Same-Sex Marriage Update

[MsTinkerbelly]

News roundup: reactions to President Obama’s marriage announcement, and other headlines
By Jacob Combs

Yesterday was a hugely historic day, with President Obama becoming the first sitting U.S. president to endorse full marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples. Yesterday, we brought you live updates before, during and after the President’s announcement, and here is a collection of news items from late yesterday and early this morning on this game-changing endorsement and other marriage related news.

Speaking to The Daily Beast, Ted Olson, the Republican member of the two-attorney duo that successfully litigated the Prop 8 trial at the district court and before the Ninth Circuit, said that he was “gratified that the president has thrown his personal support and the authority of the presidency behind the goal of justice, equality, and decency for all citizens.”

He also spoke out about the passage of Amendment One in North Carolina on Tuesday, noting the similarities between the nullification of domestic partnerships there with the rollback of marriage rights effected in California by Prop 8. ”This is a law,” Olsen said, “that withdraws existing rights from people based upon their sexual orientationIt withdraws rights and privileges that gay and lesbian citizens have had in North Carolina for some time now. That is one of the bases on which the Ninth Circuit specifically struck down Proposition 8.”

Yesterday, Scottie reported that two U.S. Senators had made public their support for marriage equality as well. Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed finally completed his (extremely gradual) evolution on the issue of DOMA, tweeting that he now supported marriage equality and would cosponsor the Respect for Marriage Act. The support of Senator Reed puts us at 33 Senators in support of repealing DOMA–we need 17 more for a majority and 27 more to break a filibuster.

In addition, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced his support as well in a nuanced statement, saying, “My personal belief is that marriage is between a man and a woman. But in a civil society, I believe that people should be able to marry whomever they want, and it’s no business of mine if two men or two women want to get married.”

For anyone trying to parse out the political and electoral effect of Obama’s announcement, the short-term effect yesterday was apparent and crystal-clear. According to Buzzfeed, the Obama campaign received an astonishing $1 million in spontaneous contributions in the first 90 minutes after the announcement yesterday. Clearly, supporters were fired up about the President’s move.

The marriage announcement will also undoubtedly help Obama with big-money donors as well. The Washington Post reported the other day that gay men make up 1 in 6 of Obama’s top fundraising bundlers. For those who had hesitated to raise money for Obama as he continued evolving, yesterday’s announcement removes a final barrier to outright support for the campaign. ”This is beyond unifying–it’s electrifying,” said Eugene Sepulveda, a former top bundler.

It’s also worth noting just how much the Obama campaign has embraced this announcement and chosen to make it a significant news story. Not only did the campaign send out a fundraising email touting the President’s new views and seeking donations, it also put Obama’s announcement on the front page of the campaign’s website. Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt sent two tweets out highlighting the marriage announcement as part of the campaign’s narrative that Obama is a forward-looking leader while Romney is a creature of the past ”We’ve amended Constitution to expand righgts. Romney, RNC on record saying they want to enshrine discrimination into it,” read one of them.

UPDATE: The Obama campaign is out today with a new ad titled “Mitt Romney: Backwards on Equality.” It really is amazing how actively the campaign is incorporating marriage equality into its messaging

[Wolfsong]

For those that are wondering, as I was, what the heck the difference was between a civil union and a marriage here is what I found;

It Matters To Me

So basically as long as we stay in Illinois and never leave we are good to go so we got that going for us (sarcasm). I guess I shouldn't be sarcastic. I am grateful to have what we have. It just is never going to be enough until everyone can.

[Soon]

[Toughy]

a crack in the Fake News armor???? Shepard Smith is gonna get his ass fired if he is not careful.............

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...soFU_blog.html

google around for talk radio reaction............Limbaugh was bouncing in his chair and puffing his cigar as he ranted about this..............

[mariamma]

People laugh when parents say "I learn so much from my kids" believing that one is learning something basic such as tying your shoe laces. But we parents learn things like how not to act, how to be kind, what really matters in the world. I love that the president said he was influenced by his daughters and how they didn't treat kids or the parents of kids differently because the parents are LGTB. YAY kids and changing hearts!

[MsTinkerbelly]

Libertarian Candidate Slams Obama

"Instead of insisting on equality as a U.S. Constitutional guarantee, the President has thrown this question back to the states. When the smoke clears, Gay Americans will realize the President’s words have gained them nothing today, and that millions of Americans in most states will continue to be denied true marriage equality . I guess the President is still more worried about losing Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia than he is in doing the right thing. What is the President saying — that he would eat a piece of cake at a gay wedding if the state the happy couple lives in allows it ?. Where is the leadership? While I commend him for supporting the concept of gay marriage equality, I am profoundly disappointed in the President." - Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson

[Soon]

Lesbians Seeking Marriage Licenses Arrested in NC

[Toughy]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

Libertarian Candidate Slams Obama

"Instead of insisting on equality as a U.S. Constitutional guarantee, the President has thrown this question back to the states. When the smoke clears, Gay Americans will realize the President’s words have gained them nothing today, and that millions of Americans in most states will continue to be denied true marriage equality . I guess the President is still more worried about losing Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia than he is in doing the right thing. What is the President saying — that he would eat a piece of cake at a gay wedding if the state the happy couple lives in allows it ?. Where is the leadership? While I commend him for supporting the concept of gay marriage equality, I am profoundly disappointed in the President." - Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson

The President cannot do a damn thing about DOMA except use his 'bully pulpit'. Obama is good on LGBTQ issues. He has actually done more than any other President to address our issues. I don't expect him to be perfect....hell Barney Frank is not perfect after all he was closeted for YEARS.

I don't get what Johnson is bitching about. It is leadership to be vocal about his views and how they have changed over the years........

(and oh please don't get me started on Gary Johnson former Gov of New Mexico)

It actually gives me hope that he just might stop worrying about being 'the angry black man' and do the right thing during his second and last term as President.

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by MsTinkerbelly

Libertarian Candidate Slams Obama

"Instead of insisting on equality as a U.S. Constitutional guarantee, the President has thrown this question back to the states. When the smoke clears, Gay Americans will realize the President’s words have gained them nothing today, and that millions of Americans in most states will continue to be denied true marriage equality . I guess the President is still more worried about losing Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia than he is in doing the right thing. What is the President saying — that he would eat a piece of cake at a gay wedding if the state the happy couple lives in allows it ?. Where is the leadership? While I commend him for supporting the concept of gay marriage equality, I am profoundly disappointed in the President." - Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson

I love it. I would not call this a slam but simply stating out loud what a lot of us were already thinking. It's a great sentiment and I'm glad he has it, but at the end of the day that's all it is.

[Wolfsong]

Originally Posted by Toughy

a crack in the Fake News armor???? Shepard Smith is gonna get his ass fired if he is not careful.............

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...soFU_blog.html

google around for talk radio reaction............Limbaugh was bouncing in his chair and puffing his cigar as he ranted about this..............

I was watching CNN last night and was pretty amused to see Romney dacing around his contradictions. The more he tries to spin it the worse he makes it for himself. Not to mention his bullying of a gay student in 1965 - which he apparently does not remember.