On Meet the Press, the vice president discussed the administration's position in the same-sex marriage debate.
It has been quite a few days for the cause of marriage equality. First, in an interview with NBC’s Meet The Press, Vice President Biden stated that he is "absolutely comfortable" with same-sex marriage:
"Look I am the Vice President of the United States of America. The President sets the policy. I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual- men and women marrying- are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And, quite frankly, I don’t see much of a distinction beyond that."
When asked if his views had evolved Biden said:
"The good news is that more and more Americans come to understand what this is all about is a simple proposition. Who do you love? Who do you love and will you be loyal to the person you love? And that’s what people are finding out what all marriages at their root are about. Whether they are marriages of lesbians or gay men or heterosexuals."
It must be noted that this is quite a different answer than when he was asked if he supported gay marriage during the 2008 Vice presidential debate—when he responded: “No. Barack Obama nor I support redefining from a civil side what constitutes marriage. We do not support that.”
The White House was quick to clarify that Biden’s comments on Sunday were in no way a reflection of an official change in stance on the administration’s part. A stance that remains vague (the Obama administration stopped defending the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, and-- in states where same sex marriage is legal-- the President supports providing those couples with equal rights, but he has never publicly supported same-sex marriage itself).
But it turns out that Vice President Biden is not alone. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe Monday morning and, in light of Biden’s comments, was asked whether or not he believed that same-sex couples should be legally allowed to get married within the United States. His response? A simple, “Yes, I do.”
Vice President Biden was certainly successful in making waves-- Monday afternoon White House Press Secretary Jay Carney spent 21 minutes of a 44 minute press conference fielding marriage-related questions (you can see a compilation of some of the questions/responses here).
Leave a Comment:
This is interesting. Obama officially does not support gay marriage, but Biden has come out in support, thus-sly painting his boss into the "You have to declare" corner. Obviously, Obama is for gay marriage- but he also doesn't want to have to support it until after the election.
So what Mittens is hiding millions of dollars off shore illegally making him a criminal tax evader yet your supporting a criminal and whining about gays. Don't worry you can stay in the closet for as long as you want.
I understand the issue but really think the government (any government be it GOP or Dems) should not be involved in this issue. What would happen if the government just declared that there were no benefits to being married at all? Why should anyone have benefit from the government for being married?
Mitt doesn't have a penny offshore illegally. Are you that much of a flat broke liberal to know keeping money in a foreign country is perfectly legal. I've been doing it for 25 years.
Then we get the typical tea bagger grandeur of delusion post.
whomitmay...What Country are you from? freedom of Speech i thought even a Liberal as yourself who supports Gay MArriage or anything else the Liberal bandwagon supports..yet if someone else speaks against your beliefs..you resort to labeling ///
I am not the government and neither is the Vine a part of the government so no you are not protected by the first amendment. No what you seem to forget is your are the guest of liberal Ed Schultz who wants to hear the liberals discuss his show. Ed doesn't tolerate right wing psycho babble on his show so what makes you righties think he wants your psycho babble in his blog.
No offense, but poppycok! Obama does in fact support gay marriage. Win or lose, he will support it.
"I thought Ed was about getting the"Truth" out. Remember the vulture curve graph."
Ed is a multi-millionaire that used to be a Republican talker until he found out he couldn't compete with Rush, Sean,Bill etc. So he became a lefty and is making a fortune doing it. In other words he's a my kind of guy.
As far as being pro American worker..he's owns a for-profit fishing lodge in a foreign country....I guess there aren't any fish in the USA.
The Kennedy multi-billion dollar fortune is stashed in the Fiji Islands, of all places. The Kennedy all draw "salaries" from it. It also can't be touched even if a Kennedy commits a rape or murder, of course that would never happen.
"Embrace" same sex marriage.
Who writes this stuff?? a 5 year old with a crayon.
Ed you are making a few bucks now, why not buy a dictionary for these people.
Thanks for straightening us out on what Ed wants.
