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McCain Officially Endorses California Marriage Ban

The Log Cabin Republicans have confirmed that Sen. John McCain has switched from holding a neutral position on California's anti-gay marriage measure to supporting it.
An Advocate.com exclusive posted July 2, 2008
McCain Officially Endorses California Marriage Ban

John McCain’s position on California’s marriage amendment has officially switched from supporting the voters’ right to define marriage as they see fit to endorsing efforts to prohibit same-sex marriage by amending the state’s constitution, according to a statement by the Log Cabin Republicans.

ProtectMarriage.com, the group leading the charge to constitutionally ban gay marriage in California via a ballot measure, published the following statement from the McCain campaign on its website last Thursday: “I support the efforts of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman, just as we did in my home state of Arizona. I do not believe judges should be making these decisions.” The wording varies from the campaign’s original statement following the state supreme court’s May decision to legalize gay marriage, which asserted that McCain supported “the right of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution sanctioning the union between a man and a woman…”

Conservative organizations such the Christian Broadcasting Network wasted no time hailing the new statement as an endorsement of the antimarriage amendment. But until Tuesday, Log Cabin representatives said the campaign itself had neither confirmed nor denied that the Arizona senator had in fact changed his position from neutrality to active support.

A statement released Tuesday by the Log Cabin Republicans read, “Late last week, the group pushing California’s antimarriage constitutional amendment released an e-mail from a McCain staffer saying the senator backed the amendment. We now have confirmation that this represents the senator’s view.”

Log Cabin president Patrick Sammon asserted in the statement that supporting the amendment is inconsistent with McCain’s belief in federalism. “Unfortunately, his position on this amendment hurts gay and lesbian families. We obviously disagree with Senator McCain on this issue and do not believe he should have interjected himself into this state issue,” Sammon said in the release. “Backing California’s ban sends the wrong signal to the independents who will decide this election because it creates the impression that he’s pandering to social conservative leaders.” McCain held a closed meeting in Ohio late last week with social conservative leaders, around the time the new statement appeared on ProtectMarriage.com.

Sammon, who has met several times with McCain’s campaign staff and once with the senator himself, declined to discuss the nature of those meetings or whether the senator had indicated what his official stance on California’s ballot measure would be.

Senator McCain’s campaign did not return phone calls for this article. His stance on other marriage ballot measures -- such as Florida’s or one that just qualified for the November ballot in his home state of Arizona -- remains unclear. (Kerry Eleveld, The Advocate)

Eleveld is news editor of The Advocate.
Keywords:  California marriage  Gay Marriage Ban  John McCain  Log Cabin Republicans  marriage 
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Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Chris Sullivan
    Date posted: 2008-07-07 5:58 PM
    Hometown: Chicago, IL

    Comment:

    John McCain clearly feels that he needs the support of social conservatives to even stand a chance of winning this election. "Gay Republicans" are an embarassment to all gay people. If McCain were to somehow win this election, it would do little more than prove the statement "stupid Americans" to be disarmingly true. We've done it twice in the past 7-8 years - if we are so ignorant/arrogant as to do it again, we deserve what we get. (As for "Gay Republicans" - these people are usually upper-middle to upper class guys who are more concerned with money and being closet racists than with anything to do with gay rites and are an embarassment to all gay people.)


  • Name: Art M.
    Date posted: 2008-07-07 4:23 PM
    Hometown: San Francisco, CA

    Comment:

    McCain said: “I support the efforts of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman, just as we did in my home state of Arizona. I do not believe judges should be making these decisions.” The people of San Francisco, CA and the people of Washington, DC also stated they didn't want handguns allowed in their city, and judges made the decision to ban those laws, and McCain and other conservatives felt it was OK for judges to make THOSE decisions. Why doesn't anyone rub that in his face and make him answer what the difference is? Why is judging one law unconstitional fine and judging another law unconstitutional overstepping their bounds? What has happened to journalism and journalists? Why do they NEVER ask the important questions and KEEP asking them until they're answered???


  • Name: Jack
    Date posted: 2008-07-04 11:53 AM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    If a group of your neighbors got together and "voted" for you to leave the neighborhood, "It was 55-23, but a fair and honest vote, please leave in 30 days," would you do it? Prop 22 was an abuse of the democratic process; there are some things that should never be put to a vote, particularly when they involve denying an entire group of people or segment of society access to a civil procedure which is guaranteed to everyone else. The initiative on the ballot in November goes further- it would seek to change the Constitution permanently and deny gay men and lesbians access to a government issued marriage license, which is routinely granted to prisoners on death row, inmates in state institutions, and Saturday night drunks on a Las Vegas holiday, as long as they're heterosexual.


