Obama to MTV: I won't be pushing gay marriage in second term

[evewithanapple]

One day after endorsing gay marriage proposals in Washington and Maine, President Obama told MTV viewers Friday that he would not be pushing gay marriage in his second term, ABC News reported.

According to Obama, "it would be up to future generations of Americans to implement meaningful reform," ABC added.

"First of all, I've been very clear about my

Comments

[psychicherz]

Well, right up until he came out in favor of personally supporting marriage equality, he was still "evolving" (i.e. stalling till it was politically feasible to support it). I'm sure he's aware that right now with half the country upset about him winning is not the ideal time to suggest he'd want to do more.

I do think ordering DOMA not to be defended, asking immigration to consider longterm same-sex couples as though they were married, etc show a desire to change how same-sex couples are treated by the FEDERAL govt, not just state-by-state. But I think he plays the long game, and knows that pushing right now is more likely to cause a backlash than actually change anything.

If the Dems take back the house in 2014, I think we'll be hearing a very different tune from him. He knows how history will judge this issue.

[tabaqui]

I think you're right. Right now, if he suggested giving everyone a house and a new car, and here's a billion tons of gold to pay for it, the GOP would have a fit, so....

Yeah.

[vvalkyri]

Well stated.

[bushy_brow]

Yeah, exactly. I never expected him to "push" gay marriage, and lbr, there's nothing he could do about it anyway, other than submit a legislative proposal. Which, of course, would only make Tea Partiers dig in their heels even WORSE, and then he could forget about getting ANYTHING ELSE done. So, meh. Not surprised or even disappointed, really.

[schmanda]

This article is dated prior to him winning the election, which I think makes a huge difference -- but honestly, I suspect he's expecting what a lot of people seem to be, which is that gay marriage, like desegregation, will be legalized by the Supreme Court.
That's what I'm thinking/hoping too.

[zemi_chan]

....I don't quite know what to do with this.

[rex_dart]

I didn't vote for him because I thought he was going to push federal legislation or some shit; I voted for him because I expect him to make the SCOTUS appointments that will lead to marriage equality. Because, you know, I'm more of a civil rights realist.

[wrestlingdog]

Yeah, I definitely think the SCOTUS is going to decide this in the end.

[bmh4d0k3n]

Yep.

[celtic_thistle]

I also think it'll be up to the SCOTUS to rule on this.

[winniechili]

This story is from October and this is the full quote.

""But what I've also said is, historically, marriages have been defined at the state level. And there's a conversation going on ... there's some states that are still having the debate. And I think for us to try to legislate federally into this is probably the wrong way to go," Obama continued. "The courts are going to be examining these issues. I've stood up and said I'm opposed to the so-called Defense of Marriage Act ... I've said that's wrong, [and] there are a couple of cases that are working their way through the courts, and my expectation is that Defense of Marriage Act will be overturned. But, ultimately, I believe that if we have that conversation at the state level, the evolution that's taking place in this country will get us to a place where we are going to be recognizing everybody fairly.""

FFS can we stop using The Examiner as a source around here?

[liret]

Yeah. I think at the federal level getting rid of the DOMA needs to be done before anything else, and if anything, the president not denying the idea that he would force states to allow gay marrages if he gets the chance would make a lot of people see the DOMA as the last thing standing between them and Armageddon. He's not dialing back his support, he's saying he isn't going to try and force something that would be opposed by most Democrats in Congress, let alone the Republicans.

[wrestlingdog]

That makes much more sense.

And agreed re: The Examiner. It's bad enough when our most recent trolls use it as a source; can we not use it in all the other posts too?

[keeperofthekeys]

Thank you.