Bill, I believe the benefits provided by the government to married people was an incentive to reproduce, a moot point when it comes to gays. I would much rather see the benefits eliminated and marriage be left in the hands of the church and the individuals involved. Government has no place in marriage.
chi Ed doesn't call what you tea bagging republicans spew out of your potty holes PSYCHO TALK for no reason. Pretty much like your candidate Mittens you are so out of touch with reality that you are delusional. It is rather amusing how righties rant and rave about how education makes people elitists which you want no part of then you turn around and call yourselves exceptional people or elitists. Just a bunch of dumb hicks eating up the snake oil the GOP sells.
Yawn. I'm not going to bother explaining the flaw in that statement again.
He's not my candidate.
When did I rave about this?
Poor chi always thinks its about him.
Nice try but you directed your comment at me.
Reading is not one of your strong points is it mr self important. Part was addressed to your stupidity the rest was tea baggers in general.
John Kerry has more money off shore than Mitt does. I haven't heard you rant about Steve Jobs hiding all of apples money off shore, and I bet you even own an I phone. So your supporting two companies that do the same thing Mitt does, but sense Apple and Heinz are owned by libs you say nothing.
I love being called a teabagger because that term came from a video game. When you own your opponent then to humiliate them you rub your genitalia in their face. So calling someone a teabagger is an indicator that they are a WINNER. You libs are so smart. With your logic I could expect to hear from you mouth " Ha ha what do you know you read books."
whomitmay I have seen many of your posts and I think you are just mad because you such a life and your a lib because you want someone else to pay for what you can't earn yourself.
Maybe writing is not one of yours.
Well chi we know that it is you how do we know this because you vote against yourself thinking someday you'll be Uncle Jed and get your mansion in Hollywood.
Through your usual abortion of the English language I gather you falsely presume that you know how I voted or how I will vote.
You might want to get that Napoleon complex checked out.
Of course Obama supports gay marriage. But he doesn't officially support it. He was hoping to stay in the closet on this issue until after the election. Interesting that it was his own boy, Biden , who forced his hand.
Yep- he was forced of the fence. Now the election will get even more interesting. Not exactly the move he wanted to make- but Old Joe came to the Republican's rescue and made things a little tighter.
every one in goverment is corupt. they dont care about what the people who put them in office want they only care about their pocketbooks
also the problem with this country is that the goverment has turned its back on GOD. the USA will never recover untill this is changed
Right except this country turned its back on organized religion in 1776. FFS, there is no magic man in the sky who concerns himself with who or who doesn't believe in him, he don't care if a man and women sleep together, or 2 women or 2 men or any combinations, boy I really like you people thinking that you know gods will better then god himself. God is not concerned with the ape men running around mucking things up, if that were the case then Wall Street would have been hit with the 7 plagues a long long long time ago.
@whomitmay
I will respect your opinion but disagree and think some of the comments are a little offensive and designed to insult. But the mucking up comment doesn't explain why the majority of genocides committed in the last century were by communist or despots who were trying to cast out religion. Explain that and point out exceptions or stick with the standard dribble that a professor filled your head with to seem like he was smarter than you.
I'm listening, tell me the facts open minded to hear your truth
That is not true at all. If you had an education you would know that during the communist purges religious leaders got caught up with everyone else who dictators saw as a threat to their rule. They outlawed religion so the masses would remain faithful to the party. Comparing apples to oranges, let me guess home schooled or religious schooled.
@tjr in texas, RE:
Not everyone in Government is corrupt. There are a few honest ones out there. But there is a major problem when most of our elected Representatives spend more time running for reelection than actually Representing their Constituents.
Given that how well someone represents me, his/her constituents, and the larger Common Good is the most important criterion I use to determine whether or not a Representative deserves my vote, I'm quite often challenged in making that determination.
As an atheist, I have a number of problems with the above statement. Be that as it may, most people in Government profess to be Christians. The larger problem for most of them is that they don't practice what they say they believe. They don't ask themselves, "What Would Jesus Do?" Rather, they behave as if they were latter-day Pharisees, selling their vote to the highest bidder(s) in the legal Marketplace of PACs, Corporations, and other Special Interests while being bribed to represent the interests of the largest donors instead of their constituents.
What led to the above problem is the ramification of 2 of the worst decisions that SCOTUS has ever made:
We need to take money out of politics by publicly financing campaigns, considering that 94% of the time, the candidate with the most donations wins. We need to stop the Auctions and make it a fair process.
