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Did the Obama administration and the DNC do anything to save marriage, or did they just sit on the side?
In 2008 then DNC Chair Howard Dean did send money to the pro-marriage forces in California, albeit a little late. Today's DNC apparently sent nothing. President Obama and Attorney General Holder's lack of comments are also troubling.
Just as disturbing was Raymond Buckley's comments to this question in Dean Barker's posting about the vote, saying that "Blame, if there is to be blame, belongs on the shoulders of the members of the LGBT community who failed to help with the effort in Maine. It is telling when one of the loudest voices of complaint on the blogs and media about the lack of progress, posts on his facebook page on Monday morning that he is still wasted from a weekend of non-stop partying. Maine needed more dollars and foot soldiers from our own community. http://www.bluehampshire.com/showC...
There is plenty of blame to go around, but for Raymond, the NHDP Chair to blame the loss on wasted party boys is preposterous and embarrassing. Raymond has also refused to answer the question.
It is not just me - others have made similar comments today:
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• "Stunned and angry, national gay rights leaders Wednesday blamed scare-mongering ads - and President Barack Obama's lack of engagement - for a bitter election setback in Maine that could alter the dynamics for both sides in the gay-marriage debate..." http://www.google.com/hostedne...
• "Long-time gay Democratic activist David Mixner put it most bluntly on his blog: "President Obama and his team were zero help in this critical battle and in the last week might actually have hurt us"...At a national Human Rights Campaign dinner October 10, the president had nothing to say about Maine or Washington State explicitly; instead, he said, "I believe strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away and passing laws that extend equal rights to gay couples." And some days later, at an appearance at the University of Maine on October 23, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, when asked by a reporter about Maine's Question 1 specifically, said that he and President Obama "are of the view it is for states to make these decisions." Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said, "I do think that [President Obama] was wrong- that neither he nor the Democratic Party spoke out" against the Maine ballot measure. "I'm disappointed in his failure to speak out on this issue," said Solmonese on Obama. "He did speak out against Proposition 8 and it did influence people. ...I think when he talked about using the bully pulpit, that's what we expected he would do." http://www.365gay.com/news/mai...
• "As for the biggest loser last night, I'd say the president...No, Obama is a loser for backing two losing Democratic gubernatorial candidates while staying relatively silent on Maine's referendum. Just as this country will one day look back in shame at discrimination against same-sex couples, so should President Obama feel regret, wondering if things could have been different had he intervened and put the full force of his office behind those fighting for their rights, rather than simply looking out for his party." http://www.prospect.org/csnc/b...
• "What is most missing now in the movement to achieve equality in America is courage among our political leaders. Even the leading contenders for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination were unwilling to say that they supported same-sex marriage. This is shameful. And it is especially shameful that our President remains silent. Barack Obama the politician may find it expedient to hedge his position, but Barack Obama the man knows, he must know, that this position is morally wrong...." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
My comments were not directed at only Raymond - BH has many politically savvy readers and I was looking for their insight and opinions. All I have is Raymond's stonewalling (pardon the pun). This is a serious question with serious implications - unfortunately Raymond would rather change the subject.
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