Was DOMA "a line that was drawn that was to prevent going further"? Well, the Los Angeles Times reports President Clinton drawing some kinda line in 1996...
Clinton Signals He'd Sign Anti-Gay Marriage Bill
May 23, 1996 | MELISSA HEALY | TIMES STAFF WRITER
Others indicated that with Wednesday's statement Clinton is staking out a middle ground on gay and lesbian rights that will likely sit well with voters.
"President Clinton has drawn the line with this decision on how far this society will go in accepting gays as part of the community," said Ed Sarpolus, vice president of EPIC/MRA, a Michigan-based polling group. "He's not going to deny gays and lesbians a job or equal rights or protection. But he's saying there's a line between guaranteeing rights and extending them to include an institution that most Americans don't see as applying to gays."