Breaking: Obama supports gay marriage

I respectfully disagree.

Opponents of same-sex marriage are VERY motivated to vote by the opportunity to vote it down it. Most supporters of the idea, unless they have a personal stake in it, are not motivated to vote because of it.

Remember that George W. Bush won re-election in 2004 in large part because the GOP got state referendums and constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage on the ballot in key states, thereby driving up turnout by social conservatives.

No one who was supporting Obama before this announcement will now vote for Romney because of the announcement. But some may stay home, particularly African Americans who tend to strongly oppose same-sex marriage and no longer have the historical buzz of voting to elect the first African American president motivating them to drag themselves to the polls. And social conservatives who were skeptical of Romney and considered staying home on election day now have a "circle the wagons" moment.

 

George W. Bush won re-election in 2004 in large part because the democrats nominated John Kerry to run against him.

 

Remember when Clinton tried to convince John Kerry to come out against gay marriage and he wouldn't do it? Didn't receive a lot of press because it came out after the election, but I always felt it was a very underrated moment of political courage by Kerry, and said a lot about who Clinton was.

I'm fine with Kerry having lost in 2004. At least he didn't betray certain values with a wink and a "we'll fix it down the road" nod of the head. Kerry has shown a lot more courage in his life than most politicians -- including this president -- could dream up. But he's awkward and stiff and isn't a strong public speaker and has a face like a horse and poses for weird photo ops, and that makes him an easy target for jokes.

Kerry might have been a bad candidate, and maybe he would have even been a bad president, but the smears he took in that campaign from fat cowards who put Band-Aides on their faces and questioned his service remains a low point in our electoral process. I was happy to vote for Kerry because I knew there were some principles he wouldn't betray for political gain. I'd cast that same vote again. If he were running in the Democratic primary, I'd have a hell of a decision on my hands. I'm dead serious.

I've had some doubts recently about this president along those same lines, but at least now he's given me good reason to believe he's going to stand up for what's right too on occasion, and screw the consequences.

Cue the lame picture of Kerry heading a soccer ball.

 

Welcome to North Carolina - home of the 2012 Democratic National Convention

 

Hey DD - true story - did you know that John Kerry's college soccer coach gave him the nickname of "the diddler"? Honest to God. John "the diddler" Kerry.

 

Whom among up hasn't enjoyed receiving a sexually inappropriate nickname?

 

I wish they'd move it to Philadelphia.

 

Well said. John Kerry salutes you

 

That memory of Kerry saluting and reporting for duty at the convention in Chicago is seared into my memory.