Chuck
Most people don't ask "What would Jesus do?" because they know that Jesus was wrong on way too many issues. Welfare for the laziest amongst us being one of many.
LOL the laziest of you are the tea bagging republicans who always have their handout seeking to get freebies from others as well as to prevent others they dislike from getting those same handouts.
Whom, And I was under the impression you were all about the 99% and the Middle Class, yet you attack them for their belief in God. You belittle them for their lack of higher education, while in all probability their tax dollars paid for yours. It appears you believe yourself better than the working class, much like the Comunist Leaders responsible for tens of millions of murders.
If you were in the position to purge, using your word, how many of the Middle Class would you put to death to achieve your political goals? Would you follow suit with those that came before you. Would you target teachers, labor leaders, religious leaders, the disabled, etc....
Do you really think you are a better because of your education than a God fearing Middle Class fractory worker with only a High School education?
If so, your education has been waisted.
2ez- I don't think you have to worry about whom's education. I'm under the impression that high school would have been a stretch for her.
Get past pure insults, and there isn't much of a thought pattern there at all. Nothing more than she reads daily on moveon and HuffPo.
Most of today's mainstream politicians are moral weaklings, who find it easier to impose their values on all. Unfortunately, sweeping changes in the fight for civil equality will be postponed until today's 20-40 somethings, who really see no problem with this, become the legislators and re-write the laws.
It doesn't bother me whether you are heterosexual or homosexual. As far as I am concerned sexual preference is your business. I believe marriage should be a love between a man and a woman to propagate the human race. I don't believe it should be limited to the love between two individuals of the same gender. I believe the inability to propagate will not serve the purpose of marriage.
Check out the Rewrite on The Last Word (with Lawrence O'Donnell) for a robust argument against NC's proposed amendment that would ban same-sex marriages by the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber of Goldsboro, (President of the NC Chapter of NAACP):
http://thelastword.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/08/11587966-rewriting-nc-on-marriage-equality?lite
I have to disagree with the amendment that is been voted on in North Carolina today, I am not against people's rights to be with the person they want to be with, but it seem to me, this amendment does not only take away the homosexuals rights, but other couples who are not in a marriage relationship but are living together, I hope it does not pass...
ol' Plugs Biden done painted his boss into a corner...how's he gonna spin his way out of this one ?
Sorry but Obama is not a conservative so no spin. What Biden says has no bearing on Obama, Biden has a right to his own opinions just like every other US citizen what you think because you righties go around speaking as one that everyone must do the same, well sorry democrats can speak their own minds without having to tow the party line.
whom
Do you mean "toe the party line"? JEEEEEEEEZ!!!
Typical tea bagger tow toe depends on which part of the country you are from on using tow or toe. Just like soda, soda pop or pop.
Sorry Whom
Geography has nothing to do with stupidity!!!
LOL
chi Dave called he needs you to change his diaper the hookers that usually change it for him quit.
And as usual, jerry has nothing to say so he'll try being the professor of the country. Too bad he can't figure out that we don't give a Sh*t. He will spend the time checking grammer, sentance structure and spelling, rather than what was said. Sounds empty headed to me.
And from what I heard, Biden didn't "embrace" anything. He said he was completely comfortable with gay marriage. And as stated before, what Biden thinks has nothing to do with what Obama think.
Except that improper grammar, spelling, and sentence structure makes people sound like idiots. It also follows that those who can't write aren't so great at reading either.
Knock yourself out if you don't care. I certainly don't care what you write or how you're writing it.
Just know that it's quite telling.
Unless it is another tea bagging clown the its IOKIYAR time.
Toe or tow, depending on what part of the country you are from.
why would he need to? dominionists don't support dems he's never getting their vote in the first place
Larry- it is sentence... and grammar..., and an extra comma doesn't help... and empty-headed... also, what Obama thinks...
I'm usually not a spelling or grammar critic- only when someone else is first... I make plenty of typing errors myself. I like having you on these blogs...
Sign the Freedom To Marry Petition :
http://www.freedomtomarry.org/page/s/nomstopthehate
God makes all kinds of people, and they should be free to make their own decisions. We are free to marry who we want to.
Whomitmay...why don't you just one time address something that is said to you...instead of answering everything with mittens this and mittens that. Can't you answer one thing...such as:
Why was the venue Obama kicked his campaign off yesterday so empty?
