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Rick Santorum, Mulling 2012, Warms To Gay Marriage?

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Rick Santorum then:

“Every society in the history of man has upheld the institution of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman. Why? Because society is based on one thing: that society is based on the future of the society. And that’s what? Children. Monogamous relationships. In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That’s not to pick on homosexuality. It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing. And when you destroy that you have a dramatic impact on the quality.”

Rick Santorum now:

“I have no problem from a public policy point of view with homosexuality.”

Whoa! Stop the presses! Did Rick Santorum just come out in support of homosexuality and gay marriage?

Well, to quote fellow wildcat conservative John Boehner, “Hell no!”

Santorum, who lost his 2006 U.S. Senate election by 59% to 41%, “the largest margin of defeat for an incumbent Senator since 1980,” has made a name for himself as an extremely right-wing politician. He has made friends — and enemies — from his very public statements and voting record on gays, gay marriage, and gay rights, “intelligent design,” Hurricane Katrina, immigration, the Catholic Church’s pedophile priest problem, Iraq’s WMDs, and many other social and political issues.

Rick Santorum is profiled in a CBS News story today:

Santorum, a Fox News contributor, raised more than $700,000 through his Political Action Committee in the second half of 2009, with most of that money going to direct mail solicitations designed to build a conservative base of support and national profile. He has already traveled to key early primary states, and in a January letter to supporters stated flatly that he is “actively considering the 2012 race.”

The author of “It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good,” Santorum might seem an odd candidate for the current moment. He’s remembered far more for his commitment to social issues than the concerns about the country’s fiscal problems animating the Tea Party movement.

But somewhat under-the-radar, Santorum has kept his profile up among conservatives via op-eds and a Friday guest-hosting gig on Bill Bennett’s radio show. He now “sees an opening for someone who can unite the various primary factions — economic libertarians, party establishment types and cultural conservatives,” according to CBS News Chief Political Consultant Marc Ambinder.

Santorum will likely seek to position himself as “a true-blue, reliable social conservative who proved his conservatism in the Senate,” said Stuart Rothenberg, editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report. “He can argue he won in Pennsylvania, which is not normally predisposed to support conservatives, so that proves his abilities.”

And,

“In the Senate, Rick Santorum called banning gay marriage ‘the ultimate homeland security issue,’ essentially arguing that the existence of gay couples and gay families represented a threat to the safety and security of the nation,” said [Dan] Savage.

So, the question is, has former Senator Rick Santorum warmed to gay marriage and civil rights for the LGBTQ community, or, is he just saying what he thinks he needs to to move his campaign forward?

Don’t forget, just last year, Santorum shilled for Maggie Gallagher’s National Organization for Marriage. In an email to supporters, Santorum wrote,

“Dear Friend of Marriage,

My friend, I’ve never come to you with a more urgent message: we must

act TODAY to protect marriage.

An out-of-control supreme court has forced same-sex marriage on Iowa

and an out-of-touch legislature has done the same in Vermont. States like

New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Maine are in the fight of their

lives to uphold marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Understand this: these fights are about much more than these states

alone. There is a concerted effort to use passage of same-sex marriage in

these states to force it on every other state in the union. How? Through the

repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act!

With one stroke of the pen, President Obama could sign into law a bill

that allows judges in one state to impose gay marriage on 47 other states.

Yes, powerful leaders in the White House and Congress are taking aim at the one federal law that protects

marriage and other values we hold sacred.

But fortunately, the National Organization for Marriage has already prepared a DOMA Defense Fund to

mobilize the American people and tell Congress: “Enough, Don’t Mess with Marriage!”

Will you join me, Dr. James Dobson, and thousands of other people of faith who support the National

Organization for Marriage? Together, we can stop those who would repeal the Defense of Marriage

Act. Your gift of $35, $100, or even $500 today would help organize grassroots support for DOMA in

all 50 states! Use this hyperlink to make a secure online donation today!“

Here’s my simple response.

The chances of someone making that dramatic a switch, and in such a short amount of time, without some “divine intervention,” are slim to none. If he’s “seen the light,” he gave no indication of that. No, “I’m gay.” No, “I found out my brother is gay.” No, “I have a gay son.”

So, either back then he was saying hateful, despicable things about gays, just for political kicks and giggles, or, he is now.

Either way, does anyone like that deserve your vote?

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News

Trump Appears to Think Jeb Bush Was President: ‘He Got Us Into the Middle East’

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September 25, 2023

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During a rally in South Carolina on Monday, Donald Trump appeared to confuse former Florida GOP Governor Jeb Bush with his brother, former President George W. Bush, while bragging to supporters how he beat him.

Jeb Bush, who was largely considered to be the default Republican Party nominee for the 2016 presidential election when he launched his campaign, dropped out in February of 2016 after the South Carolina primary.

“When I come here, everyone thought Bush was going to win,” Trump said, before claiming he was “up by about 50 points” over Bush. “They thought Bush because Bush was supposedly a military person.”

