By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
President Barack Obama continued to court the homosexual vote last night at a Manhattan fundraiser for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) community, but was heckled when he stopped short of embracing same-sex marriage.
“I believe that gay couples deserve the same legal rights as every other couple in this country,” the president said according to the Associated Press (AP). When he went on to ask for patience rather than say he supported same-sex marriage, a few members of the audience shouted out, “Marriage!”
The president acknowledged them by saying, “I heard you guys,” but still did not give any indication that he had changed his position on same-sex marriage. To date, Obama has said he believes marriage should be between one man and one woman but describes his position on the subject as “evolving.”
He went on to say that although some would be discouraged by the slow progress of the advancement of LGBT rights, he was confident that a day would come “when every single American, gay or straight or lesbian or bisexual or transgender, is free to live and love as they see fit.”
He continued: “Traditionally marriage has been decided by the states and right now I understand there’s a little debate going on here in New York,” he said, referring to the hotly contested same-sex marriage bill which could be voted on as early as today.
Obama went on to appeal for their votes, saying: “With your help, if you keep up the fight, if you will devote your time and your energies to this campaign one more time, I promise you we will write another chapter in that story. … I’ll be standing there, right there with you.”
The president was said to have received a “warm” welcome from the crowd of nearly 600 people who paid up to $35,800 a plate to hear him speak.
Should Obama decide to endorse same-sex marriage, it could energize his lackluster liberal base, but it could also alienate religious voters that the White House may still be trying to win over.
While he continues to walk a fine line on one of the most contentious issues in American politics today, some of his homosexual supporters are becoming frustrated with this nuanced stance, which they say “smacks of political calculation,” according to the AP.
“It’s embarrassing to watch almost all of the absurd rhetoric around this issue that’s coming out of the White House,” said David Mixner, a longtime activist. “You’re either for it or you’re against it. You’ve got all the facts. Everybody’s given you time to evolve. … Enough already.”
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