Romney skips Minnesota
Regardless of who you vote for on election day, this interesting article from Time Magazine paints Minnesota as a state that Romney has written off:
Why has Mitt Romney written off Minnesota? While Democratic candidates have gone nine-for-nine in the presidential races here since 1976, this year had seemed to present an opportunity for a GOP surge: a ballot initiative that would ban same-sex marriage in the state’s constitution.
With the conservative base mobilizing around the issue, shouldn’t Mitt Romney benefit from higher Republican voter turnout in this blue-leaning purple state come November?
Romney hasn’t even opened a campaign office in Minnesota, and with good reason: Minnesotans have given their delegates to Democratic presidential candidates in every election since 1972.
While Kate Brickman of Minnesotans United is quoted in the article as saying,
To be honest, the debate here in Minnesota feels very non-partisan, or at least cuts across party lines.
Even still, Romney not actively campaigning in Minnesota is one less person saying that same-sex marriage is somehow wrong or bad.
Obama not to Endorse Gay Marriage?
Yesterday, I posted an article from the Washington Blade that spoke to rumors that the Obama Administration may be close to coming out in support of gay marriage. Michael Tomasky does a nice job capturing why the president shouldn’t defend gay marriage (for now, anyway, at least according to the article).
According to Tomasky, Obama’s reasons for supporting gay marriage include:
- It’s simply the right thing to do
- Pro-marriage position is now in step with the American majority
- Political benefit, including fund raising
- Energize young voters; give them a reason to go out canvassing again
- Powerful message, overall, to hear a leader make this type of proclamation
And Tomasky’s argument why Obama should not come out in support of gay marriage at this point:
- Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina are put at risk (51 electoral votes)
- Win first and then do it; doing it in the context of campaigning may create a perception that there are other motives behind the decision
I can see the pros and cons on each side of the issue. I would add an additional con:
- By coming out in support of an issue that only has a slim majority, does the President actually do more to mobilize the far right; would this be the hot-button issue that gets out voters from the other side? For those of us in states facing a vote on marriage this November, I’d like to make sure we keep these folks as quiet as possible…
Mr. Tomasky goes on to muse about how Obama may legalize gay marriage, even painting a picture of Obama raising his glass to propose a toast at a gay wedding ceremony sometime in his second term.
The conclusion of the article gave me goosebumps:
And by Jan. 19, 2017, his last night in the White House, 65 percent of Americans will support the right, the usual 35 percent will be left wondering what happened to “their” country, and those new generations of Americans will still have seen, and still pretty dramatically, that a Democratic president took a risk and did the morally right thing. Which I’m all for. I’m just for winning first.
I think I’m with you, Mr. Tomasky!
Obama’s Views on Marriage
The President has long believed that gay and lesbian couples deserve the same rights and legal protections as straight couples… That’s why he has called for repeal of the so-called ‘Defense of Marriage Act’ and determined that his Administration would no longer defend the constitutionality of DOMA in the courts.
Shin Inouye, White House spokesperson, June 25, 2011
Source: ABC News
Inouye made this statement after New York voted to legalize gay marriage last June.
Obama to Endorse Gay Marriage?
I posted last week on how Obama opposes the North Carolina marriage amendment, but is the President really ready to endorse gay marriage as part of his platform? The Washington Blade seems to think that this could become a reality.
According to the Blade:
The chances that Obama will make such an announcement before the election are looking better than in previous months as the issue receives growing media attention and voters in a handful of states face ballot initiatives this year.
An informed source, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, said “active conversations” are taking place between the White House and the campaign about whether Obama should complete his evolution on marriage and that the chances of him making an announcement are about 50-50.
An “informed source” and chances of “50-50” don’t really instill a lot of confidence that Obama will come storming out in favor of same-sex marriage across the country. However, I do believe that Democrats may be realizing that they have the ability to send a message of equality and paint the picture of how they’re ‘fighting for the underdog’ in upcoming election battles. Will we arrive there in time for November? Guess we’ll just have to stay tuned!
President Obama Opposes NC Gay Marriage Amendment
Happy for my friends in North Carolina right about now! Cool to see Obama come out in opposition for Amendment One on Friday:
“While the president does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the record is clear that the president has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples,” said Cameron French, the Obama campaign’s North Carolina spokesman, in a statement. “That’s what the North Carolina ballot initiative would do — it would single out and discriminate against committed gay and lesbian couples — and that’s why the president does not support it.”
Source: voteagainstamendmentone
Here’s hoping the President’s opposition to the amendment helps sway voters who are undecided or would otherwise vote for this mean-spirited and discriminatory amendment. We will be keeping close tabs on NC over the next two months!
Rick Santorum and Gay Marriage
All I would say is that marriage has been voted on 32 times in this country in 32 states, from Maine to California and 32 times the people of this country have said that marriage is between a man and a woman…
Rick Santorum, January 23, 2012
Source: CNN.com
Rick Santorum in response to the question, “Are you going to try and make it illegal for gay people to get married?” Looks like we have our answer.
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Tweets
- Check out what a visitor to the site asked me to pass along to Father Mike Tegeder. RT if you agree. #minnesota #voteno
http://t.co/4iqhrFX211/09/2012 - #Minnesota nice? Yeah, we #voteno twice! Congratulations to to Minnesota for standing on the right side of history!11/07/2012
- #Minnesota #marriageamendment 78% reporting. #voteno at 50%; yes side has 49%. It's going to be a while before we call this one...11/07/2012
- #Minnesota #marriageamendment 47% reporting. Spread narrows. #voteno side still at 49%; yes side has increased their support to 47%.11/07/2012
- Check out what a visitor to the site asked me to pass along to Father Mike Tegeder. RT if you agree. #minnesota #voteno
