Posted on 02/28/2013 9:35:48 PM PST by Mozilla
TheBlaze TV’s S.E. Cupp captured headlines on Tuesday after she announced that she’s backing out of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) until gay Republican groups are officially welcomed. Her decision was rooted in the notion that CPAC reportedly allows gay groups to attend, but does not permit them to sponsor the event — something she called a “cop-out” of sorts. On Wednesday, TheBlaze interviewed Cupp to speak further about her views on same-sex marriage and how the GOP should be handling the issue.
First and foremost, we asked Cupp how she believes the party should be handling the complex social debate — one that is increasingly dividing Republicans. In an e-mail response, she explained that the GOP should be celebrating and acknowledging that it is a party of intellectual diversity. This is true not only on the same-sex marriage front, but also on a myriad of other important issues.
“Libertarians, social conservatives and even fiscal hawks have different views on gay marriage, and even within those subsets of the party there are different foundational backgrounds and perspectives on the issue,” Cupp noted. “That’s not a bad thing. What we can’t do, as a party, is castigate or marginalize the conservatives whose support we already enjoy for their positions on gay rights.”
Just as she has defended the notion that the party should embrace gay conservatives, Cupp also spoke about the importance of not disparaging those who disagree with these unions. She noted her personal qualms with the Republican Party’s official stance on gay marriage, but said that she has no intention of speaking out against conservatives who stand in opposition to these rights for homosexual couples. “There are interesting, well-intentioned and valid religious, constitutional and economic arguments against gay marriage, and those arguments should be given a voice,” she added. “But we allow for nuanced differences of opinion on fiscal issues, national security, foreign policy and elsewhere without questioning each others’ conservative credentials. We should allow for differences of opinion on gay marriage as well.”
Cupp doubled-down on the notion that there is no singular conservative view on gay rights: While libertarians would take a more favorable stance, evangelical Christians would not. As far as the commentator is concerned, neither perspective — or any of the others in between — would be distinguishable as the one, true conservative stance on the issue.
“I’m a conservative who believes that keeping the government out of my private life on a whole host of issues is totally consistent with supporting gay rights,” she said, noting that the finds no conflict between holding right-of-center views and allowing gays to marry.
From Cupp’s statements, some might assume that she’s arguing for the Republican Party to embrace gay marriage. But when asked about the political movement’s future if it fails to do so, she clarified her stance, saying that the GOP doesn’t need to “embrace” gay marriage, per se. Rather than touting the institution, she noted the importance of Republicans being inclusive and allowing gay individuals into the tent.
“Republicans (and Democrats, for that matter) who disagree with gay marriage shouldn’t be forced or bullied into accepting it — but the party does need to embrace gay conservatives, as well as conservatives who support gay marriage,” Cupp said.
As far as her CPAC decision goes, she informed the organizers before making her public statement on MSNBC. Rather than speaking out against event organizers, she reiterated positive feelings about the annual conservative conference, noting that it’s not her intention to use the bully pulpit or to attack CPAC. In fact, she said she’s hoping to work with the group again in the future. But for now, she simply cannot lend her support.
“This year it just didn’t feel like there was a way for me to support my friends at GOProud and [Log Cabin Republicans], promote an inclusive, big-tent party, and participate in the conference at the same time,” she explained.
Regardless of her views on same-sex marriage, Cupp also seems to have the party’s future in mind. Considering the dearth of support the GOP has among minority groups and young people, she said excluding gays simply doesn’t make sense.
It’s “beyond bad manners, that’s bad calculus,” she believes.
Also: We hardly have lost a great deal of elections. We lost the latest PRESIDENTIAL election because we ran a moderate/liberal Northeast Republican instead of a strong Conservative.
Even with that we BARELY lost in the popular vote. O’Bumbler is no where near a popular President. He got millions of fewer votes than he got four years ago. Even with 24/7/365 protection from the main stream media.
We simply need a Conservative that is articulate.
No kidding...."articulate" is the key word.
You are correct in that Obummer won by what 53:47? So only 3% switch could make a difference depending on electoral. My concern is the trend. Hispanics are growing much faster than others. GOP can't win future election without breaking into that group.
Did I say I am for gay marriage? Heck no. My point is no need to disparage any group that wants to vote republican.
Good, glad she took herself out of a group she clearly does not belong in.
Wish more would do the same. Out of the entire party for that matter. You aren’t conservative if you are for gay marriage. Period. You don’t fit the definition and we’re not changing the definition of “marriage” or “conservative” just because you don’t like them.
“GOP will keep losing elections if it becomes an exclusionary party. The democraps do not exclude any group. That is why their ranks are growing and GOP is shrinking. And when you lose elections, you become totally irrelevant.”
