Log Cabin Republicans criticize Obama on gay marriage
Wed. May 9, 2012 4:02 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
The Log Cabin Republicans, a group of gay and gay-rights-supporting Republicans, are reacting to President Obama's evolution on gay marriage -- calling the timing "offensive and callous."
"That the president has chosen today, when LGBT Americans are mourning the passage of Amendment One, to finally speak up for marriage equality is offensive and callous," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans executive director. "Log Cabin Republicans appreciate that President Obama has finally come in line with leaders like Vice President Dick Cheney on this issue, but LGBT Americans are right to be angry that this calculated announcement comes too late to be of any use to the people of North Carolina, or any of the other states that have addressed this issue on his watch. This administration has manipulated LGBT families for political gain as much as anybody, and after his campaign's ridiculous contortions to deny support for marriage equality this week he does not deserve praise for an announcement that comes a day late and a dollar short."
Obama on Wednesday declared support for same-sex marriage during an interview with ABC News. His announcement comes one day after North Carolina voters approved a gay marriage ban.
GOProud (not connected to the GoPride.com Network) founder Chris Barron also took the President to task for his timing.
"It is good to see that after intense political pressure that President Obama has finally come around to the Dick Cheney position onmarriage equality," he said. "I am sure, however, the President's newly discovered support for marriage is cold comfort to the gay couples in North Carolina. The President waited until after North Carolina passed a constitutional amendment banningsame-sex marriage.
"This is hardly a profile in courage by President Obama. For years now, President Obama has tried his hardest to have it both ways on this issue.
"The real kudos here goes to LGBT activists and their allies who finally forced the President into yielding on this issue."
On Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told KDVR-TV in Denver that "I do not favor marriage between people of the same gender, and I do not favor civil unions if they are identical to marriage other than by name. My view is the domestic partnership benefits, hospital visitation rights, and the like are appropriate but that the others are not."
A Gallup poll released this week found 50 percent of all adults in favor of legal recognition of same-sex marriages.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington state as well as the District of Columbia.
Related: Obama backs same-sex marriage (includes video and reaction)
"That the president has chosen today, when LGBT Americans are mourning the passage of Amendment One, to finally speak up for marriage equality is offensive and callous," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans executive director. "Log Cabin Republicans appreciate that President Obama has finally come in line with leaders like Vice President Dick Cheney on this issue, but LGBT Americans are right to be angry that this calculated announcement comes too late to be of any use to the people of North Carolina, or any of the other states that have addressed this issue on his watch. This administration has manipulated LGBT families for political gain as much as anybody, and after his campaign's ridiculous contortions to deny support for marriage equality this week he does not deserve praise for an announcement that comes a day late and a dollar short."
Obama on Wednesday declared support for same-sex marriage during an interview with ABC News. His announcement comes one day after North Carolina voters approved a gay marriage ban.
GOProud (not connected to the GoPride.com Network) founder Chris Barron also took the President to task for his timing.
"It is good to see that after intense political pressure that President Obama has finally come around to the Dick Cheney position onmarriage equality," he said. "I am sure, however, the President's newly discovered support for marriage is cold comfort to the gay couples in North Carolina. The President waited until after North Carolina passed a constitutional amendment banningsame-sex marriage.
"This is hardly a profile in courage by President Obama. For years now, President Obama has tried his hardest to have it both ways on this issue.
"The real kudos here goes to LGBT activists and their allies who finally forced the President into yielding on this issue."
On Wednesday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney told KDVR-TV in Denver that "I do not favor marriage between people of the same gender, and I do not favor civil unions if they are identical to marriage other than by name. My view is the domestic partnership benefits, hospital visitation rights, and the like are appropriate but that the others are not."
A Gallup poll released this week found 50 percent of all adults in favor of legal recognition of same-sex marriages.
Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Washington state as well as the District of Columbia.
Related: Obama backs same-sex marriage (includes video and reaction)