Biden "comfortable" with marriage equality: Meet The Press today

[Guest EXPAT]

So VP Joe Biden told Meet The Press today that he is comfortable with marriage equality.

‎"I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/06/vice-president-biden-gay-marriage_n_1489235.html

Is this the first step in testing the water for Obama to do the same before the election? Or will Obama take the safe route and wait until after he is elected (or not) to state his "evolved" opinion?

[Guest EXPAT]

Here's a transcript of the relevant part of the interview:

Gregory: You write social policy. I'm curious. You know, the president has said that his views on gay marriage, on same sex marriage, have evolved. But he's opposed to it. You are opposed to it. Have your views evolved?

Biden: Look -- I just think that, uh, the good news is that as more and more Americans come to understand what this is about, it's 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. It's what all marriages, at their root, are about. Whether they're marriages of lesbians, or gay men, or heterosexuals.

That's what you believe now?

That's what I believe!

And you're comfortable with same sex marriage now?

Look. I'm 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.

In a second term, will this administration come out behind same sex marriage? The institution of marriage?

Well, I, I can't speak to that. Uh, I, I, I, I don't know the answer to that. But I can tell you --

Sounds like you'd like to see it happen. If that's where the president ...

Well, the president continues to fight. Whether it's Don't Ask Don't Tell, or whether it is making sure, across the board, that you can't discriminate -- look at the executive orders he's put in place. Any hospital that gets federal funding, which is almost all of them, they can't deny a partner from being able to have access to their partner [who's] ill, or making the call on whether or not they, you know ... it's just, this is evolving. And by the way, my measure, David -- and I take a look at when things really began to change, is when the social culture changes. I think

Will and Grace

probably did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody's ever done so far.

And I think people fear that which is different. Now they're beginning to understand, they're beginning to understand that this -- as a base! -- I, uh, was speaking to a group of gay leaders in Los Angeles last, two weeks ago. And one gentleman looked at me in the question period and said, let me ask you, how do you feel about us? And I had just walked in to the backdoor of this gay couple and their, their two adopted -- and I turned to the man who owned the house, and said: What did I do when I walked in? He said: You walked right to my children. They were seven and five, and giving you flowers. And I said, I wish every American could see the look of love those children have in their eyes for you guys, and they wouldn't have any doubt what this is about.

[MsGuy]

Is this the first step in testing the water for Obama to do the same before the election? Or will Obama take the safe route and wait until after he is elected (or not) to state his "evolved" opinion?

Anything's possible but, with Biden, the smart money is always on it being the VP wandering off the reservation again.

Just a guess but I would bet Obama's views won't finish evolving until after the election.

[AdamSmith]

Walking it back already...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/05/06/joe-biden_n_1489670.html?icid=hp_politics_top_art

Just a guess but I would bet Obama's views won't finish evolving until after the election.

He did tell Dmitri that he could be "more flexible" after the election. Cute locution.

[Guest hitoallusa]

Well it's a sensitive topic.. Let's give Obana some time..

[Guest EXPAT]

Will & Grace stars Debra Messing and Eric McCormack took to Twitter to react to Vice-President Joe Biden's comment supporting marriage equality, where he said, "I think Will & Grace probably did more to educate the American public than almost anybody’s ever done so far." Both stars tweeted their support of Biden.

[Guest EXPAT]

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan endorsed same-sex marriage Monday, following Vice President Joe Biden's comments Sunday saying that he's "comfortable" with gay marriage.

Appearing on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Duncan was asked by Time's Mark Halperin whether he believed it should be legal for same-sex couples to get married in the United States.

http://www.huffingto...kusaolp00000009

[MsGuy]

LOL, I picture dozens of operatives fanning out from the White House shouting to all, near and far, "GET THE FUCK BACK ON MESSAGE!"

[Guest EXPAT]

Such great leadership when you are afraid to state your real views because you are worried about pissing off a few evangelistic christian democrats. I'd rather have a leader that has principles and sticks by them openly. Obama does not do that. But he is the lessor of two evils in my view.

[lookin]

LOL, I picture dozens of operatives fanning out from the White House shouting to all, near and far, "GET THE FUCK BACK ON MESSAGE!"

I wonder.

There was a time early in Obama's presidency when everyone was on the talk shows with a different point of view. I can't recall the issue, and no one was swearing (s)he spoke for the President, but there were definitely some different positions out there.

There was a hullabaloo then, too, but I recall being rather pleased that Obama was willing to have different opinions simmering in public prior to a final position being reached. Maybe naive on my part, but I considered it a refreshing change from the nut-cracking policy of Bush II, who I believe was being counseled by Cheney.

A slightly more cynical view is that it provides Obama with the benefit of a day or two of public reaction before he has to weigh in with a final position.

I know there are some very smart folks who believe that marching in lockstop is the only way to go but, at this point, I'm not among them.

[Guest hitoallusa]

The guy in the middle left is not in lock steps with the rest... He reminds me when I was in the military... No wonder they gave me a desk job and took my gun away..

I wonder.

There was a time early in Obama's presidency when everyone was on the talk shows with a different point of view. I can't recall the issue, and no one was swearing (s)he spoke for the President, but there were definitely some different positions out there.

There was a hullabaloo then, too, but I recall being rather pleased that Obama was willing to have different opinions simmering in public prior to a final position being reached. Maybe naive on my part, but I considered it a refreshing change from the nut-cracking policy of Bush II, who I believe was being counseled by Cheney.

A slightly more cynical view is that it provides Obama with the benefit of a day or two of public reaction before he has to weigh in with a final position.

I know there are some very smart folks who believe that marching in lockstop is the only way to go but, at this point, I'm not among them.