DeLay says gay unions will be 'central' issue

[Freddie Stubbs]

By JIM BALLOCH, [e-mail]
February 20, 2004

Gay marriage will be a "central" issue in the upcoming presidential election, and that will likely benefit Republicans, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said Thursday.

"I think it will be central," DeLay, R-Texas, told reporters before addressing the Knox County Republican Party's annual Lincoln Day Dinner at Rothchild's. "Every now and then, an issue that is central to who you are and what your world view is comes along."

Americans "have been tolerant of homosexuality for years, but now it's being stuffed down their throats and they don't like it," DeLay said. "They know it will undermine the very foundation of this society, will undermine our understanding of what families are. Polls tell us that over 70 percent of Americans believe that a marriage is between a man and a woman, no matter what you call it."

He said that a "very telling difference" between the Democratic and Republican parties is that the former "is becoming the party of gay marriages" while the latter "is becoming the party of traditional values I think it's going to carry the day in the upcoming elections."

more: http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_2669087,00.html

[soleft]

1. Stuffed down our throats?

Ok, now we know what Delay is really afraid of.

[HFishbine]

15. LOL

Gee, ya think?

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

2. "now it's being stuffed down their throats and they don't like it"

Delay doesn't like the gay stuff getting stuffed down his throat? Hmmm.

I think the GOP is going to bite of a lot more than they can chew. There are NO Republicans that can withstand scrutiny of their personal lives. There are, to a man, hypocrites. Bring it on.

[spinbaby]

3. They're trying to make it a bigger issue than it is

There's a very deliberate effort on the right to make a big deal out of gay marriage in order to get their base out and voting in November.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

23. Yep. And Kerry is doing his damned best to defuse it.

Look at what Barney Frank said yesterday.

[bushisanidiot]

4. Riiiiiiight. American voters don't vote based on how much the

economy sucks, how millions have lost their jobs since AWOL stole the fucking election, how 550 u.s. soldiers have lost their lives in AWOL's re-election war, how the biggest terrorist attack in mainland u.s. history happened on AWoL's watch.... nooooooooo. Everyone will be voting based on whether or not gays are allowed to marry.

Keep dreamin' repukes. Keep spinning.. you're hatred of non-whites, non-heterosexuals, and non-christians is sure driving voters to your camp in DROVES! not to mention your total FAILURE to lead this country in a responsible way.

[Walt Starr]

25. This move is not to gain the middle

This is all about powering up the base. The Republicans expect this issue to fire up their base whil defusing the base of the Democratic Party because whoever the nominee is will end up running to the right on the issue.

[YNGW]

5. Has Kerry or Edwards made a statement about the same-sex marriages....

....talking place currently in SF? Has anyone even asked them about it? if they think it's legal?

[bushisanidiot]

7. Why Do They Need To Be Asked About It?

the repukes want to make this an issue. The repukes want to pin Kerry (and probably Edwards) into a corner and make them say that they support gay marriage. I say, don't play their fucking game. If president shitferbrains can give vague answers on whether or not he was a cokehead then Kerry and Edwards should be able to give vague answers on this issue.

The democratic party platform clearly supports civil rights for all and that is what the dem candidates need to show the people. The repukes can spin and spin til their heads come off and all they'll end up doing in the long run is lose the log cabiners and probably some moderate repukes who have gay loved ones. So, let the repukes spew their hate long and loud. They are shooting themselves in the feet everytime they talk about this issue.

[YNGW]

12. Because...

I just haven't heard anyone ask them their position of what's going on in SF right now. That's why I was asking. Maybe someone else has and can provide a link.

If they were asked, I would hope they would take a strong stand on the issue, back it wholeheartily and encourage other cities and/or states to do the same thing. No reason to back away.

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. But the Democratic Party Platform does not mention support of gay marriage

[bushisanidiot]

16. It doesn't mention support of interracial marriage either, does it?

why do we want to help the repukes frame the argument?

the democratic party platform is one of inclusion. we are against discrimination based on (among other things) sexual orientation. it is stated in our platform and we need to stand by those words. Don't let the repukes frame the argument.

[Freddie Stubbs]

22. Since that is already legal, it would not be necessary to mention it

Thanks to a court in Massachusettes and the City of San Fransisco, this is going to be an issue this election.

[YNGW]

18. No, it doesn't.

And I'd like to know if either of the two candidates will make same-sex marriage part of the party platform, if not why not, and do they think what is going on now in SF is legal and should continue.

