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Republican senator reverses his opposition to gay marriage after his 21-year-old son comes out
Daily Mail ^ | March 15, 2013 | Katie Davies

Posted on 03/15/2013 5:04:58 AM PDT by Pinkbell

A respected Republican senator has announced he is reversing his stance against gay marriage after his 21-year-old son came out to him and his wife.

Rob Portman, an Ohio Republican considered as a running mate by the Romney campaign, said the discovery that his son Will, 21, was gay had given him a 'new perspective' and understanding of why equal opportunities matter.

Will, a junior at Yale University, came out to his politician father and mother, Jane, two years ago, The Plain Dealer reports.

Portman, who backed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, says since his son's announcement he has been reconsidering his views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

He said he had spent some time speaking to his church in Cincinnati and former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose daughter is gay.

Today he wanted to officially and publicly reverse his political position on the issue.

'It allowed me to think of this issue from a new perspective, and that's of a Dad who loves his son a lot and wants him to have the same opportunities that his brother and sister would have -- to have a relationship like Jane and I have had for over 26 years,' Portman told the local paper.

'The overriding message of love and compassion that I take from the Bible, and certainly the Golden Rule, and the fact that I believe we are all created by our maker, that has all influenced me in terms of my change on this issue.'

He added that he believed opening marriage up to homosexual couples 'strengthens the institution' and he realized his son's sexuality 'wasn't a choice'.

He said his son had not exerted any influence on him politically but supported his new position and 'encouraged' him.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: fudgepac; gaymarriage; gaystapo; homofascists; homosexualagenda; portman; robportman; sodomhusseinobama
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To: xzins

Portman was blackmailed?


41 posted on 03/15/2013 5:57:11 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: longtermmemmory

Nope. He was my congressman from this overwhelmingly conservative Ohio 2nd district.

He caved.


42 posted on 03/15/2013 5:58:41 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! True supporters of our troops pray for their victory!)
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To: EternalVigilance

What is that smell of sulfur? It is the Saran wrap as it is the devil!


43 posted on 03/15/2013 5:58:53 AM PDT by hondact200 (Candor dat viribos alas (sincerity gives wings to strength) and Nil desperandum (never despair))
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

how much money is involved?


44 posted on 03/15/2013 5:59:34 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: longtermmemmory

Going by his claim that his son is gay, I don’t believe he needs to cut him off. He can still love his son and be in life, but he doesn’t have to agree with his lifestyle or support redefining marriage. If it was my child (I have no children), I’d still love my child and be there for him/her, I just wouldn’t support his/her lifestyle because it goes against my faith (Catholic).

I voted for Portman thinking he supported traditional marriage, so this is disappointing to me.


45 posted on 03/15/2013 5:59:50 AM PDT by Pinkbell
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To: Sir Napsalot
"He may be expressing his personal conversion, but won’t do harm on the senate floor."

The article quotes Portman:

'The overriding message of love and compassion that I take from the Bible, and certainly the Golden Rule, and the fact that I believe we are all created by our maker, that has all influenced me in terms of my change on this issue.'

He added that he believed opening marriage up to homosexual couples 'strengthens the institution' and he realized his son's sexuality 'wasn't a choice'.

He announced this as a biblical and a political conviction. The article states further that this took place TWO YEARS AGO, at which time he secretly discussed the issue with other elite Republicans - while withholding it from the public/voters.

It was during that 2-years of concealment that he and the elite Republicans sought to sneak him in as the GOP Presidential candidate!

46 posted on 03/15/2013 6:01:03 AM PDT by drpix
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To: Pinkbell

Portmann is dead to me. He is nothing but a 5th columnist within the GOP.


47 posted on 03/15/2013 6:03:08 AM PDT by ohioman
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To: Pinkbell

if the son is recalcetrant, he should be treated as if he has just died and shunned from the family.

Portman would have had to “man up” for that.

This is 100% digusting for portman to capitulate to emotional blackmail at the least. Or he knew he was going to capitulate all along at the worst.

There is no logical reason for portman to stay. He should resign.


48 posted on 03/15/2013 6:03:21 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Pinkbell
He added that he believed opening marriage up to homosexual couples 'strengthens the institution'

Sounds like he "evolved" on the issue. Actually, sounds more like he saw polling data in Ohio that said homo "marriage" is all the rage.

49 posted on 03/15/2013 6:03:55 AM PDT by ScottinVA (Gun control: Steady firm grip, target within sights, squeeze the trigger slowly...)
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To: BO Stinkss

Excellent point! If you don’t mind, I am going to steal that line.


