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

[liret]

I don't think he actually said anything - good or bad - about what he plans to do, at least in this interview. Not 'pushing' gay marrage is kind of like not 'pushing' abortion. It's a meaningless statement. It's perfectly reasonable to be angry at him for being vague and noncommittal, but I don't see why people are treating this like a signal of a policy change.

[redstar826]

Yeah, and it was right before the election, so of course he was going to be more vague about controversial issues

[moonshaz]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes!

[vvalkyri]

I think that marriage equality will get to the supreme court within the year, and DOMA will go down as against Equal Protection, at which point the Feds will be able to recognize any state marriages. I see that happening pretty quickly post DOMA given the exec orders re state department families and re federal employee domestic partners.

Marriage terms have historically been state by state; federal legislation of what constitutes marriage would be pretty difficult to implement.

[alryssa]

This is my understanding, to be honest. SCOTUS is the most legitimate way of getting this shit done at last.

[metanoiame]

Even thought I think most social issues SHOULD be left to the state and local level, I don't Obama has a history of waffling on LGBT equality laws because he shares that principle. I think it's because he's playing politics with the issue - when it's something he could be taking the lead on. Blaming Republicans or saying federal legislation doesn't mean that he couldn't be taking a stronger stance.

[lizzy_someone]

This is not news, this is not inconsistent, this is exactly what he said in the first place -- namely, that if some states want to legalize gay marriage, he personally does not oppose that, and if other states want to ban gay marriage, he's not going to do anything to change that.

On the bright side, I don't think anything useful could come of announcing a policy effort much in advance. Don't advertise your plan to the enemy before you have to. This is probably the smart thing to say whether he plans to push it or not.

[yndigot]

I know a bunch of people are saying this, but I'm going to say it again -- one one level, it's frustrating to hear that he's not going to try to push it, but on the other hand ... if he did push it, nothing would come of it.

Basically, I think the takeaway message is that there are things he can spend time on that will actually get through congress, and there are things like same-sex marriage that will be more effectively changed at the state level and through the Supreme Court.

Also, since this is dated before the election, he probably wanted to ride the fence a bit anyway, lbr. That's one thing about American politics that sucks, but it's true.