With repeal of DADT, Obama begins talking about DOMA repeal.

[WilliamPitt]

Obama: DOMA Should Be Repealed, Lawyers Looking At 'Range Of Options'
TPM

President Obama, although he still supports civil unions over same-sex marriage, said yesterday that he believes the Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.

"Repealing DOMA, getting ENDA done, those are things that should be done," Obama told The Advocate the night before signing Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal into law. "I think those are natural next steps legislatively. I'll be frank with you, I think that's not going to get done in two years. We're on a three- or four-year time frame unless there's a real transformation of attitudes within the Republican caucus." The federal Defense of Marriage Act, which was passed in 1996, defines marriage as strictly heterosexual. It's currently facing multiple legal challenges, including two cases from Massachusetts in which a federal judge already ruled that part of the law is unconstitutional. Obama's Justice Department is defending DOMA.

In the interview, Obama's first one-on-one with an LGBT news outlet, reporter Kerry Eleveld asked him if he'd consider just dropping the defense. "I have a whole bunch of really smart lawyers who are looking at a whole range of options," Obama said. "My preference wherever possible is to get things done legislatively because I think it gains a legitimacy, even among people who don't like the change, that is valuable."

"So with 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' I have such great confidence in the effective implementation of this law because it was repealed . We would have gotten to the same place if the court order had made it happen, but I think it would have engendered resistance," he added. "So I'm always looking for a way to get it done if possible through our elected representatives. That may not be possible in DOMA's case. That's something that I think we have to strategize on over the next several months."

The rest: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/obama-doma-should-be-repealed-lawyers-looking-at-whole-range-of-options.php?ref=fpblg

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Renew Deal]

7. lol

:rofl:

[Tx4obama]

2. Also posted in LBN here on DU with lots of comments - link below

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4669873

[emulatorloo]

5. It appears DU has lost its mind.

Thanks for the link and the education.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. "Gates has been careful not to estimate how much time that may take. "

The last sentence is always a bitch.

[Heidi]

4. He and TPTB need to stop talking and just repeal the stupid thing.

My spouse and/or I are the ONLY ones who can endanger our CONTRACT (and that's all a state-sanctioned "marriage" is) and the government needs to stop pretending otherwise. We've found that social justice (ie, same-sex marriage) makes our marriage even stronger because it reaffirms values we share.

[Scurrilous]

6. K & R

:thumbsup:

[NNN0LHI]

8. Badda bing!

[defendandprotect]

9. Does Obama forget that Congressional legislation gave us DADT and DOMA?

How long would we have waited for Congress to legalize abortion ... ?

Since when don't we respect COURTS standing up for equality --

Constitutional protections?



In the interview, Obama's first one-on-one with an LGBT news outlet, reporter Kerry Eleveld asked him if he'd consider just dropping the defense. "I have a whole bunch of really smart lawyers who are looking at a whole range of options," Obama said. "My preference wherever possible is to get things done legislatively because I think it gains a legitimacy, even among people who don't like the change, that is valuable."

"So with 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' I have such great confidence in the effective implementation of this law because it was repealed . We would have gotten to the same place if the court order had made it happen, but I think it would have engendered resistance," he added. "So I'm always looking for a way to get it done if possible through our elected representatives. That may not be possible in DOMA's case. That's something that I think we have to strategize on over the next several months."