50 posted on 03/15/2013 6:04:50 AM PDT by ohioman
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To: Pinkbell

I agree that this is the absolutely worst reason to change position on gay marriage. Don’t other people have children who are gay? Is he saying that unless it impacts him, that it doesn’t matter? He has revealed himself to be very shallow on one of the most important issues of the day.

However, I always am amazed at the comments on these types of threads that call the kid a pervert who should be cut off and disowned. The kid told his father that he was gay. He didn’t have gay sex in front of him. He wasn’t making out in public in a Gay Pride Parade. He’s gay and we have not evidence that he’s some gay activist or anything other than an otherwise normal person. Let him alone to live his life. Don’t immediately assume he’s going to be prancing around in a speedo screaming “We’re Here, We’re Queer.”


51 posted on 03/15/2013 6:06:28 AM PDT by Opinionated Blowhard ("When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.")
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To: Pinkbell

Bullshit! Queers have the same opportunity everyone else have. They have the same rights everyone else has.


52 posted on 03/15/2013 6:06:45 AM PDT by sport
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To: Pinkbell

Another rotten-ass turncoat in the Republican Party. Inexcusable! First of all, I wouldn’t want to admit to the world that my son was a homosexual. Second, I wouldn’t want to admit that I soul-searched the Bible and was unable to find the very explicit condemnation of homosexual behavior.

This man is disgusting to jump ship and approve of degenerate behavior just because his son is a sicko. Has his son been counseled to get help? Of course not . . . because homosexuality has so much to offer . . . an average lifespan of 39-41 years of age.

Our lousy governor now embraces Obambicare, and now this corrupt politician is endorsing the whole homosexual disgusting life-style.
Once again, Ohio loses.


53 posted on 03/15/2013 6:07:09 AM PDT by laweeks
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To: Pinkbell

the next we will hear from Portman is that his son is pregnant and He now supports earthworms and flowers. keep in mind earthworms and flowers are hermaphrodites - the ability to be either male or female in regards to sexual activity.

the problem in America is that America is so focused on S-E-X that the Americans have become to lose all reasonable ability to think.

God wrote the Bible regarding what is appropriate.

America will fall just like Rome. The soldiers were more concerned about keeping their “johnsons” occupied than caring about their weapons (spear, and shield). here now, the government wants to take away guns, yet supports homosexuals as the status quo.


54 posted on 03/15/2013 6:08:21 AM PDT by hondact200 (Candor dat viribos alas (sincerity gives wings to strength) and Nil desperandum (never despair))
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To: drpix
I remember him tried to run as a GOP presidential candidate. Didn't like him then, like him much much less now.

However, this ‘episode’ simply confirms GOP couldn't be trusted, talks about reform, re-brand GOP image will not work. Don't know how many realize that.

55 posted on 03/15/2013 6:09:11 AM PDT by Sir Napsalot (Pravda + Useful Idiots = CCCP; JournOList + Useful Idiots = DopeyChangey!)
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To: icwhatudo
His son needs professional help.

ALL sodomites need professional help. The people of this former Republic prefer to enable their perversions, and turn the country into hell.

56 posted on 03/15/2013 6:09:51 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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To: Pinkbell

He called CNN to come to his office to tell them that...WHY??? Is HE gay and being Blackmailed?? He always seemed a TAD too effeminiate.


57 posted on 03/15/2013 6:10:53 AM PDT by Ann Archy
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To: All

MSNBC just said that the Romney campaign woman who was in charge of the VP pick KNEW about the capitulation.

She is saying it did not play a part.

Is the old and crusty guard in on a USSC secret?

remember Sotomayor, is widely rumored, prewrites opnions and preconcludes cases before arguments.

Is Portman comming out to block any federal constitutional amendment? probably.

they played a clip, he cam accross as lying through his teeth. He sould have booted his son out of the house. Christian does not mean must accept “played for a fool.”

logic and reason dictate homosexual conduct is a choice and is not acceptable.


58 posted on 03/15/2013 6:13:02 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Pinkbell

Well said, Pinkbell.


59 posted on 03/15/2013 6:13:54 AM PDT by Girlene
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To: Pinkbell

My oldest daughter is a lesbian and it hasn’t changed my mind about about gay marriage.
When she married her partner in Washington DC last March my husband and I were not there.
She knows I believe her baptism does not cover what she is doing.


60 posted on 03/15/2013 6:21:33 AM PDT by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
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