The American Spectator : Bill Clinton ACTS UP

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Bill Clinton ACTS UP

By George Neumayr on 7.17.09 @ 6:08AM

"Yeah," he supports gay marriage, foreshadowing Obama's eventual position.

After conservative Republicans bloodied his nose in 1994, Bill Clinton had to fake up an interest in "traditional values." Out of this phoniness came his hasty signing of the Defense of Marriage Act. A defensive Clinton told the press during his 1996 reelection campaign: "I remain opposed to same-sex marriage. I believe marriage is an institution for the union of a man and a woman. This has been my long-standing position, and it is not being reviewed or reconsidered."

No longer needing to sustain this sham, Clinton has now unburdened himself of his true thoughts about gay marriage: "I personally support people doing what they want to do…I think it's wrong for someone to stop someone else from doing that."

"Yeah," Clinton says he supports it, which delights gay activists who note that he joins the ranks of other "high-profile" Democratic proponents of it, such as Senators Chuck Schumer and Chris Dodd.

The Democratic Party's official and obviously brittle and insincere opposition to gay marriage crumbles by the week. "We'll get there," Teresa Heinz Kerry promised gay activists in San Francisco back in 2004, and time has proven her right, as more and more Dems, judging that the political and cultural coast for gay marriage is now clear, don't even bother to defend that gnarled platform plank.

Clinton's "frank" throat-clearing about an "evolving" position on gay marriage can provide talking-points to other prominent Dems eager to reverse their nominal opposition. Clinton has cited, as the cause of his new enlightenment, the edifying learning experience of watching his homosexual friends take care of tots; this apparently sounds better to him than having to admit that he was fibbing opposition all along.

Turning hot water up gradually without the frogs jumping out is tricky, but Obama seems to think that he can also pull it off. It won't be long before his support for "robust civil unions," an inching euphemism towards gay marriage he likes, gives way to a "frank" Clinton-style reappraisal and endorsement of gay marriage in all 50 states.

The American people, after all, can be cajoled out of their "worn arguments and old attitudes," he implied at the White House's "LGBT" reception in late June.

"Welcome to your White House," Obama burbled, adding an oblique promise of support for every item on the LGBT agenda, including gay marriage: "We've been in office six months now. I suspect that by the time this administration is over, I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration."

By the end of Obama's probable second term, his justices will almost certainly have uncorked some bogus constitutional right to gay marriage discovered within the penumbras of Lawrence v. Texas. At which point, Obama, drawing upon the faux-pained honesty he has perfected, can regurgitate what he wrote in his memoirs: that he was once on "the wrong side of history" but has now happily come into the light.

The construction of his position on gay marriage in The Audacity of Hope is comically passive, salted with several I'm-eager-to-be-wrong-here qualifiers: "In years hence I may be seen as someone who was on the wrong side of history" and "I was reminded that it is my obligation not only as an elected official in a pluralistic society, but also as a Christian, to remain open to the possibility that my unwillingness to support gay marriage is misguided."

It is hard to describe what's happening on this rapidly-moving front as a "culture war," since that implies two sides are fighting. Are there even two sides to make a war at this point? It appears, with a few conservative exceptions here and there, that only one side is fighting -- the left; the PC oafs in the Republican Party could not care less.

Perhaps 2010 prospects may rouse a momentary interest in exploiting the issue politically, but morally and culturally they just don't care. Gay activists noted with some satisfaction that Bill Clinton actually arrived at his position later than a Republican eminence, Dick Cheney.

topics:
Democratic Party, Gay Marriage

About the Author

George Neumayr is a contributing editor to The American Spectator.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (51) | Leave a comment

adugan| 7.17.09 @ 7:36AM

true that clinton bashers have to remember cheney came out first before clinton
check out my Bill Clinton blog
http://adugan-billclintonblog.blogspot.com/

Tim| 7.17.09 @ 8:12AM

Given his respect for actual marriage, Clinton is in no position to lecture anyone.

