AMERICAblog: Top McCain presidential campaign aide comes out in favor of marriage for gay couples
KISSman
· 7 months ago
The funny thing is watching the GOP deal with the reality of a more open-minded electorate that is growing larger each year as more young people are becoming of age to vote.
How the can these younger people possibly look at the GOP and identify with them? Their stances on issues like this make their party seem incredibly out-of-touch and yet, there is no way that the people in control of it are ever going to loosen their grip on it. They'd rather go down with the ship instead.
And any civil union talk by the GOP is just hot air. If they truly supported them, we'd have either more states with them or have something passed on a federal level. I remember George Bush saying something about supporting them. What did he ever do about it?
Part of me is hoping that the Republican rank and file (what's left of it) actually listens to these arguments, because it'd be really cool if the haters weren't in charge over there any more.
But the Schadenfreude part of me is relishing the outrage that's about to fall like a ton of bricks onto poor Mr. Schmidt. The GOP seems bound and determined to marginalize themselves out of existence despite the advice they get from cooler heads... and who am I to talk them out of it?
KerrynowCampau
· 7 months ago
Rush will be attacking this guy asap
ndtovent
· 7 months ago
That's true. They know they are going to have to increase their base with people of a different mindset - centrists who are fiscally conservative, but socially liberal or libertarian. Even though the population of fundies far outnumbers the gays, their votes haven't done the republicans much good of late.
mtiffany
· 7 months ago
Let's not kid ourselves. This has nothing to do with the GOP deciding that the right thing to do is to be nicer to the LGBT community. This is entirely about projecting an image of tolerance so the Republicans can reclaim the moderate, fair-minded voters who became disenchanted with and then fled the GOP. This is just another typical Republican long-con.
Don't for a minute buy into this load of crap. They will betray us. Republicans are evil and they are not to be trusted.
okojo
· 7 months ago
The Republicans based their coalitions on an economic theme, and a truce on social issues. They can't based national coalitions on what plays well in South Carolina.
If they want to get back in power, they need to cut the power of the Social Conservatives but keep them happy, which is no small task.
Gay Marriage is too controversial, and too many social conservatives are adamantly against gay marriage. Besides, probably the only person they would get back in the Republican fold would be Andrew Sullivan.
PattyP
· 7 months ago
Isn't it kind of pointless for Schmidt to tell this to a group of Republicans who are already in favor of some sort of marriage equality?
slappymagoo
· 7 months ago
The current Republican party is pretty much defined as the "if the Democrats are fer it then we're agin it" party. More than homophobia itself, this view of their place in the world will prevent them from officially embracing gay marriage. As far as they're concerned, a conservative who is for gay marriage isn't really a conservative; you may as well call yourself a liberal at that point.
woodroad34
· 7 months ago
Yes, buttttt.....there's talking the talk and then there's walking the walk. The compassionate conservative that was the Butthead from Texas talked about expanding the tent and look what happened. Actions speak louder than words; the telling phrase from Mr. Schmidt was "...but as I said, that's hard to do if we lose some votes while gaining others".
It's about votes only. He talks analytically, not necessarily from a place in his heart.
Mark217
· 7 months ago
I think this is great news. This will make the religious right and the other far-right extremists want to form a third party called H.A.T.E. (Hostile Against Totally Everything). With people who right of center fragmented into two or more parties, I smell electoral success for progressives.
lib4
· 7 months ago
Sweet that's great......1 down; 49,999,999 to go.....
Rob Mule
· 7 months ago
Is Schmidt sticking a little bald toe out of his own personal closet?
AndySpom
· 7 months ago
Maybe, but I would be hesitant to speculate on the sexuality of anyone who comes out in support of gay marriage. I think it would prevent others from speaking out on it for fear that they would be thought to be gay which, for men who aren't gay, is a real fear.
I say take it at face value and leave his sexuality out of it.
