Russ Feingold has received a lot of attention for his stance on marriage equality. Without equivocation he
explained that he is 100% in favor of equal marriage rights in this country for all couples. This has brought about the usual whining and complaining that the Senator is out of the mainstream, on the kooky left, or simply too liberal to be President. Of course, there is not a shred of evidence to back this up.
In a Gallup poll taken between May 8-11, 2006, Democrats support full marriage equality by a healthy 53% to 45% margin. More significantly, marriage equality is only narrowly opposed by independents at a rate of 49% to 45%. In contrast Republicans oppose gay marriage at almost 4 to 1 (79% to 19%).
Poll Chart below the fold:
What do these results mean? Well first of all, Russ Feingold is not on the left on this issue. He is dead center amongst Democrats AND independents. More importantly though, this issue wont come back to hurt him in the primaries or the general because the Senator isn't wooing the far right. By and large, independents and Democrats seem ambivelant about gay marriage. But really, most of them don't care. Democrats are far more concerned about jobs, health care, Iraq, and privacy (be it the NSA or abortion). If asked in a debate, the Senator need only say "I support full marriage equality for all Americans" as he already has and then move on to issues that Democrats and Americans worry about on a daily basis. And, if the right wing is determined to attack the LGBT community, Russ has never backed down from defending his fellow American.
"I don't need to be lectured by you. You are no more a protector of the Constitution than am I," Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., shouted after Sen. Russ Feingold declared his opposition to the amendment, his affinity for the Constitution and his intention to leave the meeting.
"If you want to leave, good riddance," Specter finished.
"I've enjoyed your lecture, too, Mr. Chairman," replied Feingold, D-Wis., who is considering a run for president in 2008. "See ya."
Russ has taken the principled progressive position on equal marriage -he's for it. No equivocation, no ifs or buts. It's the morally right position and it's also the politically smart position. And, I challenge the other Democratic candidates to explain why they oppose equal rights for all Americans. It isn't 2004 any longer and civil unions are not enough. Equal marriage rights for all in 2008 - that should be the Democratic position.
Make a pledge to the Senator's possible 2008 campaign to show your support.
(Crossposted in part at RussForPresident.com)