We tried that. It was called Mitt Romney, who supported gays in the boy scouts, who had spokesman going to individual groups and telling them not to take his pro-life comments seriously, who was everything to everybody, and so he lost the easiest political campaign in history.
If we don’t have people who stand for something, we will never win. Sorry, but that means excluding the perverts, and the illegal alien lobby.
“we’ve got millions of illegals here so why not make them pay taxes and buy car insurance like the rest of us...why not make them pay for my SS when I get to that age....”
And still forbid them the right to vote? Nuts! There is no scenario where amnesty does not eventually lead to giving these people the right to vote. As a Hispanic myself, with family that came straight from Mexico (LEGALLY), I can tell you that allowing these people to profit from their criminality is just going to breed further corruption and decay. You don’t want millions of the poorest of the poor, low information pawns of Mexico and Leftist socialist movements, who had no problem with breaking American law, suddenly getting the right to vote. Prepare for a century of Communist rule, or at least a few months of it before the country implodes and we revert to Feudalism. That is what YOU are promoting by even thinking of any other option besides border enforecement and deportation.
Trust me. The only position that can be sold, and that actually works, is the one no one tries... Standing up for principles. Refusing to look away and allow criminal acts to go on unpunished. The Conservative movement must take a firm stand, “NO” to coddling the illegals, “YES” to enforcement of borders and immigration laws, including going after businesses that hire them.
The American people respect strength, and those who stand up strongly for their positions. And as for the illegals, most of them will deport themselves in such a hostile environment. Let Mexico solve their own problems, instead of willfully handing their problems out to us.
Sorry, but the celebration of these deviants is nothing to celebrate. you know a society is in the toilet when this sick behavior is celebrated by the “tolerant” crowd.
Now I must vomit!
CPAC IS NOT a Republican convention. It is an organization that was set up to FIGHT the Republican establishment that was drifting too far into Liberalism. The Log Cabin Republicans are not excluded from participating in the event. They are simply not allowed to sponsor any of the event. They do not toe the Conservative line on many important issues to the people who control CPAC.
CPAC is not Libertarian it is Conservative and Conservative concerns itself equally with financial and social issues. As for SE Cupp. Not being at CPAC is her loss. She needs them more than they need her. She is stuck on a Liberal network and has been nearly invisible since she went to work at the Blaze. Besides, she is much more physically attractive that she is bright.
“we’re eliminating ourselves just as quickly as we can and I’m wondering if this was all the plan from the beginning..”
The quickest way to eliminate Republicans and conservatives as political forces is to grant another amnesty. We’d be instantly and permanently electorally irrelevant.
The usual gift that keeps on giving
No one is saying we need to encourage gay or any other perverse lifestyle. Politics is a blood sport. I am more saddened by the SCOTUS appointments made by the winner from Chicago than someone making a speech at CPAC or whatever. Those appointments will kill more fetuses than all soldiers killed in the wars this country has fought against other countries. Sotomayor and Kagan will be around for 30+ years. The more groups we exclude from voting republican, more Kagan’s will sit on the SCOTUS.
“That is why their ranks are growing and GOP is shrinking. And when you lose elections, you become totally irrelevant.”
The GOP had record registrations before the November elections. The reason why the GOP is “shrinking” is because the non-white immigrants are growing in numbers and they have been conditioned to vote Dummycrat. I’m not a member of the GOP BTW and I would rather stick my face up Moochelle obama’s fat ass than vote Dumocrap.
Romney was not my definition of an articulate or shrewd politician. He seriously offended the 47% by his stupid remarks at a fund raising event.
In 2016, I am hoping for someone who does not make dumb statements even at private gatherings. Smart cell phones can record words and video.
Nobody is excluding anybody from voting Republican. Only their own ignorance and moral degeneracy causes that.
We have nothing against those who are homosexual. They should live and be well. However, we have a great deal against those who believe that we should bend to the desires of 1% of the population that happens to believe that their degenerate, dangerous and unhealthy sexual perversions should be blessed by all in society.
There is a reason why virtually every civilization throughout history has shunned Homosexual unions. We are certainly not smarter than the collective of all human experience.
Best laugh I’ve had in forever! Brilliant
Well said. Agree.
By Cupp’s “reasoning” we should be welcoming self-professed pedophiles to the party as well to broaden the base.
So....is SE Cupp being invited to the Glenn Beck Compound when it is finished?
First its Illegal Alien Amnesty.....then it’s caving in to ObamaCare....now it’s Homosexual Marriage....the GOP is slowly destroying itself
S.E. Cupp won’t be speaking at CPAC? Why is this even a story? Get over yourself, honey. ‘The Blaze’ needs an overhaul...too many nonsensical stories...
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