  • Name: Mike Raumond
    Date posted: 2008-07-04 3:23 AM
    Hometown: Seattle

    Comment:

    McCain's a major sicko, posing as a "folksy nice guy" just like George Bush did eight years ago. He wants to bomb and invade Iran (just what we need to shore up the U.S.'s reputation in the world, another war); keep U.S. troops in Iraq far beyond his lifetime; and now, to garner the support of the most reactionary forces in the country, he's jumping on the anti-gay bandwagon. No offense to the log cabin republicans, who seem misguided at best, but any gay man or woman who would support McCain in his bid to become the President of this country, is off his or her nut.


  • Name: BobNSF
    Date posted: 2008-07-02 7:34 PM
    Hometown: San Francisco

    Comment:

    Odd the article doesn't mention McCain's support for his state's constitutional amendment in the last election, the only anti-gay amendment that has actually failed at the ballot box. It was SO draconian -- banning marriage, civil unions, municipal registries, ANY form of recognition -- that even the conservative citizens of Arizona thought it went too far. But he didn't.


  • Name: L. Myron
    Date posted: 2008-07-02 4:14 PM
    Hometown: Edgewater, New Jersey

    Comment:

    There's not much to say that hasn't been previously stated. It's no surprise that John McBush, in a desperate attempt to capture the Presidency, has revealed just how much of a bigot we have long known him to be. The Logheads will probably not endorse his candidacy this year, repeating their lack of an endorsement four years ago. When are these buffoons going to wake up and smell the coffee? If they were sincerely interested in advancing our agenda, they would get behind Obama as a protest not only to McBush, but to the intolerant party they regretably represent.


  • Name: Roger Burr
    Date posted: 2008-07-02 3:31 PM
    Hometown: Marble Hill, MO

    Comment:

    HELLO.... If this doesn't awaken the Log Cabin Republicans to the fact they are an anachronism, I don't know what will. The Republicans are NOT our friends and never have been. It is equally unrealistic for the Log Cabin folks to assume they can change the party from within. They need to disband completely and transfer their allegiance and fund raising to the Democrats. While not perfect themselves, the Democrats are the ONLY political party showing any support for LGBT issues. John McCain is simply a remake of George Bush and, if elected, will never support LGBT issues; but rather, will make Supreme Court appointments of people who will tip the courts balance to the right, for decades to come. If McCain is elected, I'm moving to Canada.


  • Name: bill
    Date posted: 2008-07-02 7:22 AM
    Hometown: decatur ga

    Comment:

    DID HE just cut his chance of winning when many of hilr supporters were ready to back him now hilrary should defn run as indep. with john putting out this notice, and bar....stating the same time to get a solid indepn to save america


  • Name: Joseph
    Date posted: 2008-07-02 1:24 AM
    Hometown: Montgomery, AL

    Comment:

    (continued) AND, since he entered the Senate, where has Obama been with regards to introducing any pro-gay (or pro-same-sex) legislation? Obama's ONE AND ONLY concern is getting elected and he doesn't care who gets tossed aside in the process. He'll support the LGBT community just until their usefulness is done. (And, given the man's recent statement to strengthen the faith-based initiatives, I suspect the LGBT community's usefulness for Obama is about done.)


  • Name: Ed Gould
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 11:37 PM
    Hometown: Chicago

    Comment:

    If there is a "Gay Gene" can we figure out a way to make sure the Log Cabin types get stripped of theirs? These people are a disgrace to the LGBT peoples. Can we somehow distance ourselves from these people in self denial? The Log Cabin people are so out of touch with reality that it should be possible to institutionalize them in a preferably Catholic monastery on top of a mountain in some far off country. On the other hand they do make themselves look like jerks and it reminds the rest of the LGBT family on how *NOT* live your life. Seriously they need to get a grip on reality.


  • Name: Paul
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 11:31 PM
    Hometown: Atlanta, Ga

    Comment:

    I cannot believe that anyone would be suprised at this action by McCain. What is it going to take for this country let alone the LGBT community to wake up ? Time to wake up people & take action .


