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President Obama Admits That He Thinks Gay Marriage Is a Constitutional Right
New York Magazine ^ | 3/13/2013 | Dan Amira

Posted on 03/13/2013 1:08:58 PM PDT by nickcarraway

When President Obama announced, in May of 2012, that he supported gay marriage, he was taking a political risk (albeit, at that point, a small one), and he sought to mitigate that risk by watering down his prescription for how the issue of marriage equality should be decided. "I continue to believe that this is an issue that is gonna be worked out at the local level, because historically, this has not been a federal issue, what's recognized as a marriage," he told ABC News's Robin Roberts. In other words, while he personally supported the right of gay people to marry, he believed that each state should be free to craft their own marriage laws. Consequently, nobody could claim that Obama wanted to overturn the gay-marriage bans passed by the God-fearing citizens of, say, North Carolina or Virginia. But the election is over, Obama isn't running again, and he's ready to let us in on a little secret: He actually thinks gay marriage is a Constitutional right.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you still believe that, or do you now believe that gay marriage is a right guaranteed to all Americans by the Constitution?

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Well, I’ve gotta tell you that– in terms of practical politics, what I’ve seen is a healthy debate taking place state by state, and not every state has the exact same attitudes and cultural mores. And I– you know, my thinking was that this is traditionally a state issue and– that it will work itself out.

On the other hand– what I also believe is that the core principle that people don’t get discriminated against– that’s one of our core values. And it’s in our constitution. It’s in– the– you know, 14th Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause. And– from a legal perspective, the– the– the bottom line is, is that gays have historically been discriminated against and I do think that courts have to apply what’s called heightened scrutiny, where they take a careful look. If there’s any reason for– gays and lesbians to be treated differently, boy, the government better–

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: So banning gay marriage–

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: –have a really good–

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: –is discrimination?

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Well, what I– what I believe is that– if– if the states don’t have a good justification for it, then it probably doesn’t stand up to constitutional muster

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Can you imagine one?

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: So– well, I can’t, personally. I cannot. That’s part of the conc– reason I said, ultimately, I think that– you know, same-sex couples should be able to marry. That’s my personal position. And, frankly, that’s the position that’s reflected– in the briefs that we filed– in the Supreme Court. My hope is that– the Court looks at the evidence and– and in the California case, for example, the only reason presented for treating gays and lesbians differently was, “Well, they’re gay and lesbian.” There wasn’t– a real rationale beyond that. In fact– you know, all the other– rights and– and– responsibilities of– a civil union were identical to marriage. It’s just you couldn’t call it marriage. Well, at that point, what you’re really sayin’ is– “We’re just gonna treat these folks differently because of who they are.” And– and I do not think– that’s– that’s who are as Americans. And– and frankly, I think– American attitudes have evolved, just like mine have– pretty substantially and fairly quickly, and I think that’s a good thing.

Obama's views didn't really "evolve." He supported gay marriage all the way back in 1996, but changed his mind out of political expedience. Then, when gay marriage became politically acceptable, he reverted back to his former position, but framed it as a state issue even though he believed it was actually a constitutional right. It's cute that he's sticking with the evolution line, though.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
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1 posted on 03/13/2013 1:08:58 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Creating insular “constitutional rights” in the vested interests of specific segments of society is a deliberately designed to dilute and render meaningless the broader God-given Rights of Man found in the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution.


2 posted on 03/13/2013 1:15:32 PM PDT by henkster (I have one more cow than my neighbor. I am a kulak.)
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To: nickcarraway

Yeah, and a 32-ounce Coke is a constitutional right, too


3 posted on 03/13/2013 1:16:00 PM PDT by paterfamilias
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To: Jet Jaguar; NorwegianViking; ExTexasRedhead; HollyB; FromLori; EricTheRed_VocalMinority; ...

