|
henny -> RE: McCain on Gay Rights (7/2/2008 2:19:03 AM)
|
But in terms of McCain's views on gay marriage, he did support DOMA, and he supports "Don't Ask Don't Tell" (although he has said in the past that he doesn't think gays should be banned from the military as long as they abide by DADT policy), but in other areas it really seems as if he wants to have it both ways. From an interview with George Stephanopolous: quote:
STEPHANOPOULOS: You say you believe that marriage should be reserved for between a man -- McCAIN: Yes. STEPHANOPOULOS: -- and a woman. You voted for an initiative in Arizona that went beyond that and actually denied any government benefits to civil unions or domestic partnerships. Are you against civil unions for gay couples? McCAIN: No, I'm not. But the -- that initiative I think was misinterpreted. I think that initiative did allow for people to join in legal agreements such as power of attorney and others. I think there was a -- I think that there was a difference of opinion on the interpretation of that constitutional amendment in Arizona. STEPHANOPOULOS: So you're for civil unions? McCAIN: No. I am for ability of two -- I do not believe gay marriage should be legal. I do not believe gay marriage should be legal. But I do believe that people ought to be able to enter into contracts, exchange powers of attorney, other ways that people who have relationships can enter into. http://www.bluehampshire.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3551 So he's not against civil unions: "Stephanopolous: Are you against civil unions for gay couples? McCAIN: No, I'm not." But then he's against them: "STEPHANOPOULOS: So you're for civil unions? McCAIN: No." But then he's for gays joining together in a legal, one might even say "civil," manner: "I do believe that people ought to be able to enter into contracts, exchange powers of attorney, other ways that people who have relationships can enter into." Recently on the "Ellen Degeneres" show he expressed a similar sentiment, "I think that people should be able to enter into legal agreements, and I think that that is something that we should encourage, particularly in the case of insurance and other areas, and any other decisions that have to be made ..I just believe in the unique status of a marriage between a man and woman." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=203YqfxzpVw This obviously seems an awful lot like a "civil union" in everything but name, although he obviously leaves himself a football field of wiggle room if the right calls him on it via his entirely vague repetition of, "and other areas." He uses the same sort of wishy washy, "please everyone," double speak on Hardball. From a Vanity Fare article: quote:
Matthews wants to know McCain’s views on the prevalence of gay people in all walks of life, a subject whose predicate is the scandal involving Representative Mark Foley and his come-hither instant-messaging with congressional pages. “Should gay marriage be allowed?,” Matthews asks. “I think that gay marriage should be allowed, if there’s a ceremony kind of thing, if you want to call it that,” McCain answers, searching in vain for the less loaded phrases he knows are out there somewhere, such as “commitment ceremony” or “civil union.” “I don’t have any problem with that, but I do believe in preserving the sanctity of the union between man and woman.” It may not be clear just what McCain is trying to say, but it’s easy to see how his words could be skewed in a direction that the Republican right might not like at all. Fast-forward to the next commercial break, during which McCain and Matthews reposition themselves from the stage to the auditorium floor to take questions from the students. McCain’s longtime political strategist, John Weaver, a lanky, laconic Texan, moves in to whisper some advice. The next question is about the pending federal farm bill, and McCain repeats his long-standing opposition to certain agricultural subsidies. But then, out of nowhere, he adds, “Could I just mention one other thing? On the issue of the gay marriage, I believe if people want to have private ceremonies, that’s fine. I do not believe that gay marriages should be legal.” There: he said it, the right words for his right flank. It might seem that this audience, the sons and daughters of a socially conservative and culturally traditional bellwether state, would accept, if not approve of, what McCain has just declared. But they are the Wi-Fi wave of the future, and they can smell a pander bear as surely as they can a hog lot. They erupt in a chorus of deafening boos. “Obviously some disagreement with that last comment,” McCain says tightly. “Thank you. It’s nice to see you.” So here again, when asked if he's for gay marriage, he says "yes -if there's a ceremony, if you want to call it that." Then cut to commercials. His advisers descend, and he changes his tune to: "Could I just mention one other thing? On the issue of the gay marriage, I believe if people want to have private ceremonies, that’s fine. I do not believe that gay marriages should be legal.” http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/02/mccain200702 I may not agree with someone like Santorum, but at least he stands to his convictions with absolutely no regard for their repercussions. But it seems that in these cases either McCain is seriously confused and having a hard time talking (which I admit could be the problem), or he wants to have it both ways in a very bland "please everyone by being vague and trying to avoid the issue" way. He's taken the same sort of "please everyone" approach to the Log Cabin republicans in the past. He was the first ever Republican presidential candidate to meet with Log Cabin republicans openly back in 2000 (something which he took a lot of flak for, but stood by his convictions anyway: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,34754,00.html ). Also, after his very vocal denunciation of and opposition to the Federal Marriage Ammendment, the Log Cabin republicans endorsed his senate run in 2004 (and his campaign issued a statement saying they were proud to accept this endorsement). Cut forward to 2008: He met with the Log Cabin republicans this year, but I guess he learned his lesson last time around, as this time he did it "in secret" without including the meeting in his public schedule. Or at least according to the president of the Log Cabin republicans, who confirmed that they met with McCain sometime in the past few weeks in an e-mail he sent to "gay patriot" a republican gay new site that I won't link to because it might violate TOS (google it if you want. it was on Drudge as well). All aboard the straight talk express!
|
|
|
|