Roscoe| 7.17.09 @ 9:22AM

I have not read the audacity of a dope, except for what I have read in snippets, quotes & extracts placed in articles such as this. The more of these that I read, the more I scratch my head, and wonder, how it could be that this lying usurper EVER got into this position in this country. In both his senatorial careers he was famously "present" for most of them. Each snippet I read from his book seems to have as much substance as a sink full of soap bubbles. He famously smoked & snorted his way through liberal arts school. How on earth did he impress ANYONE in the Chicago cabal that he was worthy of sponsoring to Harvard? I recall at university that smart students - even if misguided - used to hold firm positions, and argue them with conviction. For goodness sakes, even his SCOTUS pick seems to have more guts in that regard. He has apparently never taken a firm position on anything of import, in his entire life.

Oldefarte| 7.17.09 @ 10:31AM

Hopefully in 2010, conservatives can elect some Republican representatives that will aggressively work against this gay rights issue [it's a secondary one but still important]; if not, maybe the current incumbents can be 'unbrainwashed' about it!!!!!!!

Francis Beckwith| 7.17.09 @ 11:15AM

Bill Clinton may be the only person who is for gay marriage but against traditional marriage. ;-)

Ringbearer| 7.17.09 @ 11:19AM

Bill Clinton, Dick Cheny and everyone else who has not come out of the LGBT- negative closet, needs to do so a.s.a.p.! People should have the right to civilly-wed the person of their choice, LGBT or Straight.
visit:www.civillywedd.com

Pete| 7.17.09 @ 11:23AM

"as much substance as a sink full of soap bubbles"

Good stuff.

Tim| 7.17.09 @ 11:43AM

I tried, but Francis did it better.

Bill Rawlings| 7.17.09 @ 12:24PM

After sixty years of being a conservitive I am now in favor of Gay marriage and abortion for Democrates . The high Priestess of the Supreme Court is right " Roe " was meant to get rid of certain groups in our society

Marc Jeric| 7.17.09 @ 12:40PM

Imagine an elderly homosexual with a spouse and 9 previous spouses, dying of AIDS. How much Social Security money will be apportioned to the surviving 10 spouses?

David| 7.17.09 @ 1:38PM

Even the high court in liberal France denied that homosexuals have individual rights to marry one another.

If the idea is that any two consenting adults should be able to marry if they choose, then how can anyone legally, justly, or fairly deny any three or four to marry? Or how can anyone deny a mother the right to marry a son, the father a daughter, an uncle to marry a nephew or niece, etc.

The only argument that could be made against family members marrying one another is the claim that they may produce hideous offspring. But, that is hardly a good argument when anyone can get an abortion for any or no reason at all.

It would simply be unfair to allow two men or women to marry and to not allow multiple partners or incestuous marriages - provided they are all consenting adults.

Once homosexual "marriage" is allowed, society will have "accepted" and "respected" that lifetyle, which IS what homosexuals want. Their cause was never about us staying out of their bedrooms as they claimed. We have stayed out of their bedrooms for decades now, but they insisted on dragging what they do out into the public streets and public schools.

Paul from SA| 7.17.09 @ 2:31PM

Ringbearer,

That is absurd. Please think about this.

Using your standard or Bill's, people would be able to marry their parents, (adult) children, brothers and sisters, grandparents, friends, neighbors and co-workers. It would be a hoot. Imagine an entire village or commune, all married to each other.

Nothing is stopping two adults from signing some type of legal committment outlining a personal union. And if your standard is sincere, marriage shouldn't involve benefits or state recognition, but merely 'a formalized relationship -- love the one you desire.

But that's the point isn't it? Gays want acceptance and affirmation from society using the legal system, not a committed relationship. The benefits and the legality of it is a crock.

In England, I understand a person can change their sex by signing a piece of paper. I would bet that is their next imposition here.

David| 7.17.09 @ 3:31PM

Homosexuals claim that they are denied the legal rights that heteros have. Again, this is the homos (I use that term only to shorten it) backdoor attempt to exempt themselves from the legal system.

They can have all the rights of heteros by drafting and filing the proper legal documents for their partners such as various powers of attorney, wills, etc. Heteros do it all of the time and there are often challenges by family members to what the documents say. Again, homos want to be special and be exempted from any challenges, and having to participate in probate courts in particular, and the legal system in general.

Old Texican| 7.17.09 @ 4:03PM

NO comment.........except I thank God every time I think about it........... I am attracted to females, and especially my female life/mate.

Oh.....

Roy| 7.17.09 @ 4:54PM

Yep - that's about what I think; the media has directed Americans to favor this, and they will.

