Will President Obama’s third State of the Union address mention gay rights, including the right of same-sex couples to marry? Few think so, given the downright hostile environment fomented by the anti-gay GOP, Obama’s recent win on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal, and his earlier-kept promise of signing into law the Hate Crimes bill. Others think he has a moral obligation to do so. Regardless, the focus by some on the marriage issue has reached a new high.
In “High hopes for State of the Union speech,” Chris Johnson at the Washington Blade last week wrote, “Whether the president will even address LGBT issues during his speech remains in question.”
“During a news conference [last] Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he didn’t know whether the president would address marriage or repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act during his speech.”
But things have gotten more heated. Johnson today writes, “White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs nearly shut down a news conference on Monday following inquiries about President Obama’s position on same-sex marriage.”
“Gibbs was responding to questions from the Washington Blade on whether Obama had “backtracked†from a statement of support for same-sex marriage in a 1996 questionnaire during his campaign for an Illinois state Senate seat.
“I think there’s a whole host of issues that I would direct you to the campaign on — on different questionnaires and I would again reiterate what the president has said recently on that issue,†Gibbs said.
“The marriage questions prompted Gibbs to attempt to end the news conference.”
What we do know is through judicious leaks, the “Organizing for America” video preview, and the media-machine plying the White House has done in recent days that the State of the Union address tomorrow night (9 PM ET) will include a focus on job-creation, education and infrastructure investment.
Politico’s Glenn Thrush writes, “Obama – recognizing that Democrats have surrendered their historic edge to the GOP on the economy – will be also be focusing much of the speech on his efforts to recover some of the six million jobs lost since the start of the recession.”
“My No. 1 focus,†he said, “is going to be making sure that we are competitive, and we are creating jobs not just now but well into the future,†he said, emphasizing his goal of improving the economy for the “entire American family.â€
The question is, will the “entire American family” Obama mentions include families of same-sex couples, to whom Obama sent a gentle nod in his speech at the Tucson Memorial earlier this month when he mentioned “life partners?” Not many caught it, but it was good to hear.
The moment Obama signed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal bill into law he began talking about repealing DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, which makes it illegal for the federal government to legally-recognize same-sex marriages or partnerships, like civil unions, and thus, excludes literally millions of same-sex couples and families from accessing the 1138+ benefits that are available to married heterosexual couples by virtue of their birth.
Even before that, President Obama said he was “wrestling” with the concept of gay marriage.
The President also mentioned he would like to find ways to broaden the scope of benefits for same-sex couples, acknowledging that control of the House was moving to the GOP.
Will Obama mention repealing DOMA at the State of the Union? Most think not, but many, like columnist and “It Gets Better” creator Dan Savage think he must.
In a New York Times op-ed titled, “A Gay Agenda for Everyone,” Savage writes, “I’m not an idiot: Now that the Republicans hold the House, only wishful thinkers and the deeply delusional expect to see any movement on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender legislative agenda this year or next. Nevertheless, President Obama should address gay rights in his State of the Union speech this week, and he should tackle the biggest, most meaningful right of them all: the right to marry.”
“Gay Americans are eventually going to win on marriage just like we won on military service, the president should tell Congress, so why not save everyone on both sides of the debate a lot of time, trouble and money by approving the entire gay rights agenda? Send the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Student Non-Discrimination Act, the Uniting American Families Act and the repeal of the odious Defense of Marriage Act to his desk for his signature.”
Could the spotlight-seating — next to the First Lady — of Daniel Hernandez, the gay intern who helped save Gabby Giffords’ life when she was shot just three weeks ago, be tipping Obama’s hand? Or it it merely an appropriate gesture. Or neither?
Obama likes to think of himself as someone who works behind the scenes to create an environment that makes things possible. He and top-administration sources, like Secretary of Defense Gates, said as much when the Senate passed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal bill.
Perhaps Hernandez is just one more way Obama is trying to show America that gay and lesbian Americans are people, too.
UPDATE: Read Chris Geidner’s piece at MetroWeekly, “HRC’s Sainz Lowers Expectations for LGBT Americans at SOTU.”