Posted on 08/31/2007 2:02:37 PM PDT by SmithL
Des Moines, Iowa (AP) -- An Iowa county judge's ruling knocking down the state's same-sex marriage ban stirred up the presidential race Friday as Republicans jostled to stake out a position with the state's conservative voters in mind.
Mitt Romney was the first to seize on the ruling, promptly aligning himself with Iowa political leaders in denouncing the decision.
The former Massachusetts governor's swift criticism served to bolster the conservative image his campaign has been working hard to promote to Iowa's Republican voters.
... Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was the only Democrat to offer a reaction. Taping an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Friday, Clinton said she favors civil unions "with full equality of benefits."
... While most Democratic candidates have voiced support for same-sex civil unions, they have declined to back gay marriage, a stance that has created some tension with their gay supporters.
For Republicans, the task was not to offend conservatives.
Republican White House hopeful John McCain called the ruling "a loss for the traditional family."
... Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, who has worked hard to gain the backing of social conservatives in Iowa, offered a sharp rejection of the judge's ruling.
... Jarrod Agen, a spokesman for Rudy Giuliani, said simply: "Rudy Giuliani believes marriage is between a man and a woman." Giuliani has supported limited legal recognition for same-sex couples.
Former Sen. Fred Thompson, who will officially enter the presidential race next week, has offered support for a federal amendment that would prevent states without gay marriage laws to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Implicitly, she agrees that judicial decisions should override the voters. This is where the real question lays! The issue of judicial activism is much broader than the issue of civil unions.
What a bunch of hypocrites.
OK Hillary, what exactly is a “civil union”? If two guys or girls, decide to rent a house together, is that a “civil union”? If one has a job with medical insurance, does that mean the other person should be covered also.
I don’t really remember but is “civil union” in our Constitution?
bump
We all know that Hillary will appoint liberal judges who will overturn established marriage and family law.
Hillary can say she is against same sex marriage, but she would not do anything to stop it from happening via these judges rulings.
That’s the key diff. between Dems. and Republicans. Various Republicans are in favor of const. amendments defining marriage. No Democrats are in favor of trying to stop the steam roller of gay marriage going through the courts.
The Iowa Democratic Party actually goes all the way and endorses gay marriage...something even the national party stops short of.
These kinds of rulings tend to get conservatives motivated to vote. This could help get out the conservative vote in Iowa in 2008.
Not until there are at least 70 Republicans in the Senate and 300 in the House is is possible (to account for RINOs which far outnumber DINOs on the issue). The fastest route may be a UN resolution (i.e. a global ban).
Iowa, oh, Iowa! How far you have fallen since my Christian great-grandparents pioneered you, and where my grandmother and my dear Mother were born!
You haven’t seen the modern Iowa. Johnson and Polk counties are hotbeds for antiwar protests, the “pro-choice” movement, “green” nuts, and on, and on. Contrary to popular belief, Iowa is no longer a conservative state; we swings back and forth between red and blue.
It’s a real shame, but that’s life. At least we win the south nowadays. Took them long enough to realize that the Dems had abandoned them.
“The fastest route may be a UN resolution (i.e. a global ban).”
HAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh, you slay me. And after that, the UN will pledge to support Israel, hand out firearms to private citizens, pass a resolution unconditionally supporting America in the War on Terror, and rat out all of the wrongdoers in the Oil For Food scandal.
The judge himself is a pipsqueak who did this without any judicial foundation. I will surprised if this holds up and if the Pubs don’t blast the Dem candidates for supporting this travesty.
You don't mind if I post your laughing dog, do you? :-)
Iowa seems to be polarized down the middle between solid conservative and solid liberal - there is no real middle ground there...
This issue, and the national border issue is a win/win subject matter for any Republican in all 50 states.
How the heck a democrat can win the White House next year is something that no rational person can consider to be a possibility given the positions that they would have to take in the general election.
Two gift horses, and the odds somehow now favor a democrat victory.
Unbelievable.
Jarrod Agen, a spokesman for Rudy Giuliani, said simply: "Rudy Giuliani believes marriage is between a man and a woman." Giuliani has supported limited legal recognition for same-sex couples.
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