Francis Beckwith is wrong, by the way - most people who favor "gay marriage" do so more or less because of their contempt for "traditional" marriage. There is no God, or at least if there is, He certainly does not care about sexual behavior, so marriage doesn't matter for that reason. We have already established that any concern about societal cohesion must give way to the desire to have sex with whatever or whoever you feel like. So, marriage is nothing but a toy, to be used to stick it to hated Christians(within 20 years we'll be paying reparations to "homosexuals" - just you wait).

I would like to think that government marriage can be eliminated for good before it becomes yet another vehicle for leftist indoctrination into immorality, but I doubt it very, very much.

MustbeCrazy| 7.17.09 @ 5:10PM

I'm actually repulsed by some of the comments that have been left in response to this article. How is it that guys are angered by "bigotry on the bench" but then participate in the same kind of bigotry against members of the lgbt community? How is being homophobic any different than being racist, anti-Semitic, etc? It's such hypocrisy and honestly blatant ignorance. Furthermore, you alluding to the idea that allowing same sex marriages would translate to incestuous marriages is almost as absurd a third economic stimulus package. How is it that you can even connect the two?

Old Texican| 7.17.09 @ 6:50PM

Mustbecrazy...
Yep...hou are creazy as a bedbug or you cannot make a declarative sentence.

Go back to daily KOS

Michael L. Hauschild| 7.17.09 @ 8:13PM

Who cares what the ejaculation Czar says.

James A Glasscock| 7.17.09 @ 8:43PM

Clinton carried a "big" Bible but anyone who kept an eye on him knew it was a photo op, nothing more.
Clinton is Clinton. As the wind shifts, "is" is is and is. What is the meaning of is? Clinton knew but confessed he did not know. Same here.

Alan Brooks| 7.17.09 @ 10:57PM

soon Tony Alamo will be a national hero

Nick| 7.18.09 @ 12:07AM

MustbeCrazy,

Didn't you read all the comments explaining the connection?

On what basis would you deny a brother and sister over the age of 18 the "right" to marry?

And the only way I could be afraid of a homo, is if one came at me with a gun and all I had was a knife.

Sammy| 7.18.09 @ 1:48AM

Bill Clinton is an opportunist like many others in both parties. Bill Clinton will be casting about to craft or add to his legacy till the day he departs this earth for parts unknown (to any in heaven). Sorry Bill but the words are already inscribed upon the annuals of history and the future scholars are just waiting for you to croak. You can not add luster to rust.
Personally I could care less what you think about anything.

Dick Cheney is an honest if disagreeable voice in that I am certain that his opinion is partially influenced by the fact of his lesbian daughter, nagging wife or both. I wonder if Bill Clinton or any normal person would gladly give the bride his daughter away to another woman? That would take some real conviction to your stated belief. President Obama has daughters too. I wonder if he has ever thought about what society he would like to see them grow to adulthood in. Maybe he hopes they choose to be lesbians, I don’t know.

Many gay marriage proponent parents would obviously say that they only wish what ever brings happiness to their children and they will support what ever choices they make. I wonder if they really would. What if they choose to have a sex change operation? Instead of having a daughter you now have a son or vice versa. I suppose they are alright with that too. Most parents will become grandparents some day and prize their rightly precious grandchildren. I wonder if they have given thought to the potential environment their beloved grandchildren would be growing up in since their child had chosen to live a homosexual lifestyle?

The lifestyle is heavily laden with BDSM. In case any reading this don’t know that means Bondage and Discipline, Sadism (giving pain) and Masochism (liking the pain). How would you like seeing your once lovely daughter being led on a leash like a dog by some aggressive sadistic female partner, I mean “wife.” I guess that some dads would possibly relish the sight since they obviously allow their wife to do it to them and in increasing numbers is the only thing I can figure why so many seem to have no cojones these days.

So no, there does not seem to be much of a culture war since many of the previous dissenting voices have decided the political winds have shifted in favor of gay marriage and they now hasten to evolve or change their views in order to curry favor or to strategize garnering votes in political races. However, there are many that do not favor gay marriage now or ever and can envision what type of society we will find ourselves immersed within should it become the law of the land and socially sanctioned. It is not a pretty picture either. Should it happen it would be the wrong side of history as I am sure that it would be recorded as one of the last props knocked out from under a once strong moral and ethical nation before it joyfully embraced hedonistic perversion and descended into a chaotic ugliness that scarcely resembled its former self, if it even survives in any form at all.

