President Obama: ‘I’ve Met My Commitments to the LGBT Community’
EmailABC News' Mary Bruce and Devin Dwyer Report:
Just hours after he declined to answer questions about his position on gay marriage, President Obama declared tonight “I’ve met my commitments to the LGBT community.”
“I have delivered on what I promised,” the president said at an LGBT pride event at the White House this evening, noting “that doesn’t mean our work is done.”
Obama pointed to his record of support for the gay and lesbian community, highlighting, among other things, his repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which banned openly gay men and women from serving in the military, and his decision to withdraw legal support for the Defense of Marriage Act, which banned federal recognition of same-sex unions.
Despite the progress made, for some in the East Room tonight it is still not enough.
The president has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks to define his position on gay marriage, which he has previously described as "evolving." Author and pundit Dan Savage, of Savage Love fame, was spotted at the event wearing a button that read "evolve already," a blatant jab at the president.
Obama supports civil unions but believes the issue of same-sex marriage should be left up to the state.
At his press conference earlier today, the president said he was “not going to make news” on the issue, but said that the decision in New York to legalize gay marriage was “a good thing.”
The president admitted tonight that “there are gonna be times when you’re still frustrated with me. I know there are gonna be times where you’re still frustrated with the pace of change."
Obama's reluctance to embrace gay marriage may be part of a broader effort to avoid alienating voters in battleground states, like Ohio and Nevada, where majorities have traditionally shown less support for the unions than voters overall.
Several state that Obama carried in 2008 but that are expected to be close calls in the upcoming election have constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage, including Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia.
Going forward, the president said he would continue to "fight" for the interests of the LGBT community, not just only an advocate, but as an American.
“You are moms and dads that care about the schools that your children go to. You are students who are trying to figure out how to pay for going to college. You are folks who are looking for good jobs to pay the bills. You are Americans who want this country to prosper. So those are your fights too,” he said.
“The bottom line is I am hopeful,” Obama said. “What gives me hope is a deeper shift that we’re seeing, that’s a transformation, not only in our laws, but in our hearts and minds too. Progress led not by Washington, but by ordinary citizens, propelled not by policy, but by love and friendship and sense of mutual regard and mutual respect. It's playing out in legislatures like New York," the president said, as he was interrupted by applause from the audience. "It's playing out in the ballot box, as people argue and debate over how to bring about the changes where we are creating a more perfect union."
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Really, he has met his committments?
If so, why did the Obama DOJ issue a brief that compared gay marriage to incest when a legal challenge was brought against DOMA?
The excuse was that Obama had alot on his plate at that time (had more pressing issues at hand to deal with). But…the DOJ could have remained neutral, as they have before, or not sought uphold the law.
So the excuse given was that DOJ had to uphold the law.
If so, why then did Obama recently tell the DOJ to not uphold DOMA?
Before Obama ran for president he supported marriage equality, then when running for president he said that marriage should be betwwen a man and a woman. Now he supposedly supports marriage equality…
Just in time for the elections…..
Posted by: Ray | June 29, 2011, 9:04 pm 9:04 pm
Imagine making a wonderful, impassioned speech supporting gay marriage from the bully pulpit.
Would be a beautiful thing.
Posted by: MayBee | June 30, 2011, 12:19 am 12:19 am
Imagine making a wonderful, impassioned speech supporting gay marriage from the bully pulpit.
Would be a beautiful thing.
Posted by: MayBee | Jun 30, 2011 12:19:24 AM
It would be. I can’t imagine it coming from a Republican presidential candidate however. That would truly be amazing. Remember when Michele Bachmann accused lesbians of kidnapping her and holding her hostage in a bathroom? She’s an anti-gay crusader more bent on “curing” gays than making a wonderful, impassioned speech supporting gay marriage from the bully pulpit.
Posted by: Gen | June 30, 2011, 1:07 am 1:07 am
What commitments?
Once again, There is no such thing as Gay Marriage.
Marriage is the union of a man and a woman.
Gay Marriage is some sort of weird pop culture liberal concoction.
It’s a bit like Gay Heterosexuals.
The proper term is G arriage!
Repubs and Demos could get behind gar riage.
Let’s all support that.
Posted by: Noz | June 30, 2011, 1:44 am 1:44 am
I sense that the POTUS is just not into delivering the goods to anyone but his corporate cronies.
