Althouse: "We hear you, Jay, we hear you: the president's position on marriage equality is evolving."

June 21, 2011

"We hear you, Jay, we hear you: the president's position on marriage equality is evolving."

"That's your buzzword and you're sticking to it. But it's rare to see a politician evolve both ways on an issue like marriage equality. The president was for it, then he was against it, and now the president is presumably evolving back towards his previous position on marriage equality."

Dan Savage is skeptical about evolution.

23 comments:

KCFleming said...: This Administration has had many such thucydidean when-words-lose-their-meaning moments.

Or maybe it's Humpty-Dumptian, where words mean "just what they choose it to mean — neither more nor less".

When issued by the President hisself, the lie is foretold by the Nixonian phrase "Let me be clear..."

Like, they're not in a war in Libya, it's, er, something else, but not a war. Get it?

Even the gun-running ATF has learned to say stupid things, echoing Lenin in their diffidence to the deaths of US agents because of ATF-sponsored transport of illegal weapons into Mexico:
"“[T]here was a prevailing attitude amongst the group and outside of the group in the ATF chain of command… I was having a conversation with Special Agent [L] about the case in which the conversation ended with me asking her are you prepared to go to a border agent’s funeral over this… because that’s going to happen. And the sentiment that was given back to me by both her, the group supervisor, was that…if you are going to make an omelette, you need to scramble some eggs.”"

The message to gay supporters of Democrats is 'Shut up and vote. What're you gonna do, vote for Palin??'

And they're right, really. It don't matter what they do, they know you'll still vote for them regardless.

So type away, Savage. They're really really interested in what you have to say. Really.; 6/21/11, 7:13 AM
Patrick said...: I hate to be cynical, but one just might conclude the President's views on this issue are shifting with the political winds, or his answer depends upon whom he thinks is listening.; 6/21/11, 7:23 AM
Shouting Thomas said...: God help us, another gay marriage post!

That tiny minority of gays who actually want to be married, out of the 3% of the population who are actually gay...

We must obsess over them. We must give them whatever they want.

Because they are just like blacks in the Jim Crow south.

Because loonies in Madison need a civil rights cause that make themselves feel superior to the hicks.; 6/21/11, 7:24 AM
KCFleming said...: Not a gay marriage post, really.

Like the pizza-light bulb post, it tells how the rubes are waking up to the fact that they are rubes.

All the pretty pretty promises they were told have been just lies, backed by further promises to be honored at a later date.

But if you don't like that explanation, they have another one for you. Anyway, shut up and vote for them; you know you will anyway.

Maybe soon the game will be to guess how many lies the Obama administration can tell in one day.; 6/21/11, 7:37 AM
Patrick said...: Pogo's got it. The only thing he leaves out is that they keep falling for it, and they want to keep falling for it.

And my earlier comment would have been just as accurate if I'd left out the phrase "on this issue."; 6/21/11, 7:43 AM
AllenS said...: Anyone who thinks that what obama says is the truth, is a fool.; 6/21/11, 7:45 AM
GMay said...: We hear you, Jay, we hear you: the president's position on marriage equality is evolving. The fact is that we're aware that we've alienated many of the granular factions that make up the Democratic base and we need to pander to the gays or else we're not going to win re-election. We know they're going to vote for us anyway, but pretenses are important to this administration. This is just the first step the president is taking in winning the future. We'll get back to you on the economy at a later date."; 6/21/11, 8:15 AM
Chuck said...: Marriage equality? Hehe

So until people can marry their children, there will be no equality. Oh the tyranny!; 6/21/11, 8:29 AM
bagoh20 said...: If you wanna piss off everyone, tell the truth: You don't give a shit about gay marriage one way or the other, but I would like your support anyway.

Do we really need to have an opinion on everything and be adamant about it.; 6/21/11, 9:18 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Dear Gays,

Been married. Not all it was cracked up to be,...and she LOVED you guys!

Actually, if you ask me, gays played a major role in why my marriage sucked. Just sayin'.

Word of advice:

If you ever "win" marriage equality (whatever that means) learn to mind your own business.; 6/21/11, 9:19 AM
G Joubert said...: But it's rare to see a politician evolve both ways on an issue like marriage equality.

I dunno. Politicians say whatever they need, depending on the audience they're in front of.

Abortion is another such issue. Mitt Romney has flip-flopped on it. So did Al Gore, who was anti-abortion when a senator from Tennessee. Likewise Bill Clinton, who I believe was at least a little squishy on abortion back in his Arkansas days.; 6/21/11, 9:23 AM
bagoh20 said...: Crack, I bought a chevy monza once. It was just a bad car. It ran terrible and you couldn't effective fix it. Sometimes you just choose poorly, but it's not the car's fault, or anybody elses. I didn't have to pick that car. I did it of my own free will.

Eventually, I sold it to a guy who took it to Mexico and used it on a farm like a tractor.

I felt much better afterward and never looked back.; 6/21/11, 9:29 AM
madAsHell said...: Evolving! That's funny.

When does evolution stop?

This must be one of those "it ain't over till we say it is" statements.; 6/21/11, 9:32 AM
edutcher said...: Little Zero's position is evolving as the economy is devolving.

WV "sherli" What is obvious, also a name; as :

"Sherli, you can't be serious."

"Of course, I'm serious. and don't call me Sherli".; 6/21/11, 10:08 AM
Fred4Pres said...: I suspect a lot of lesbians will find marriage to be okay and a lot of gay men will be dissolusioned by it. Just a guess.; 6/21/11, 10:12 AM
bagoh20 said...: I know a few lesbian couples. They don't generally like each other much, but hate to break up. It's kind of what you'd expect huh?; 6/21/11, 10:25 AM
bagoh20 said...: The gay male couples I know seem to get along much better than the lesbian, and seem happier. The guys I know have all stayed together happily for many years.; 6/21/11, 10:27 AM
Anonymous said...: No, the president is evolving towards gay campaign donations....; 6/21/11, 10:28 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: bagoh20,

Crack, I bought a chevy monza once. It was just a bad car.

Man, you know I wasn't knocking marriage - just my marriage - and, while I know you're probably sick of hearing about it, it is what is is and it's mine:

I mean, did your car run people down of it's own volition? Or with the encouragement of other cars? Or did GM (read NewAge culture-ridden "society") build it in as a feature?

If it did, I bet you'd still be talking about it.; 6/21/11, 11:07 AM
Methadras said...: Urkel used Andrew Sullivans dick to gauge the political winds on this. Sullivan felt a thrill running up more than his leg.; 6/21/11, 11:10 AM
Goju said...: His position is evolving? Hmmm...is that like "I was for it before I was against it."?; 6/21/11, 3:16 PM
M. Simon said...: Gay marriage? I wish. I'd settle for tolerable.; 6/21/11, 4:12 PM
dick said...: While gay marriage might be a good thing, unfortunately it is way down my list of reasons to vote for a presidential candidate. I am much more interested in the approach of the candidate towards federalism and job creation and taxing and economic matters and the deficit and long range debt and foreign policy and war policy and economic policy and national security and integrity in office. Once all that gets settled and fixed then bring up gay marriage. Until then, as I said, it is way way way down on my list of important choices to be made - and I am gay!; 6/21/11, 5:17 PM