"I usually am not that engaged on this issue, but I did want to note in passing that I applaud Obama for saying something about this when the conventional wisdom was that it was not in his own best interests to do so. Even if he was pushed :) He still did the right thing and I think a little less cynically of him now because he did."
Now that the dust has settled down a little, it's interesting to look at President Obama's support of gay marriage. Here's the quote that has now become famous: "At a certain point, I've just concluded that-- for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that-- I think same-sex couples should be able to get married." Unambiguous and to the point. This excerpt of the interview has been played Ad nauseam on TV. The word "personally" is important. The rest of the interview, not so much. There is more to the interview. The very next sentence, part of the same paragraph, follows: "Now-- I have to tell you that part of my hesitation on this has also been I didn't want to nationalize the issue. There's a tendency when I weigh in to think suddenly it becomes political and it becomes polarized." A valid point. Interesting decision to go ahead and take a stand on the issue during an election cycle. Why make such a risky statement? More on that later. The next paragraph gets interesting. "And what you're seeing is, I think, states working through this issue-- in fits and starts, all across the country. Different communities are arriving at different conclusions, at different times. And I think that's a healthy process and a healthy debate. And I continue to believe that this is an issue that is gonna be worked out at the local level, because historically, this has not been a federal issue, what's recognized as a marriage." Wow. It looks like President Obama is saying that gay marriage is a state level issue. Who would have thunk it? This line of reasoning stuns Robin Roberts, who follows up with: "Well, Mr. President, it's-- it's not being worked out on the state level. We saw that Tuesday in North Carolina, the 30th state to announce its ban on gay marriage." It gets even better. President Obama does not let Robin finish her question/statement. He cuts her off with the following: "Well-- well-- well, what I'm saying is is that different states are coming to different conclusions. But this debate is taking place-- at a local level. And I think the whole country is evolving and changing. And-- you know, one of the things that I'd like to see is-- that a conversation continue in a respectful way." Incroyable. A reaffirmation of states' rights to "work it out". Very teapartyish. Get you some of that Robin. The next statement: "I think it's important to recognize that-- folks-- who-- feel very strongly that marriage should be defined narrowly as-- between a man and a woman-- many of them are not coming at it from a mean-spirited perspective. They're coming at it because they care about families. And-- they-- they have a different understanding, in terms of-- you know, what the word 'marriage' should mean. And I-- a bunch of 'em are friends of mine-- you know, pastors and-- you know, people who-- I deeply respect." That is political mastery from President Obama. More on that later. There's got to be a scapegoat though. Who can be blamed for another state slamming the door on gay marriage. Fortunately, Robin gives us the scape goat. PRESIDENT OBAMA: ". . . And I-- a bunch of 'em are friends of mine-- you know, pastors and-- you know, people who-- I deeply respect." ROBIN ROBERTS: Especially in the Black community. The Black Community? Surely President Obama won't throw the Black Community under the bus, will he? PRESIDENT OBAMA: Absolutely. I guess he will. Interestingly enough, this whole Black vote against gay marriage may have been grossly overstated ( http://www.theblaze.com/stories/why-is-the-media-blaming-black-voters-for-north-carolinas-anti-gay-amendment/). There was no exit polling. No analysis. It's all hearsay, speculation, or lying. With the help of the complicit, compromised ABC news (The president of ABC news, Ben Sherwood, has a sister, Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, who is a special advisor to President), President Obama, made a nice, well timed political move. He has encourage/pacified the gay community. Very important if you believe the Washington post ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/same-sex-marriage-debate-many-of-obamas-top-fundraisers-are-gay/2012/05/09/gIQASJYSDU_story.html ): "A review of Obamas top bundlers, who have brought in $500,000 or more for the campaign, shows that about one in six publicly identify themselves as gay". He has given the states his approval to do whatever they want in regards to gay marriage with no worry of interference, and he has pardoned the majority of gay marriage opponents. The only victims seems to be the Black community and the gay community. I guess President Obama thinks the Black community can bear the brunt of the blame and still give him its vote and the gay community doesn't realize that nothing has actually changed (except maybe their wallets are a little lighter from their rush to donate). J - Ninety percent of politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation. - Henry Kissinger Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel. - John Quinton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:350682 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