Why did all he say in his boring speech was "we can't go back"..."we have to go foward"...foward with what? more unemployment? more bad debt? forward to what?
You do know why he doesn't have the courage to state to America his true beliefs about gay marriage? I know why Mr. Whomitmay....do you know why? I will even tell you what I think. I think he know the majority of the country does have moral values and recognize marriage as between a man and a woman.....and he does not want to lose all of the "middle" vote he knows he would lose if he did declare his true feelings. What do you think Mr. Whomitmay?
Lets start out with just three......now remember whomitmay....don't talk about mittens here.......just try to address these questions if you can.
If you cannot answer these questions...I am just going to believe you are under 15 years old and on your dad's account.
That is the pot calling the kettle black. How many time have you righties been ask quentions that you totally ignore with NO response? I've ask over ten in the last few days with not one of you righties respnding. Just change the subject, bad mouth Obama etc. Can you say hypocrit?
Maybe, just maybe we'll answer your questions right after you answer ours. I won't hold my breath. And hope Whom does the same. And by the way, if you were here more, and thank God you're not, you whould know Whom does usually answer an honest question. Much more than I can say about righties.
Choose one lame response:
1. Because you're a tea bagging republican Koch disciple and we don't waste our time answering your questions because you won't read them. (Standard deflection.)
2. Because everything you say has been debunked a thousand times already. (Never mind that it's never been posted here.)
3. Because you're on a left-leaning blog and the host is only interested in hearing from liberals. (He speaks for Ed as well as everyone here.)
4. Insert personal attack here starting with "Poor" or "Here's a clue".
5. Because you don't have the sense to vote your own best interests. (He knows what everyone's best interests are.)
If you're around more than 24 hours the pattern is easy to recognize.
6)Describe vague "communist" or "socialist" attack narrative employing a transitive property of politics connection(a secret anti-american connection only they can see being the "true americans")
7)Attempt to rewrite history changing details of known historical events to suit your current ideology often involves substituting reality for one's own imagination(free others from the "liberal indoctrination" aka actual education)
There's that too
I wasn't vague. Obama is a socialist in the context of European Socialism. That is neither vague nor false.
I never said he was a communist.
I think you're confusing me with whom.
I'm imagining things yet you think liberal indoctrination is "actual education." LOL. Get a grip.
What a surprise, the Obama Administration is going after the Gay Vote. It was to be expected Obama has alienated the Young Vote with his lack of performance in Job Creation. The same holds true for the Middle Class Vote, the Unemployment Rate, High Cost of living, he has done little for the working family to earn their vote. Hispanics are looking for an alternative to Obama, he did nothing to benefit them. As it stands right now Obama has the Union Vote, some of the Black Vote, and some of the College Vote. Obama needs every vote he can muster so why not pursue the Gays. People are starting to see the difference between his talk and his actions. After nearly 4 years the "Change" we have seen people don't like. I think his new "Future" slogan is appropriate, the "Future" is all about Conservatives, positive change that will re-establish this country as a World Leader.
And Robme goes after the female, latino, hispanic etc, vote. Your point is mute. ALL presidential candidates "go after" certain groups at certain times. But please don't let that get in the way of putting our President down.
Ed Rendell on your network wants Obama to man up on his position. But he won't because it may hurt his election. What a hypocrite he is. At least Biden speaks out.
And Robme has "maned up" on which one of his possitions that changes with who he's talking to?
Larry, I can say hypocrite and guess what, I can also spell it. You cannot do that. What questions do you want answered. I was writing whomitmay....not you or anyone else. He or she is the one who never answers anything...just calls people names. My remarks were not meant for you.
Larry, I would say women, Hispanics, and even some Blacks were migrating to Romney. I am sure he welcomes their votes.
Haha....ha..ha to channel your old pal Eric Bolling put down the crack pipe
Women still going for dems they are smart enough to realize GOP after their rights and Romney doesn't have the balls to oppose it
The GOP has made it quite a climate, minority voters will never flock to them at this rate
Sounds like you're creative enough to believe anyone is excited about Romney...no one likes Romney you know that.
Mitt is an out of touch political coward. You know this as well.
