Leave a Comment Jacob Combs
Video of Washington Governor Chris Gregoire shows Obama supported marriage equality in private before his May announcement
October 10, 2012
By Jacob Combs
As Chris Geidner reported yesterday in BuzzFeed, President Obama was privately supportive of marriage equality before he made a public announcement of his support on ABC in May, according to a video of comments made by Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire that was posted online on Monday. Although the exact date of the video is unclear, Gregoire says in the clip that President Obama made his support known to her in February, when he visited Washington. From BuzzFeed:
“You have no idea how proud I am of you,” Gregoire said the president told her on the tarmac when he landed in Washington state on Feb. 17. She said he continued, saying, “Thank you for what you have done. History will be on our side. We will ensure equality in the United States. Congratulations, and thank you.”
The video was posted as a breaking news update by the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage with the headline “Breaking News: WA Gov. Christine Gregoire Reveals Obama Hid His True Position on Marriage for Months.” At the time of Obama’s comments to Gov. Gregoire, both Geidner and NOM point out, the administration declined to offer any update on the President’s views when it came to marriage equality.
As we know, President Obama’s public expression of support was in no small part precipitated by Vice President Joe Biden’s semi-slip up about marriage equality the weekend before. Still, the video of Gov. Gregoire posted by NOM demonstrates what many, many marriage advocates believed all along: that Obama’s support on marriage rights was a matter of when, not if. I’ve often felt that Obama has been playing an admittedly maddening but fundamentally powerful long game when it came to marriage equality. With the election only one month out, an election that will have enormous consequences for the lives of LGBT Americans, that’s an important thing to remember.
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10 Comments Leave a Comment
1.
Straight Ally #3008 | October 10, 2012 at 8:52 am
It would be so satisfying if Washington state supports the marriage equality law – with the time zone difference, they can lay claim to the prize of being the first state to do so by ballot measure.
2.
Samantha | October 10, 2012 at 9:04 am
Actually thats backwards, Maine and Maryland will close their polls first (and likely declare results earlier because counting will begin earlier, though if close who knows when results will come out) but Maine and Maryland WILL take the prize for first states to vote in favour of Marriage Equality, Minnisota hopefully can take prize for first state to vote down a constitutinal amendment to ban, and Washington WILL get the honour of being third state to vote in favour of marriage equality!
But regardless who declares first a positive result is a positive result and everyone of the states that votes for equality will be recieving tourism dollars from me as I will travel to any and all of them!
3.
Lymis | October 10, 2012 at 9:11 am
I'm not going to pretend I appreciated his approach to the question of marriage equality specifically, but it amazes me how many people seem to feel that there is something inappropriate in an elected official holding a private view that is different from their policy view, especially when that policy view affects millions of people.
I'd expect a devout Christian president not to make sweeping statements about how Christianity is the only true way, even if that was their private conviction, for example.
People seem to feel that there is some hypocrisy here. I don't see it. I see political calculation, and I see a choice I thoroughly disagree with, one that I'm glad he changed. But I'm not shocked to find he had "evolved" a lot sooner than his public policy statements indicated – and that once he was ready to make that statement, he pretty solidly mobilized to put it into practice.
4.
Gregory in SLC | October 10, 2012 at 10:56 am
Agree! NOM is grasping at straws.
5.
Straight Ally #3008 | October 10, 2012 at 11:36 am
I can't believe I did that. As Willy Wonka used to say, "Stop, invert that!" Going to disappear into the cracks in the floor now….
6.
Gregory in SLC | October 10, 2012 at 11:41 am
hopefully Nov 6 will be a night of MANY equality victories!
7.
echamberlain | October 10, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Positive results on the East Coast could influence the outcome in Washington before the polls close. Who wants to remember that they were that last to vote for discrimination.
8.
echamberlain | October 10, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Apparently Obama didn't evolve, it was intelligent design.
9.
nightshayde | October 10, 2012 at 7:30 pm
So … they want GLBT folks to stay in the closet forever, but don't want people who support equality to stay in the closet.
*scratches head*
10.
4iinnocentchildren | November 2, 2012 at 9:41 pm
Marriage should be reserved for a man and a woman like it has been since the beginning. I don't oppose gays n les being together but why can't you use a different word even if it grants you the same rights as a "married" couple? I respect your lifestyle so why can't you respect those who do not wish to teach they're children there is no difference when it's obvious there is?
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