  • Name: Marcos tx
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 11:30 PM
    Hometown: Mcallen

    Comment:

    McCain is going to use Marriage to round up the conservatives much like Bush did . Going to use similar tactics on Family morals & Marriage. He will use scare tactics to what ever means he needs too just for support. Its a desprate attemped to regroup the conservatives that are badly leaving behind there support for republicans . Obama needs to keep pressing the economy issues. Im sure Obama wont leave the GLBT community behind.


  • Name: Sam C.
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 10:01 PM
    Hometown: Menlo Park

    Comment:

    Someone mentioned that as a POW McCain should value freedom. HE WAS A COWARD. A soldier's first duty upon getting captured is escape. McCain never attempted escape. Not once. He said it was because he was afraid they'd kill him. IT WAS HIS DUTY - BUT HE WAS TOO AFRAID. Do we REALLY need another Republican coward ruining, uh - I mean, "running" our country?


  • Name: Harold P.
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 9:55 PM
    Hometown: San Mateo

    Comment:

    "until Tuesday, Log Cabin representatives said the campaign itself had neither confirmed nor denied that the Arizona senator had in fact changed his position from neutrality to active support..." Oh puhLEAZE - the Log Cabin Republiturds are deluded nutwhacks who still think they are somehow changing the Republiturd party from within, when they haven't even been inside the gates, let alone within the party. They've changed nothing, they've done nothing but support evil, they're deluded. Nothing has changed. Republiturds are still Republiturds, after all.


  • Name: Tom
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 8:14 PM
    Hometown: San Jose

    Comment:

    Yes, I look forward to seeing this ancient piece of sh*t trounced in the election. Talk about pandering to your base: Bush couldn't have done it better. He must be taking (old) advise from Rove. Hopefully they'll both die soon.


  • Name: Ronald Hurney
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 7:14 PM
    Hometown: Utica NY

    Comment:

    So much for the courts protecting the rights of the minority from the abuses of the majority. So much for letting the states decide. And just how does allowing same-sex couple weaken the fabric of marriage? One would think it would strengthen it. If anything weakens it it would be out-of-wedlock children and no-fault divorces. You don't see the right clamoring to strengthen marriage on this front... only by denying their fellow citizens -- their GLBT neighbors -- equal protection under the law. Sig Heil!


  • Name: johnson
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 6:00 PM
    Hometown: salt lake city

    Comment:

    Let's Hope the LCR has learned their lesson this time and drop McCain and his soon to be VP, Mitt Romney (trust me, he will be the choice, I know). I'm a business person who believes in all the conservative principles of the Old GOP, but this new party bears no resemblance to that one, and make no mistake, they will gladly throw any gay person under the bus, just look at the last 8 years.


  • Name: johnson
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 6:00 PM
    Hometown: salt lake city

    Comment:

    Let's Hope the LCR has learned their lesson this time and drop McCain and his soon to be VP, Mitt Romney (trust me, he will be the choice, I know). I'm a business person who believes in all the conservative principles of the Old GOP, but this new party bears no resemblance to that one, and make no mistake, they will gladly throw any gay person under the bus, just look at the last 8 years.


  • Name: J.E. Green, author of MERGING WITH MONSTERS
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 4:56 PM
    Hometown: Denver, Colorado

    Comment:

    Given the sensation that is Senator Barak Obama - my thought is that McCain is doing whatever he can to make the November election as divisive as possible; especially, regarding the issue of gay marriage. Again, the Republicans are resorting to scare tactics (i.e., "protecting" the American institution of marriage) to con the American people into being frightened by an Obama Presidency. You would think that a man who suffered years as a prisoner of war would be one of the first to support FREEDOM for all Americans. It's time for people like Patrick Sammon to quit aiding and abetting those who continue to view their existence & FREEDOM as superior to that of our own! I'm sick and tired of it - and you should be too!


  • Name: Charley
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 1:46 PM
    Hometown: Brooklyn

    Comment:

    good! now it will be even more satisfying to watch the senile, self-congratulatory twerp get blown out in the election.


  • Name: Jeffrey
    Date posted: 2008-07-01 1:15 PM
    Hometown: Albany NY

    Comment:

    Is anyone really surprised by this? When will the LCR realize that they are NOT WELCOME at the republican table.


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