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McCain Disagrees with Obama and Clinton on Defense of Marriage
Josiah Ryan
Staff Writer
(CNSNews.com) - Given the California Supreme Court's controversial ruling declaring same-sex marriage a right, the role the marriage issue will play in the 2008 election has been the subject of speculation among pundits and analysts.
Jonathan Alter, a Newsweek columnist, said on MSNBC's "The Verdict" on Thursday night that it would not be an issue because the view of presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain's(R-Ariz) "is the same as Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) and Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-N.Y)."
According to statements made by the candidates and their campaigns, however, the candidate's views are not the same.
In an open letter to the "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual" (LGBT) community that was posted on Obama's official campaign website on February 28, 2008, Obama wrote that he unequivocally favors completely repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
DOMA, signed by President Clinton in 1996, protects states from having to recognize same-sex marriages contracted in other states. Ordinarily, under the "Full Faith and Credit Clause" of the Constitution, states are required to recognize "the public Acts, Records and judicial Proceedings of every other State."
If DOMA were repealed, every state in the nation would be required to recognize the same-sex marriages contracted in Massachusetts and California.
"Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)-a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate," Obama wrote.
"While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does."
An official at the Obama campaign confirmed to Cybercast News Service that this letter was in fact written by Obama.
McCain voted for DOMA in 1996 and has since spoken in favor of it.
On July 13, 2004 McCain expressed his support for DOMA on the floor of the Senate: "I supported the Defense of Marriage Act adopted by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in 1996," he said. "The law neither compels a state to recognize a same-sex marriage from another state, nor does it prohibit states from recognizing such marriages. It simply protects each state's right to choose how it will define marriage."
Also McCain appeared on the "The Ellen Degeneres Show" on May 22, 2008 and said that he believes that heterosexual marriage is unique. "I just believe in the unique status of marriage between man and woman, and I know that we have a respectful disagreement on that issue."
Clinton's campaign has also expressed support for repealing at least sections of DOMA.
__"Senator Clinton believes that each state should make its own decisions regarding marriage or civil unions, but once a state legalizes such relationships, these relationships should receive full federal recognition and benefits," Ethan Geto, a senior national adviser to Senator Clinton on LGBT Issues told The Advocate on June 20, 2007. "As several states have legalized gay marriage or civil unions, Senator Clinton has come to believe that the restrictions imposed by DOMA on federal government recognition of same-sex relationships are unfair."
Make media inquiries or request an interview about this article.
E-mail a comment or news tip to Josiah Ryan
Jonathan Alter, a Newsweek columnist, said on MSNBC's "The Verdict" on Thursday night that it would not be an issue because the view of presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain's(R-Ariz) "is the same as Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) and Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-N.Y)."
According to statements made by the candidates and their campaigns, however, the candidate's views are not the same.
In an open letter to the "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual" (LGBT) community that was posted on Obama's official campaign website on February 28, 2008, Obama wrote that he unequivocally favors completely repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
DOMA, signed by President Clinton in 1996, protects states from having to recognize same-sex marriages contracted in other states. Ordinarily, under the "Full Faith and Credit Clause" of the Constitution, states are required to recognize "the public Acts, Records and judicial Proceedings of every other State."
If DOMA were repealed, every state in the nation would be required to recognize the same-sex marriages contracted in Massachusetts and California.
"Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)-a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate," Obama wrote.
"While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does."
An official at the Obama campaign confirmed to Cybercast News Service that this letter was in fact written by Obama.
McCain voted for DOMA in 1996 and has since spoken in favor of it.
On July 13, 2004 McCain expressed his support for DOMA on the floor of the Senate: "I supported the Defense of Marriage Act adopted by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton in 1996," he said. "The law neither compels a state to recognize a same-sex marriage from another state, nor does it prohibit states from recognizing such marriages. It simply protects each state's right to choose how it will define marriage."
Also McCain appeared on the "The Ellen Degeneres Show" on May 22, 2008 and said that he believes that heterosexual marriage is unique. "I just believe in the unique status of marriage between man and woman, and I know that we have a respectful disagreement on that issue."
Clinton's campaign has also expressed support for repealing at least sections of DOMA.
__"Senator Clinton believes that each state should make its own decisions regarding marriage or civil unions, but once a state legalizes such relationships, these relationships should receive full federal recognition and benefits," Ethan Geto, a senior national adviser to Senator Clinton on LGBT Issues told The Advocate on June 20, 2007. "As several states have legalized gay marriage or civil unions, Senator Clinton has come to believe that the restrictions imposed by DOMA on federal government recognition of same-sex relationships are unfair."
Make media inquiries or request an interview about this article.
E-mail a comment or news tip to Josiah Ryan
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SarahCCC
5/27/2008 4:54 AM
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McCain is so lame, a socialist in conservative's clothing. Obama and Hillary need no commenting... I doubt they would even object to the title 'socialist'... despite its implications that we as intelligent Christians understand mean certain enslavery of everyone to everyone.
On the issue of marriage, why don't we look at the solutions offered by Bob Barr (the Libertarian Candidate) or Ron Paul... let's take Government out of marriage contracts altogether. Marriage is a contract between two people and God, someone tell me why the government has to be a part of that?