“You know what he was…He got us into the Middle East,” Trump claimed, wrongly. “How did that work out?”

READ MORE: ‘Isn’t Glock a Good Gun?’ Trump Asks Before Saying He Is Buying One – Campaign Forced to Deny He Did

“But they also thought that Bush might win. Jeb. Remember Jeb? He used the word ‘Jeb,’ he didn’t use the word ‘Bush,’ I said, ‘You mean he’s ashamed of the last name?’ and then they immediately started using the name Bush,” Trump claimed.

The ex-president went on to continue denigrating Jeb Bush, accusing him of bringing his mother to campaign with him.

“Remember,” Trump said, “he brought his mother, his wonderful mother who’s 94 years old and it was pouring and they’re wheeling her around and it’s raining and horrible. I said, ‘Who would do that your mother, 94 years old. How desperate are you to win?”

Media Matters’ Craig Harrington, commenting on Trump’s latest gaffe, observed: “In the past two weeks, Donald Trump has:

– Warned that Joe Biden might start ‘World War 2’
– Confused his 2016 election opponent (Hillary Clinton) with former President Barack Obama
– Confused his 2016 primary opponent (Jeb Bush) with former President George W. Bush.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Careening’ Toward ‘Risk of Political Violence’: Experts Sound Alarm After Trump Floats Executing His Former General

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Fulton County Judge in Trump Case Orders Jurors’ Identities and Images Must Be Protected

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September 25, 2023

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The Fulton County Superior Court judge presiding over Georgia’s RICO, conspiracy, and election interference case against Donald Trump on Monday afternoon ordered the identities and images of all jurors and prospective jurors to remain secret, ordering they may only be referred to by a number.

“No person shall videotape, photograph, draw in a realistic or otherwise identifiable manner, or otherwise record images, statements, or conversations of jurors/prospective jurors in any manner” that would violate a Superior Court rule, Judge Scott McAfee ordered, “except that the jury foreperson’s announcement of the verdict or questions to the judge may be audio recorded.”

“Jurors or prospective jurors shall be identified by number only in court filings or in open court,” he added.

READ MORE: ‘Careening’ Toward ‘Risk of Political Violence’: Experts Sound Alarm After Trump Floats Executing His Former General

Judge McAfee also ordered no juror’s or prospective juror’s identity, “including names, addresses, telephone numbers, or identifying employment information” may be revealed.

MSNBC’s Katie Phang posted the order, and added: “Another important part of the Order: no responses from juror questionnaires or notes about jury selection shall be disclosed, unless permitted by the Court.”

Judge McAfee’s order comes after Donald Trump’s weekend of attacks on his former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley. Trump strongly suggested he should be executed for treason. Trump also strongly suggested he would target Comcast, NBC News, and MSNBC if he wins the 2024 presidential election.

Responding to the news, MSNBC’s Medhi Hasan observed, “We have just normalized the fact that the former president, and GOP presidential frontrunner, is basically a mob boss.”

 

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News

‘Isn’t Glock a Good Gun?’ Trump Asks Before Saying He Is Buying One – Campaign Forced to Deny He Did

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12 hours ago

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September 25, 2023

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During a photo shoot at a South Carolina gun shop, Donald Trump posed with and then said he wanted to buy a Glock, asking if it is “a good gun.”

Some say it might be illegal to sell a gun to anyone under criminal indictment, and if he took the gun with him that too might be illegal. It was not clear if, despite saying he would, he actually bought the firearm. The Trump campaign initially said he had, although later backtracked on its claim, and deleted the social media post saying he had.

In the photo op (video below,) Trump posed with several people, including the Republican Attorney General of South Carolina, Alan Wilson, who has held that elected position since 2011.

“Trump’s spokesman announced that Trump bought a Glock today in South Carolina. He even posted video,” wrote former Chicago Tribune editor Mark Jacob. “If Trump took the gun with him, that’s a federal crime since he’s under indictment. There’s also a law against selling a gun to someone under federal indictment like Trump.”

READ MORE: ‘Poof’: White House Mocks Stunned Fox News Host as GOP’s Impeachment Case Evaporates on Live Air

Reuters’ crime and justice reporter Brad Heath posted the federal laws that might apply, as well as Trump’s campaign spokesperson’s clip of the ex-president’s remarks, and his spokesperson saying, “President Trump purchases a @GLOCKInc in South Carolina!”

CNN analyst Stephen Gutowski, who writes about gun policy, added, “It would be a crime for him to actually buy this gun because he’s under felony indictment. Did he actually go through with this purchase?”

“People under felony indictments can’t ‘receive’ new firearms. That also means you can’t buy them,” he also wrote.

MSNBC anchor and legal contributor Katie Phang wrote, “I don’t know if he actually bought the gun. At least it didn’t happen in this video. Also, the Attorney General of South Carolina is in this video. Is he watching Trump commit a crime?”

But some pointed to a federal judge in Texas’ ruling from last year. Reuters reported, a “federal law prohibiting people under felony indictment from buying firearms is unconstitutional.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

 

 

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