McCain Out Of Sync On Gay Marriage

On the heels of an initiative banning gay marriage qualifying for the November ballot in California, John McCain reiterated his position that he believes in the "unique status of marriage between man and woman," telling a supporter "that's what I support and that's what I will fight for."

But a USA Today/Gallup poll conducted over the weekend suggests most Americans are coming around to the notion that this is no longer a battle worth fighting. Only 33 percent of respondents said the government has the right to pass laws prohibiting two people of the same sex from marrying, with 63 percent saying it is strictly a private decision, according to the poll.

A majority of respondents at every level of education, income, geographic region, and among all age groups except those over 65 deemed same-sex marriage a "strictly private" decision.

Republicans and people who self-identify as politically conservative showed the strongest support for regulation of same-sex marriage, with 56 percent and 54 percent support respectively.

James Vaughn, director of Log Cabin Republicans of California, a gay conservative group, says it's ironic that the "gay agenda" has been used as a bogeyman by some on the far right since the "gay agenda" lines up well with the Republican agenda. Two of the biggest concerns in the gay rights movement are marriage rights (read: strong families) and repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the armed service (read: strong defense), he said.

The national board of the Log Cabin Republicans -- which famously declined to endorse George W. Bush for reelection in 2004 due to his support for a federal amendment banning gay marriage -- has yet to endorse McCain. But at the group's convention in San Diego in April, most members agreed they would be in favor of an endorsement.

On Tuesday, Human Rights Campaign PAC, a gay rights group, attacked McCain for his record on GLBT issues. Scott Tucker, communications director for the Log Cabin Republicans, criticized HRC's report in a blog post, but made no mention of McCain's latest statement against gay marriage.

The California ballot initiative would amend the state constitution and declare "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Signature-gathering began early this year, but the debate over gay marriage exploded when the state supreme court ruled a statute that similarly defined marriage was unconstitutional, paving the way for gay marriages in the state starting June 17.

McCain and Barack Obama both support civil unions but not gay marriage, yet they differ in the degree to which they oppose "marriage." In statements released immediately following the California Supreme Court ruling, McCain's camp said the Arizona senator "doesn't believe judges should be making these decisions," while Obama's campaign said the Illinois senator "respects the decision of the California Supreme Court and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage."

Comments

[joeyfoto]

The John McCain of the 2000 "Straight Talk Express" would have been a much more formidable candidate. This greatly compromised and diminished John McCain of 2008 lacks the flexibility to tell the truth without the filter of Christian Fundamentalism, which was essential for him to obtain the Republican nomination. Since fringe-religious nuts, like Pat Robertson, have hijacked the Republican Party, the Republican Party will have to live with the demons of their deranged fantasies: Christian supremacy; sexual repression; "Creation Science." . John McCain has made concessions to all of these delusions of the "Religious Right," to get their nomination. He must live with his lies. Pat Robertson and his fellow demagogues, hate science because it does not confirm their prejudices about gay people; about the nature of the universe; about the nature of life. John McCain is a dedicated, decent and competent man. Sadly for him, the compromises that he made to get the nomination of a brain-dead Republican Party leave him pathetically weakened and unable to respond honestly to issues like gay marriage. McCain's concessions to fringe-Christians compromised his integrity and --- if properly presented --- will undermine a candidacy predicated upon integrity. If these issues are managed properly, the next six months should be very interesting. We have the chance to make a sea-change in American politics. To accomplish that, we must remember what Karl Rove taught us: "All elections are about the future."

[rowzeer]

I think people's attitudes are changing. Friends that I consider homophobic have admitted that they don't have a problem with gay marriage, just with gays flaunting it. They 're starting to slowly come around because there was a time when they would have refused to accept gay marriage.

[walk0nwalls]

It's people slowly realizing that most gay people are normal and the flaming queens that have been paraded about Hollywood like they were normative gays are actually just deviants of their own design.

Gayness = genetic.

Feather boa = choice.

[continental]

McBush will only support gay marriage if one of the two participants is an heir or heiress to a fortune (and McBush gets a cut of the fortune).

[ca90069]

As a log cabin republican what's out of wack is the fact that the Governor spoke to us at our national convention and pledged his support for marraige equality. At the same time he asked us to support McCain as our candidate. You can't have quasi-equality and a patchwork of domestic partners, civil unions and now (with a drum roll) marraige in California.
I think the candidates need to comment on the Supreme Court's opinion. Specifically on the narrative in the decsion which is the law, not someone's personal opinion about how they feel. That's the whole point of the case. How do you think WE FEEL when we don't have the same privilages afforded to all human beings. Get real. Get Educated about what happened, and most of all get used to it. I'm hoping that those Republicans that don't like the decision to form another party because it came from a Republicans. I'm proud of that.

[oafishcad]

It worked for Bush, it could for McCain.