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Gibbs Pushed on Clinton, Gay Marriage


Jake Tapper of ABC Wednesday asked White House press secretary Robert Gibbs for a reaction to recent comments from former president Bill Clinton that he now supports marriage equality.

Full text of the exchange is below:

Tapper: Former president Bill Clinton recently said that he's basically in support of same-sex marriage. "I think it's wrong," he said, "for someone to stop someone else from getting involved in same-sex marriage." Has President Obama heard these comments? Does he have a reaction? And why is Bill Clinton wrong about this issue?
Gibbs: Well, I'm not going to get into anybody's opinion -- I'm not going to criticize anybody's opinion, least of all a former president of the United States, on something like this. I am not clear whether the president has seen that. I don't know where that was from, so I don't know if the president has seen it.

But President Obama holds a different opinion?
President Obama holds the same opinion he has earlier today.

Which is that same-sex marriage is wrong.
He does not support it. He supports civil unions.

Why does he feel differently than President Bill Clinton?
Because they don't agree on the issue. [ Laughter ] I've not obviously spent a lot of --

That's not really an explanation of why he feels differently. That's another word for it.
Well, I mean, I'm happy to -- I mean, I think the president has answered this question a number of times. I can't form a basis for why former president Clinton -- I've obviously not had a conversation with him on this issue, so I don't know what -- it's hard for me to compare some of this because I don't have the basis by which he's making that decision.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Joe Reid
    Date posted: 7/17/2009 2:56:00 AM
    Hometown: San Diego, CA

    Comment:

    Remember Obama is OUT in 2012 for not coming OUT to act on our issues.

  • Name: David Watson
    Date posted: 7/17/2009 1:06:00 AM
    Hometown: Seattle WA

    Comment:

    How many times has some religious nut that view gays as sinful turns out that they have their own internal gay issue which they feel guilty over? People that protest too much, tend to have some type of maladapted issue over said subject. Oh lookie, some GOP Senator who criticized Clinton over having sex with someone, who just happens to be not his wife, got caught having sex with someone who just happens to be not his wife. Maybe if your going to throw rocks, you should not do it in your own glass house.

  • Name: Marina E.
    Date posted: 7/16/2009 6:30:00 PM
    Hometown: Seattle

    Comment:

    PJR- (I know you love all this attention!) LESBIANS ARE DIFFERENT! In fact one thing I like about gay folks is that we are EVERYWHERE! Every race, every class, every gender, EVERY RELIGION, every culture, even many different species. So we are not all the same. Yes, many men are horny dogs (that's why many muslim men want women covered from their lustful eyes). And many of us are basing our relationships on LOVE and RESPECT. Get your filthy mind out of the gutter and leave us alone. Your views are not going to change us. Remember ALL religions are based on tolerance and love for ALL. Think of homosexuals as God's test for you hateful Christians: if you can't love and appreciate us then YOU ARE GOING TO HELL!

  • Name: Susan
    Date posted: 7/16/2009 6:26:00 PM
    Hometown: Lawrence, KS

    Comment:

    Oh, and PJR, plenty of heterosexual couples have anal sex. Is that also immoral?

  • Name: Marina E.
    Date posted: 7/16/2009 6:17:00 PM
    Hometown: Seattle

    Comment:

    This article is about a member of the press bullying the press secretary about other people's views. How /why would he speak for Clinton? As he stated, he didn't talk to him and wasn't familiar with the context of Clinton's statements. Clinton courted us when he ran for President and then kicked us to the curb when he got elected. He slashed welfare, hurting many families. He left us with money in the bank instead of a deficit, but the boom in the economy was due to all the hi-tech start ups/bubble. He was Republican-lite in Dem's clothing. Obama has changed his conservative Christian thoughts on marriage. He hasn't moved all the way to the left yet, but I think he is open-minded enough to continue in that direction. He wasn't as liberal when campaigning but has since done more positive things for the LGBT community. That's how politicians are, they won't tell you their true thoughts until they are elected or finished so they appeal to all sides for maximum electability

  • Name: Devy
    Date posted: 7/16/2009 6:01:00 PM
    Hometown: Palm Springs

    Comment:

    Some of you guys commits are utterly ridiculous, obama would have never won the election and if he said he had full on supports gay marriage and by far he has been the most progressive president by saying he even supports civil unions. i dont expect things to change over night but progress is progress. but you cant expect one person to fix everything that affect the gay community, at some point we have to act up, be loud and be seen. our movement has tapered off from yester years, we need a sense of urgency and we need it now. if we want full equality we have to push for it before his 4 or 8 years are over with because we might not get another president who even addresses our concerns for another number of years.

  • Name: Susan
    Date posted: 7/16/2009 5:54:00 PM
    Hometown: Lawrence, KS

    Comment:

    PJR, do you eat shrimp? What about clothing that blends different materials? Either of these, according to the Bible, are considered an abomination...the same wording that is used for a man lying with another man. Explain to me why you're not following the 613 commandments that G-d gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai, please. You might want to consider reading the books _What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality_ and _Wrestling with G-d and Man: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition. G-d made each of us the way we are. G-d created us to love others and to fall in love. We have no control over who that might be. Remember that G-d judges us. It is not up to you (And before you cast me into the pits of Hell, don't bother...I'm Jewish and don't believe in it). Perhaps you need to embrace your own faith and G-d and delve into what I am sure it actually preaches. Love.

  • Name: PJR
    Date posted: 7/16/2009 5:41:00 PM
    Hometown: Michigan

    Comment:

    M Smith, you want something to back up homosexuality is immoral? Are you kidding? You can't be serious! How about homosexuality is based on sticking your dick up another person's shithole? Would that make the immoral clear enough for you?? All gay rights and gay agenda and gay theology arguments that try to make homosexuality equivalent with heterosexuality simply skip that vulgar starting point and basis! Lesbian is no different! That's the immoral core made immoral by biological, theological, social welfare, health welfare, and any other standard you want to apply around morality! IF you cannot see that as immoral no matter how you slice it, there's simply no hope for your tiny head, and by your grotesque denial you offer more proof that homosexuality is a mental disorder!

  • Name: Dale
    Date posted: 7/16/2009 5:13:00 PM
    Hometown: DC

    Comment:

    I'm starting to think that Gibbs is not going to last too much longer as press secretary. He's been befuddled by the press a few too many times without having satisfactory answers. IMHO, Clinton is now in the safety zone, so what the hell, back gay marriage. I truly believe he means it. He just has nothing to lose for doing so. As for Gibb's take on Obama... "President Obama holds the same opinion he has earlier today." Perhaps he forgets that Obama once said he did support it a few years ago? BTW, what the hell is the gay agenda? Do I need to sign up for a special mailing list?

  • Name: Philip
    Date posted: 7/16/2009 4:19:00 PM
    Hometown: Michigan

    Comment:

    Don't down all Michiganders. PJR doesn't speak for all of us. He barely speaks for himself.

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