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Obama's Not Going to Push for Gay Marriage

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 2, 2009 10:52 AM CDT

(Newser) – Barack Obama has done next to nothing for gay and lesbian Americans since coming to power, but liberals keep insisting that he's a closet supporter of same-sex marriage and open military service. That's ridiculous, writes James Kirchick in the Washington Post, who sees no reason to assume Obama will act. "Whatever he 'really' thinks," he writes, "Obama's stance on gay marriage is virtually indistinguishable from that of John McCain."

Kirchick is dismayed by liberals' "article of faith" that Obama secretly supports equal marriage rights—though they never think of conservatives' opposition as anything but genuine. Obama made vague promises to gay activists at the White House recently, but his "wink-and-nod approach" offers little comfort. And besides, "if Obama actually does believe in same-sex marriage, that makes his public opposition to it worse than it would be if he were genuinely opposed."

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

President Barack Obama greets guests at a reception for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Month in the East Room of the White House, Monday, June 29, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

Gay and lesbian families take part in the White House Easter Egg Roll hosted by Barack and Michelle Obama, Monday, April 13, 2009, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Barack and Michelle Obama host a reception for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Month in the East Room of the White House, Monday, June 29, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

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I've lost track of the number of liberal friends, gay and straight alike, who assure me that Obama "really" supports same-sex marriage and, furthermore, that this point is obvious. How can they be so sure? - James Kirchick

That liberal politicians are indifferent—if not outright opposed—to same-sex marriage stands at utter odds with liberals' notion of an enlightened community of like-minded progressives. - James Kirchick

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 30 comments

Snarfeh

Aug 4, 2009 12:30 PM CDT

@k-guy - Thanks, but it's really just a practical viewpoint that I have. I see so many posters here who are either for it or at the least, don't see it as a threat to heterosexual unions, and it makes me feel really, really good about the future. Even some of those on the right, such as godawgs, have acknowledged it doesn't hurt them for gays to marry. When I'm Stumbling the net, I see pages with comments from the more youthful Stumblers also indicating people are definitely getting there. We simply are not there yet. It doesn't happen overnight but gay marriage or whatever one wants to call it, is inevitable. That is a fact. I just hope I get to see it happen.

cognitivefilter

Aug 3, 2009 12:21 PM CDT

totally absurd, counter-progressive. come on obama get on your shit, this is a major constituency

Snarfeh

Aug 3, 2009 12:07 PM CDT

I didn't even consider gay issues when I voted because I *never* believed Obama or Hillary would do much for us; at best, I thought they might tackle "don't ask, don't tell" and even then, I expected only that the high number of dishonorable discharges would quietly decrease. We just are not *there* yet and if we get there in my lifetime, I will be pleasantly surprised.

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