BenWhittaker
· 7 months ago
So people should only come out in favor of gay marriage if they are afraid of being labelled as a sickening gay? Hmmm ... African-Americans took the opposite route. White civil rights proponents took it as a matter of pride to be identified as "n-lovers". I don't think the glbt community should perpetuate the myth of shame about being gay.
dino67
· 7 months ago
Bravo Steve!!!
As the article pointed out Vermont in 2000 legalized civil unions for same-sex couples, which at the time was considered very radical. Who would have thought that nine years later that four (five including California, save Prop 8) states would have legalized same-sex marriage. This movement is moving at lightening speed and the GOP had better wake up and smell the coffee.
AdmNaismith
· 7 months ago
Please Schmidt, don't bother. So long as the Reps remain a den of stupidity, it will be easier to spot the enemy. Diluting that with actual good people is counterproductive to us all.
marduke
· 7 months ago
I am a bit stunned that this is happening and I hope that myself am becoming an anachronism.
I was outed at Yale in 1995 because when I admitted I was gay to the wrong person who then made my life miserable.
I was almost kicked out of graduate school Catholic university in 2004 for being gay.
I was kicked out of my church in 2005 for being gay.
I was harassed at work in 2006 and as a part of this had to find a new job.
This is not to mention the slurs and sarcastic cat-calls I have received.
I was just called a 'fag' by a bunch of youths on 9th and G last month because I was running in maybe a form-fitting running outfit to protect from the cold.
I hope I am part of the last generation that has to deal with this.
umbragetaker
· 7 months ago
I urge anyone/everyone to listen to Olbermann's special comment on prop 8. At YOUTUBE just search Olbermann prop 8. It's 6-7 minutes of common sense. Olbermann is often over the top on lots of things (and I for one am glad we have someone who is widely watched who is) but on Prop 8 he is just speaking ordinary common sense straight truth. Below is a link (if it works) http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/17/schmidt....
All Comments
How the can these younger people possibly look at the GOP and identify with them? Their stances on issues like this make their party seem incredibly out-of-touch and yet, there is no way that the people in control of it are ever going to loosen their grip on it. They'd rather go down with the ship instead.
And any civil union talk by the GOP is just hot air. If they truly supported them, we'd have either more states with them or have something passed on a federal level. I remember George Bush saying something about supporting them. What did he ever do about it?
But the Schadenfreude part of me is relishing the outrage that's about to fall like a ton of bricks onto poor Mr. Schmidt. The GOP seems bound and determined to marginalize themselves out of existence despite the advice they get from cooler heads... and who am I to talk them out of it?
Don't for a minute buy into this load of crap. They will betray us. Republicans are evil and they are not to be trusted.
If they want to get back in power, they need to cut the power of the Social Conservatives but keep them happy, which is no small task.
Gay Marriage is too controversial, and too many social conservatives are adamantly against gay marriage. Besides, probably the only person they would get back in the Republican fold would be Andrew Sullivan.
It's about votes only. He talks analytically, not necessarily from a place in his heart.
I say take it at face value and leave his sexuality out of it.
As the article pointed out Vermont in 2000 legalized civil unions for same-sex couples, which at the time was considered very radical. Who would have thought that nine years later that four (five including California, save Prop 8) states would have legalized same-sex marriage. This movement is moving at lightening speed and the GOP had better wake up and smell the coffee.
I was outed at Yale in 1995 because when I admitted I was gay to the wrong person who then made my life miserable.
I was almost kicked out of graduate school Catholic university in 2004 for being gay.
I was kicked out of my church in 2005 for being gay.
I was harassed at work in 2006 and as a part of this had to find a new job.
This is not to mention the slurs and sarcastic cat-calls I have received.
I was just called a 'fag' by a bunch of youths on 9th and G last month because I was running in maybe a form-fitting running outfit to protect from the cold.
I hope I am part of the last generation that has to deal with this.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/17/schmidt....