My opinion is fairly apparent but I would like to add that it is a terrible shame that the homosexuals screwed up two once perfectly good words: Gay and Queer. Now of course they have no common resemblance to the usage they once did. Normal and straight may one day also have transformed in like manner. A warning with this line of development would be for political candidates to be vetted carefully on this matter since most these days will take cover and simply say it should be left to the states to decide rather than come out and take an adversarial stance against it. Most that truly honestly oppose it do just that rather than blithely state their belief in one man and one woman…but…
This is similar to Dick Cheney’s stance and one I believe is quite similar to another well known figure that many probably didn’t know about. You betcha.

Tom Anderson| 7.18.09 @ 2:03AM

The so-called 'conservative' position on gay marriage must necessarily fail since it is an argument based on 'faith' and 'tradition.' If you wish to oppose something, a bad argument is worse than ineffectual, for it lends credence to the arguments of one's opponents. In this case, 'conservatives' are perfectly willing to concede reason and individual rights to the collectivists on the left.

It must be galling for 'conservatives' to watch the soft-shelled Clinton make his evasions and betrayals.

But you cannot go into intellectual battle armed with nothing but stale slogans, pious platitudes, and meaningless generalities. What has happened to 'conservatives' is what always happens when you have nothing to say.

SongBird| 7.18.09 @ 2:41AM

Tom, how about the ANUS IS an EXIT---NOT an ENTRANCE? Sounds like a pretty solid argument to me.

Nothing Clinton does galls me--the guy's a rapist and a pervert from way back.

jordan 6 rings| 7.18.09 @ 3:38AM

I understand a person can change their sex by signing a piece of paper. I would bet that is their next imposition here.

Williamson| 7.18.09 @ 4:33AM

Will the next steps after the marriage in orfer to commit socially-acceptable buggery be incestuous and bestial marriage? Any rreason why not?

دردشه| 7.18.09 @ 7:32AM

And the only way I could be afraid of a homo, is if one came at me with a gun and all I had was a knife

bob| 7.18.09 @ 9:21AM

"marriage" itself is to blame. once you let the heteros do it, the homos want in. as the Apostle Paul wrote, everyone should be celibate but it is better to marry than to burn. to keep the homos out, everyone will have to burn. it's worth it, for the sake of purity. if America were to return to purity, peace and prosperity would automatically follow.

MarkJ| 7.18.09 @ 2:44PM

"By the end of Obama's probable second term, his justices will almost certainly have uncorked some bogus constitutional right to gay marriage...."

Umm, what makes you think Obama will even finish out his first term, much less be elected to a second term?

For all we know, Obama could make history twice:

1. The first African American president elected to office (2008).

1. The first African American president forced to resign from office (2011?).

Michael L. Hauschild| 7.18.09 @ 5:56PM

Songbird,
We all can surmise your personal preferences, your dead on about Clinton, and most of us would not be caught dead peeking in Mr. and Mr. Bill and Bob's bedroom window to confirm any of this (I am suspicious of Mustbecrazy) but now you have me confused; where do babies "exit?"

Alan Brooks| 7.18.09 @ 11:32PM

"Reason" as defined by you and self-appointed libertarian guardians of (your own, mostly) liberties, Tom.

Tom: "In this case, 'conservatives' are perfectly willing to concede reason and individual rights to the collectivists on the left."

SongBird| 7.19.09 @ 2:49AM

Mr. Hauschild, I can't speak for your wife (if you're married) but my babies certainly DID NOT exit from my rear end (Good Lord, man, my son was over 9 lbs. at birth!).

They exited from the same place their father had so happily started them. ;)

Michael L. Hauschild| 7.19.09 @ 6:18AM

Songbird,
Married twice actually, escaped the first in the 70's with my refusal to become addicted to drugs and the second in the 80's for having the same constitution about alcohol. After that, while I did not sire, raised and financed two daughters and five of their children.
Oh, and I really wasn't confused, it is just entertaining to poke fun with my somewhat tongue in cheek (sorry, totally different taboo) at many who find this type of humor above the rim.

