and certainly did not get the Powell treatment.

especially if you're in a blue state.

I've been holding my nose too--but those were actual Democrats with accomplishments--Obama isn't--at all.

but god forbid he do anything for equal rights, and something democrats want.

and the polls are still very close, with the latest SUSA 48-45 in favor, but that means the Prop still isn't over 50% (and at one point it was trailing). The prospects look worse than they did a month ago, but I'm not giving up until all the votes are counted. I care more about this prop then I do about any of the races on my ticket because, in many ways, it would change the country more than any races on the ticket.

As for Obama, he may oppose this prop (and good for him),* but he's happy to embrace homophobes (Kmeic, McClurkin) and generally defend separate but equal for gay folks in terms of civil unions instead of marriage. He's done it repeatedly. Overall, he - like most of the leadership in the Democratic Party - is on the wrong side of history of this issue. Whether history will happen this November or not doesn't change the fact that it's going to happen. It also won't change the fact that history will show Obama and most of the political leadership in this country were on the wrong side of it.

* Of course, while Obama was willing to announce his opposition in a letter to an LGBT breakfast (how brave!), it's understandable that some folks might think he supports the prop since he likes to go to places like Rick Warren's church and say things like this:

WARREN: There’s a lot more I’d like to ask on that. We have 15 other questions here. Define marriage.

OBAMA: I believe that marriage is the union between a man and a woman. Now, for me as a Christian — for me — for me as a Christian, it is also a sacred union. God’s in the mix. But –

WARREN: Would you support a Constitutional Amendment with that definition?

OBAMA: No, I would not.

WARREN: Why not?

OBAMA: Because historically — because historically, we have not defined marriage in our constitution. It’s been a matter of state law. That has been our tradition. I mean, let’s break it down. The reason that people think there needs to be a constitutional amendment, some people believe, is because of the concern that — about same-sex marriage. I am not somebody who promotes same-sex marriage, but I do believe in civil unions. I do believe that we should not — that for gay partners to want to visit each other in the hospital for the state to say, you know what, that’s all right, I don’t think in any way inhibits my core beliefs about what marriage are. I think my faith is strong enough and my marriage is strong enough that I can afford those civil rights to others, even if I have a different perspective or different view.

He said it's a state issue and that he believes marriage is between a man and a woman. It's understandable to me that some folks could hear that as support for prop 8 if they weren't aware of Obama's other statement.

If you look at the spokesman's quote in the Sacramento Bee, it appears that Obama's main disagreement with prop 8 is that it's a constitutional amendment. At Warren's church he appeared only to address federal amendments, but it seems he's extended this to state constitutions. However, based on the comments at Warren's he apparently has no problems with states that bar gays from marrying by statute. California did this and that was fine with Obama. It's just that statute has been struck down and so now the only way to do it is through constitutional amendment.

While there is something to be said for not enshrining hatred in a constitution (and good on Obama for recognizing this), it's a distinction without a difference for all the gay and lesbian couple who live in states where there's a statute that prohibits gay marriage.

The Republicans are liars, remember? All the Pro-8 ads that have been running are filled with lies, thanks to the Mormon cash, and like Dominionists the Mormons by faith believe that it is perfectly acceptable to lie to achieve "God's" ends. Nice bunch all around.

There are individual Mormons who oppose that tenet, the OK to lie sham, but there are many more who see it as scripture. The Church tried to mobilize CA Mormons on this but hardly anyone turned out; they've had to truck people in from Utah to hand out literature and most all of the money (80% of the Pro-8 budget) is coming from Mormon HQ front groups.

Obama's been more than clear, and more than supportive in speaking out against Prop 8. He has a full-time job already; this is California's fight and we need to suck it up and get the job taken care of instead of blaming Obama for every trial and tribulation.

Speaking of which, is Obama just a weakling puppet for Pelosi and Reid, or is he an all-powerful ruler who can change people's minds with a PSA? Somebody's confused here, but it isn't Obama and it isn't me.

But there are too many in this country who are being left behind. I am talking primarily about education.

I see that as important as the environmental issues (understanding that if Earth dies, so do we all).

Whatever happens, we need to get more people on the bus, not under it.

that's what it is -- in all ways.

I saw an ad against Michigan's Prop 2 tonight - it's designed to relax the rules on embryonic stem cell research. The AA-sounding man talked about the Tuskegee experimentation while showing pictures from that era. He said that stem cell research would go too far.

Repulsive doesn't begin to describe the ad or the people paying for it.

Obama obviously isn't addressing it. He doesn't have to. They'll vote for him anyway.

that doesn't mean what you think it means --the prize is always equal rights and opportunity--not ever one man's election.

your repeated use of phrases from the civil rights era against an issue of civil rights and for the election of someone who won't lift a finger for equality is appalling.

Who would you rather have as your allies as you try to enact progressive polices? A committed liberal like me, who feels that fighting for the equality for the LGBTQ community is a reason I could vote for Obama, or some conservative evangelical, who will expect Obama to restrict abortion rights and support wingnut judges, in exchange for their support.

I want Obama to eschew the support of evangelical dominionists, in favor of people like me, but it's not happening, which is why he doesn't get my vote.

The reason the Dems have been losing presidential elections, is not because they aren't conservative enough, but because they aren't committed to their own ideals enough. When faced with the choice between a real republican, or a democrat posing as one, the real republican win every time.

I guess it's gonna take one more electoral loss for them to figure that out.

i can haz hillary nao?