And btw, DADT repeal is still stalling. I’m not for it but I also don’t think it’s right to string someone along like that. I have a feeling it will never completely be repealed.
Face it, Obama is a liar.
Posted by: Dianne93101 | June 30, 2011, 2:44 am 2:44 am
I believe that there will come a time when all Americans can civilly-wed whether they are heterosexual of LGBT. President Obama is going about change in his own way as any future office hopeful should do. The foundation for marriage equality has already been laid; let’s build on it in the near future. The operative word should be civillywed, = marriage equality for anyone who chooses to marry.
Posted by: Ringbearer | June 30, 2011, 3:07 am 3:07 am
Obama refuses to state a clear position either for or against Gay Marriage, despite his statements against it during his Presidential campaign.
Leading from behind, the Obama way.
Posted by: Voting "Present" | June 30, 2011, 10:05 am 10:05 am
I think it’s hypocritical to not stand for marriage equality yet consider yourself an American, and a product of the Constitution. We all have the freedom of religion as a constitutional right. I understand the way the LGBT community approaches marriage goes against many of the marriage standards established by several religions. However, having the right to chose my own religion allows me to benefit from my right to marry as an American citizen, yet prevents me from being limited by the rules of a specific religion I do not follow. Separation of church and state should be applied to every law created. Denying the LGBT community from marriage goes against that separation and violates our freedom of religion. If you can come up with a more solid argument against gay marriage without including the religion aspects against it, only then can any law against gay marriage go on a ballot. For now, please refrain from hypocrisy, and allow all citizens of the USA to benefit from our basic human rights as detailed in the Constitution of the United States of America.
Posted by: Karen | July 1, 2011, 11:17 am 11:17 am
God wants us to have equal rights as long as those equal rights don’t go against His Word. Most rights that homosexuals want are not ungodly ones, however, same sex marriages is ungodly and they will eventually come about throughout this nation if President Obama is re-elected. He is against defending the Defense of Marriage Act, yet he calls himself a Christian. When pressed on the issue of homosexual marriage by Wall Street Journal?s Laura Meckler, the president responded by saying, “I’m not going to make news on that today. Good try though,” indicating that he would not officially endorse same-sex marriage today. Why? He’s playing it smart (in his eyes, not HIS eyes). He wants votes from Christians and homosexuals too. The key word in President Obama’s statement is “today”. He may not endorse same-sex marriages “today”, but what about “tomorrow” (after he gets votes from Christians who support him now because he hasn’t completely endorsed same-sex marriages “today?” He said the matter should be decided by the state, not federal government. President Obama says he’s a Christian. Doesn’t he know the matter should not be decided by the federal, state, or local governments, but by God’s holy Word, the Bible? All laws should be based on God’s Word. Christians don’t pick and choose which of God’s laws they like.
Posted by: Lorraine | July 3, 2011, 6:27 am 6:27 am
ABC News’ Mary Bruce (@marykbruce) reports: President Obama said today that “the tide of war is receding” in Afghanistan, but declined to define what victory in the war-torn country would look like. Instead, the president told reporters at a White…
Posted by: ed hardy günstig | July 4, 2011, 5:02 am 5:02 am
“Christians don’t pick and choose which of God’s laws they like.” – previous poster
Yes they do. If that was the case there would not be any groups within Christianity. Roman Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, Pentacostals, the list is long. They all interpret “God’s laws.”
Many of those groups don’t interpret “God’s laws” as condemning homosexual unions even when they involve sexual activity. Others, like the Roman Catholic church believe that homosexual romance and desires are not sinful, but acting upon those urges is.
You (like many Christians) would like to pretend that your preacher is speaking to the whole world, when really they are speaking to the people in the room.
In any case, I find it incredibly vain that you cite faith as a justification for opposing other people’s search for civil rights. Believe what you want (and count yourself lucky that this is a place where you have the right to do so), but accept that there are also other people who don’t subscribe to your views.
If somebody is fighting for civil rights, that is a fight between them and the state. You, as neither a politician or homosexual (i’m assuming here), have no right to stick your nose into this fight.
You know what happens if they win? You still get to be a Christian and believe that it is sinful. Nothing changed! So for the sake of democracy (not as women holding torches and flags in the wind but the ACTUAL definition), back off.
Posted by: Ryan | July 22, 2011, 11:07 pm 11:07 pm