The list, Ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/

Is Obama Gay?

http://www.nachumlist.com/gay.htm

Gays and Lesbians who currently are in the Obama White House

http://www.nachumlist.com/lgbt.htm


4 posted on 03/13/2013 1:17:00 PM PDT by Nachum (The Obama "List" at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: nickcarraway

Homosexualism is not even mentioned in the US constitution yet he finds “rights” there. Hum. Hummmmm. What does he thibk of the Constitutional clause specifying the qualifications for the office of the President of the United States? (Oops. Skipped that one, eh?)


5 posted on 03/13/2013 1:18:07 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (()
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To: nickcarraway

When he’s finished mistaking dust for fine print maybe he can go back and read the big fonts that spell out the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th Amendments.


6 posted on 03/13/2013 1:20:54 PM PDT by relictele
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To: nickcarraway

Right there next to the word “musket”.


7 posted on 03/13/2013 1:21:55 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: nickcarraway; All
"President Obama Admits That He Thinks
Gay Marriage Is a Constitutional Right"


8 posted on 03/13/2013 1:22:11 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: nickcarraway

I’m not so certain any sort of marriage is a constitutional right. I don’t see it in there. “Gay marriage” isn’t in there either. Marriage just might be one of those things left to the states and the people.


9 posted on 03/13/2013 1:24:13 PM PDT by cdcdawg
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To: nickcarraway
what I also believe is that the core principle that people don’t get discriminated against unless they are god loving, freedom loving and capitalist. Oh yeah and white.
10 posted on 03/13/2013 1:25:39 PM PDT by ColdOne (I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11)
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To: faithhopecharity

Kinda like the “right” to an abortion. Still haven’t found where that’s written. What’s next? A nambla member on his diversity council?


11 posted on 03/13/2013 1:27:22 PM PDT by rktman (BACKGROUND CHECKS? YOU FIRST MR. PRESIDENT!(not that we'd get the truth!))
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To: nickcarraway
President Obama: Gay marriage is a constitutional right

Pope Francis I: Gay marriage is a "Machination of the Father of Lies"

12 posted on 03/13/2013 1:27:53 PM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by Nature, not Nurture™)
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To: MrB

What is the opinion of Justices Roberts and Kennedy on homosexual marriage?

No doubt in my mind that Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan will vote for homosexual marriage in the Supreme Court as they hear the 2 cases on marriage later this month. Is there a 5th vote to force 50 state homosexual marriage? Will the opinions be limited in any way to allow states to define marriage, or will states lose any control over marriage and family law? I guess we’ll all find out


13 posted on 03/13/2013 1:29:17 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: nickcarraway
We all knew that.

We also knew Barry wasn't man enough to speak how he really feels. The man is a coward!

14 posted on 03/13/2013 1:29:48 PM PDT by TexasCajun
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To: Dilbert San Diego

We are being “given over” as in Romans 1.

It will be forced on everyone, guaranteed.


15 posted on 03/13/2013 1:30:41 PM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: nickcarraway

No surprise here because Hussein is a homosexual or bisexual.


16 posted on 03/13/2013 1:31:10 PM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
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To: nickcarraway

The President believes in rights that are not rights in the Constitution, and doesn’t believe we have the rights that are in the Constitution. So, when he swore his oath of office, did he have his fingers crossed?


17 posted on 03/13/2013 1:32:13 PM PDT by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.......)
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To: nickcarraway
funny, obozo hussein at least acknowledges that the US has a constitution, for what that's worth. obozo’s claim that the constitution provides legal protection so a man can marry a man and a woman can marry a woman proves he doesn't know crap about the founding principles of fact that NATURAL LAW was behind the construct of our constitution. And obozo hussein claims he has a PhD in constitutional law, but he wouldn't lie about that, would he??
18 posted on 03/13/2013 1:33:25 PM PDT by drypowder
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To: nickcarraway

Just finally showing his true feelings, if this has been the law when he was young, he never would have had to marry that beast, Moochelle...

He not only thinks its a constitutional right, but that everybody should be forced into a gay marriage...it’s for the children.....


19 posted on 03/13/2013 1:34:36 PM PDT by machman
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To: nickcarraway

UnNatural Law is not Constitutional.


20 posted on 03/13/2013 1:39:46 PM PDT by jonrick46 (The opium of Communists: other people's money.)
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