question on marriage was: "I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages." There was no use of the phrase "civil unions".
No equivocation. No 'civil unions that guarantee equal rights to married couples'. Nothing.
Full marriage equality.
Of course, what Obama did not do was 'flip-flop'. THAt would have been a movement from SUPPORT of gay marriage to OPPOSITION - in all its forms. And I am not accusing him of that.
I merely am pointing out that to ensure that the issue could not be used to keep him from winning the general election, he was forced to soften his viewpoint to placate the more strident bigoted voices in our society. And that his shift in stance was minor - not major. (IN fact, I am sure he counted on his more intelligent supporters to understand what he was doing - and that he would work WITH the GLTB community after his election to see that legislation restoring or granting full citizenship and full rights was NOT impeded in any way.
In other words, while I cannot (in this political climate) jump on your bandwagon 100% I CAN jump on it 90% and assume that you will understand that I will gear my political actions ONCE IN OFFICE 100% to your support on the issues of importance.
In other words, I will work to eviscerate DOMA - and will NOT Veto ANY legislation which works to your favor in your quest for equal rights and representation at the federal level.
Was there a political threat for failing to soften his stance on this? You tell me.....
During the final weeks of the presidential campaign last fall, several media outlets contacted Windy City Times because of an old internet story from the 1996 Illinois state Senate race. In that campaign, Outlines newspaper reported that 13th District candidate Barack Obama supported gay marriage. Reporters wanted to know what exactly Obama had said.
And just what do you think those media outlets wanted to use that information for?