Last I checked Obama was beating Romney among hispanics by over 15-20 points
The dems don't need to do much to reach out to any voting groups they just let the neo conservatives shrink the tent more and more. They're not reaching out the gays the GOP is driving them away with pitchforks.
The american people trust the dems more on taxes and defense two historically republican issues. You're candidate just sucks and you need to deal with that....or get him to stop talking
The only group strongly going for republicans are white middle aged men
But you will believe what you choose keep believing gay americans will flock to romney, keep thinking you don't have a gender gap, keep thinking is anything but a wishy washy coward.......you'll benefit the DNC greatly
Joe says its all about who you love and who you will be loyal too.
So my question is where does he stand on Polygamy or pedophiles? Because both of them fall under the umbrella of that statement.
President Obama does not agree with Gay marriage and has stated as such. He keeps his mouth shut now, because he wants it both ways.
Only in the mind of a critic. If you are not gay why is it a choice for you to make? What gives you authority to decide. I would say you should mind your own business. Some people feel they should always be judge and jury.
Mom it is not our authority to decide it is His and He spoke both in the Old and New Testaments. Folks dn't like that then take it up with Him.
Sorry, I don't buy it, max. I have taken it up with him and he say all people are created by him. If he though any of their traits were wrong, would that make him at fault?
That's what happens when you compromise The Word. No exceptions
What give gay people the right to make decisions for non-gay.
What give non-polygamist the right to decide for polygamist?
What give non-pedophiles the right to decide for Pedophiles?
Libs are the ones saying that if a 15 year old get pregnant that she should be able to have an abortion with out her parent consent, yet they are the same people that don't think that 15 year old is old enough to choose who they have sex with. You make no sense.
Are you speaking for all of us.....isn't that changing the topic.....diverting attention. Who was speaking about abortion?
Polygamist......any guy who can put up with more than one wife and get them to agree with it deserves what he wants (gets) as long as both wives agree.
Gay does not hurt anyone, except that person who is outsiede the couple who thinks they should make it their business. I don't welcome other people to come in my bedroom and make decission on my sexual habits. Do you?
Pedophiles violate the innocents of a young child that is a completely different subject. I thought you would understand that. I don't think you are making any sense.
Max, I'm a Christian.....I view the Bible as a history of time written by humans, under the direction of advice form God......I'm afraid some of their opinions got involved. How many time has it been re-translated? It is a book for guidance, not a verbatim directive. Man has been interpreting it since it was finally recorded in print on paper......It didn't start out that way.
http://www.gentles.info/BibleHistory/Index_History.html
Mom it doesn't what you think or what man thinks, it is what He thinks and He wrote the book. No compromise. The church of Laodicea is alive and well today.
"he" did not write the united states constitution
the constitution is the basis of american law not the bible you dominionists would do well to remember that. More importantly there isn't single person alive who has read the original. Pretend what you wish but the bible has been translated, retranslated many times. If you'd read some you'd also know the only documents authored heaven are the commandment given to Moses the rest is tainted by man's hand.
Quick question how does two men getting marriage affect your marriage? What gives straight citizens the right to decide things for gay americans?
This sexual morality topic is one that should as with all things be explored as little as possible by government. This is a matter for the church not the state. The church has no more business in the state than the state does in the church.
So if we are going to decide which religious ideas should be legal, which religions should be legal, why not ban any faith I disagree with.
Pedophilia is illegal and it will remain as such so long as dominionists are not allowed to create the precidents for things like sharia law, which knowingly or not they in fact are in their assertion certain select religious doctrines are acceptable as law.
You may wish to ask the catholic church, they spent millions of dollars to keep child molesters free? Seems that they should have turned those people in instead of hiding them, but of course they did not. Criminal consequences for those involved, rare.
Those looking at history will find a striking similarity between the arguements against gay marriage and those against interracial marriage
Granted if you are not a believer then the Bible is just another book. However if you are a believer the Bible in the Old Testament referred to the Torah in Hebrew in Leviticus specifically calls out homsexuality as evil. In Romans it says the same thing. So yes the Bible has been translated but the basic premise is the same. To debate you is illogical for me as you don't consider the Bible the Word of God. Like I indicated earlier if you don't like it take it up with Him. BTW people who do believe should engage in the political discourse for their beliefs.