Is Obama shifting on gay marriage?

[William769]

This feels a little like reading tea leaves, but the Los Angeles Times’ Peter Nicholas is reporting a possible shift on Obama’s stance on gay marriage.
He notes that at the San Francisco town hall on Wednesday night, Obama said that his work was not finished and that it would take more than one term ”for us to finish everything we need to do.”

Says the Times:

“As he was talking about the unfinished work left to do, someone shouted out, ‘gay marriage!’

“Obama said – as if that person had just proved his point – ’our work is not finished.’”

It doesn’t seem to me that Obama was trying to signal any sort of Administration policy change. But I’d be happy to be wrong.

http://www.365gay.com/news/is-obama-shifting-on-gay-marriage/

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

1. you did know that his Admin has refused to defend DOMA in court, right?

[William769]

3. So whats your point?

"I also think, though, that as an important constituent group, gays and lesbians shouldn’t HAVE to try to “read things into” Obama’s words. His words should be, instead, unequivocally supportive."

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

6. declaring that DOMA is unconstitutional is pretty unequivocal.

[FreeState]

7. Not really - there are professional anti-gay extremists who believe DOMA is unconstitutional as well

Equivocal from President Obama will come the day he publicly says "I support marriage equality."

http://www.care2.com/causes/civil-rights/blog/anti-gay-group-afas-attorney-says-doma-is-unconstitutional/

Anti-Gay Group's Attorney Says DOMA is "Probably Unconstitutional"

The anti-gay American Family Association's general counsel Pat Vaughn said this week that while he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that bans the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions is "probably unconstitutional."

In a segment for the AFA Report, host Ed Vitagliano asked Pat Vaughn if he agreed with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's call to impeach President Obama over his recent decision to no longer defend Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Vaughn responded, “I think that Newt Gingrich is an astute politician and he is playing this for all it's worth. I think that marriage is defined by God as between a man and a woman.”

“However, the Defense of Marriage Act is probably unconstitutional, particularly … if you attempt to apply it so that to say that a marriage conducted in one state is not in effect in another. That clearly violates the Constitution.”

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

9. would you rather they did nothing at all?

Congress are the only ones who can repeal the law.

Obama went as far as he could under his authority.

[FreeState]

10. Hu? Were did I say anything that would warrant your reply? N/T

[Bluenorthwest]

4. That is very recent. They have defended it strongly.

Now, not. That indicates a shift, which is the subject at hand. They did one thing, and now another. Shift.

[LynneSin]

2. About a month ago he said the admin would no longer fight DOMA cases

which pretty much is the opening for getting DOMA overturned.

[The Philosopher]

5. Until there's several news conference where he is the speaker

about DOMA, Gay Marriage, and our civil rights, the President will be just doing what the Party wants rather than believing what is right. He needs to treat the Speaker's defense of DOMA like he does the Republican's health care plans back at the beginning, and how he's treating their budget plans. But he deserves credit for his actions on DOMA. I don't know why he didn't do it before, but I'm glad he's doing it.

[laconicsax]

8. This sounds like wishful thinking.

It'd be nice if it turns out to be more than wishful thinking, but it seems way more likely that Obama, while talking about 'unfinished work' would conclude generic remarks with "our work is not finished."