I'm getting tired of candidates who with a wink and a nod tell us they can't take a position right now on an isuue, but tell us they'll take care of it once they're in office just to get our vote, and then drop it once they get in. I want them to say "When I am elected, I'm going to introduce legislation making same-sex marriages lawful in the US."

[ret5hd]

27. hmmm...interesting...

BBV--drop it, it will only alienate voters
AWOL--drop it, it will only alienate voters
same-sex marriage--the candidates should shout their positions!!!

i wonder what your username means.

[Birthmark]

6. All the problems in America...

and Assclown DeLay thinks that gay marriage is the most important issue? I think that this can be used to show how out of touch Repugs are with what's happening in America.

[LizW]

8. Love it.

As always, when the Repugs have NOTHING ELSE, they drag out the tired culture wars and start appealing to the very worst in people. It's all they have, it's all they do. They do it because they have FAILED MISERABLY in every single area and they have NO RECORD of accomplishments to run on. They've screwed up everywhere, and all they have left is fear and divisiveness.

Don't have a job? LOOK! Gay people are getting married! FEAR THEM!

Don't have health insurance? Look, more gay people are getting married! Be afraid!

Your son or husband lost both his legs in Iraq? Look, they're moving the 10 Commandments out of the court house! Get outraged!

[IrateCitizen]

26. You have it nailed, LizW

That IS all they do. The seek to divide the middle class against the poor, black against white, men against women, and so on.

The question is, will the Democratic Party be willing to espouse the kind of bold platform necessary to overcome these divisive tactics, or will they decide to surrender the frame to the Republicans, and attempt once again to compete within the divisions the Republicans have created?

[bluestateguy]

9. I'm against traditional values

I oppose homophobia, racism, sexism, jingoism and imperialism.

[ret5hd]

19. I'm going to make that into a t-shirt...

I'm against traditional values:

1)homophobia
2)racism
3)sexism
4)jingoism
5)imperialism

[fizzana]

10. This is good news.

Let them go on about gay marriage, while we can attack them on the economy, Iraq, health care and other things that matter. In addition, neither of the candidates have come out in favor of gay marriage and neither are likely to wholeheartedly endorse it.

Talk about tilting at windmills.

[liberalnurse]

11. I think Delay is trying to frame the election platform......

This will defocus off of *bush's failures! It's new and it deals with sex essentially....at least the repugs make it dirty sex......


Redirect it to the states for the next 8 months........Lets get *bush on his failures.....

[cosmicdot]

13. "Every now and then, an issue that is central ... comes along."

What were some of the other 'every now and then' "issues", Tom, you are referring to?

"But security and prosperity are not worth anything if you don't maintain and protect the American family from the onslaught that is attacking the family, starting with gay marriages," he said. "We believe the American family is headed by a man and woman, and that is marriage, and that is the foundation of this country."


Americans "have been tolerant of homosexuality for years", says Delay, as if speaking as an expert ... could you elaborate, Tom, on what exactly you are talking about; and, in the same vein, explain how that translates into inalienable rights guranteed to all under the Constitution?

[salinen]

17. This is the beginning of

a total gay invasion. They will breed like rats and overpopulate to threaten the rule of the white male homophobe.

[NNN0LHI]

20. I suspect there are some gay elected republicans who won't like this...

...one bit. Wonder if DeLay has asked any of them what they think about this?

Don

[chyjo]

21. Im glad Delay is taking the high road

and really focusing on the important issues of the day. If Homophobes and the much lauded "nascar dads" are really the demographics that decide this election I think I will move 20 miles north to Canada.

[LoZoccolo]

24. Don't be too afraid...this could backfire hugely.

Go up to your moderate Republican friends and put a little embarassment into the game! Be like "hey are you gonna go around to all your gay and lesbian friends and tell them to sit tight while the Republicans use them to try to win the elections? Tell them not to worry because it'll mean lower taxes for everyone regardless of sexual orientation!" Start outing the Republicans to the gay and lesbian people you know...crank up the heat on them about these wedge issue politics! They might try to get out of the debate by being like "well I don't agree with that strategy"...tell them if they disagree with what their party says they'll be doing, they better go write the GOP and/or Tom Delay a letter...ask to see it!

I remember reading that Barney Frank had at one time threatened to out a bunch of gay Republicans if they as a party didn't stop doing something and that put a stop to it right away.

[wellstone dem]

28. the place this issue is going to play

is in the races for state government and in the house and senate. It will not, IMHO, be a determining factor in the presidential race, but will play in the races down ticket.