Emo| 7.19.09 @ 10:02AM

""true that clinton bashers have to remember cheney came out first before clinton""

Cheney never said he supported state sanctioned gay marriage

Emo| 7.19.09 @ 10:03AM

""true that clinton bashers have to remember cheney came out first before clinton""

Cheney never said he supported state sanctioned gay marriage

Songbird| 7.19.09 @ 2:34PM

Poke away, Michael--your naughty humor just makes me laugh. We're all big boys and girls here anyway--right?

We're Conservative--not dead.

stmichrick| 7.19.09 @ 10:53PM

And coming soon;

the first man-horse nuptials, surely to be performed first by an Episcopal bishop...

Violette| 7.19.09 @ 11:11PM

Actually, the Bishop will be the bride.

Jeff | 7.20.09 @ 1:36AM

HAHAHA Marc Jeric. Did you really just say this?

Imagine an elderly homosexual with a spouse and 9 previous spouses, dying of AIDS. How much Social Security money will be apportioned to the surviving 10 spouses?

Anyways, why does it matter if two people that love each other get married. I thought you conservatives were all about freedom and liberty?

Jeff| 7.20.09 @ 1:51AM

Sammy that was a bizarre post. To insinuate that people "choose" to be homosexual is frankly ignorant. Why would anyone choose to be homosexual when they would have to live in a world with people like you. The idea is ridiculous. People do NOT choose to be gay. If my son or daughter turned out to be gay I would have no problem with it; would you? Im not so sure. Unfortunately for you, times are a changing and soon gay marriage is going to be legalized. You are going to look very stupid when it is and nothing happens.

Good Day

Bcronos| 7.20.09 @ 3:26AM

Hey Jeff
Freedom and Liberty mean nothing without morality.
I'm sick of gays that are so insecure in their choice of lifestyle that they demand that the rest of us approve of their behavior. I don't see bikers or nudists or any other alternative group demanding that 4000 years of tradition be changed to assuage their guilt.
I don't care what consenting adults do in private, but a different, stricter set of standards applies in public. Would you let a young child watch one of their parades?
Gays should have all the legal rights that married couples have, but Marriage is for a man and a woman. Period.

Bcronos| 7.20.09 @ 3:38AM

Oh, and Jeff, being born that way doesn't matter. If a person was born a pedophile or a murderer or a necrophiliac should society accept that and let them indulge their natural inclinations without consequences?

Patriot| 7.20.09 @ 3:48AM

Nancy Pelosi and other liberal politicians marched right behind NAMBLA ("After eight, it's too late") in one of San Francisco's Gay Pride parades. Ain't she awesome?

She could get her face shot up with gallons of botox and she still would be hideous. UGH!

anonymous| 7.20.09 @ 2:31PM

Okay, the LGBT community makes up HOW much of the population? It's not like they're going to be come a majority if it's legalized. You want to live your life/raise your families the way you want to, well so do they. It's not infectious or a disease, it's not going to spread.

Who ever gave the government power to define marriage anyway? I don't remember investing that power in them and I don't recall it being in the Constitution. What happened to limited government? You can't want the government nanny everything and then say you are a true conservative. Raise your own damn children with your values, don't leave it to society in the first place. Then it doesn't matter.

Also, there's a fallacy in logic called the slippery slope--don't go down that path of polygamy or men marrying horses. It's utterly ridiculous. If you're going to be opposed to it, at least come up with a logical and legitimate counter argument.

David| 7.20.09 @ 3:55PM

Jeff, concerning your comment to Sammy: "Sammy that was a bizarre post. To insinuate that people "choose" to be homosexual is frankly ignorant."

"Choose" may be the wrong word to use. How about agreeing that homosexuals are born with a "preference" - it is to whom or what they are "attracted". Just as some prefer blondes over brunettes, or some folks are leg men and others breast men, and some like full-bodied versus slimmer builds. We are born with those "preferences" and are "attracted" to certain looks.

Similarly, some people can't get excited without raping someone, or having sex with children. Those are their "preferences" and when they act on them, they engage in behaviors that societies for thousands of years have rejected and shunned. Homosexuality is in the same category. One is not a homosexual unless he engages in the activity just one is not a rapist or child molestor unless he acts on his "preferences/attractions". It is called using self-control - to abstain from an activity that our society does not wish to condone and approve and respect.

Smitty| 7.20.09 @ 6:05PM

Anonymous is all for 'limited government' when it comes to gay marriage, otherwise, the fascist liberal is all for government intervention up the yin yang, right?

Hypocrite doesn't begin to describe you.

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