August 10, 2007
HRC/LOGO: Obama Feels Your Pain
Barack Obama:
* What he wore: Dark suit, white shirt, pale blue tie.
* Number of applause lines: Seven
* How he handled the marriage question: "It's my strong belief that the govt has to treat all citizens equally. I come to that in part out of personal experience. When you're a black guy named Barack Obama, you know what it's like to be on the outside. ... [But] I do think individual denominations have a right to make their own decisions as to whether they recognize same-sex couples. My denomination, United Church of Christ, does. Other denominations may make a decision."
Also: "We should try to disentangle what has historically been the issue of the word "marriage," which has religious connotations to some people, from the civil rights that are given to couples. ...
On whether "civil unions" constitutes "separate but equal" conditions, "When my parents got married in 1961, it would have been illegal for them to be married in a number of staes in the south. So obviously this is something I understand intimately. It's something I care about. But I would also say thing, if i were advising the civil rights movemet in 1961 about its approach to civil rights, I would say it's less important that we are focusing on an anti-miscegenation law than we focus on a voting rights law and a non-discrimination and employment law and all the legal rights that are conferred by the state."
* Attempts to connect the civil rights struggles of gays and African-Americans: 4.
* Best quotes related to that effort: "When you're a black guy named Barack Obama, you know what it's like to be on the outside"
"I got into politics because I don't like people looking down on other people. It bothers me."
"My attitude is that if people are being treated unfairly and unequally, then it needs to be fixed. I'm always cautious of getting into comparisons of victimology. It's important not to look at the black candidate and wonder whether or not he's going to be more sympathetic. I'm going to be more sympaethic not because I'm black, but because this has been the cause of my life and will continue to be the cause of my life."
* Best received line overall: "I'm a hope-monger."
* Worst received line: "Now, it's not for me to suggest that you shouldn't be troubled by these issues. ... As I've proposed it, [civil unions] wouldn't be a lesser thing [than traditional marriage], from my perspective. That's enormous progress."
* Etheridgism: "I am not a professional politician. I'm not even a journalist. I'm an incredibly privileged rock star."
Posted at 03:09 PM
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