Comments on: A difference in the 2008 Election…

By: Dan Sullivan

Dan Sullivan — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 11:09:20 +0000

Sean, he could have addressed as you suggest “the spate of hate crimes in the US of late and stated there is no place for homophobia in America and that he would tackle this” and still not made any practical promises for legal remedies. Detailed policy is not what these speeches are ever about.

The plain truth is that by mainstreaming the issue in his speech with the likes of gun control and abortion he pushed the issue front and centre in an unapologetic manner. He was acknowledging that while some people in the US might not agree on civil unions, gay marriage or whatever the range of options might be that he’s not going to allow some opponent to make their argument on the basis that people can be 2nd class American citizens on the basis of their sexual orientation.

As for Palin and Alaska being in play, Alaska is home to the live free or die types who’d sooner vote for pro-choice republican who hunts than family values democrat. That it is even close to being in play is down to the damage done by the excesses of the local republicans and the topsy turvy nature of the electoral landscape this year.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:24:34 +0000

Still sore about Hilary Sean??

By: SeanR

SeanR — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:24:17 +0000

Palin confirmed as GOP VP nominee… I’ve been thinking this for a few weeks… (not sure why exactly!) this will rattle the Dems.

By: SeanR

SeanR — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:11:12 +0000

While I completely agree with you about the political necessity of making LGBT sexual politics into a part of wider public sphere discourse, and there has been good visibility at the Dem Convention (as one would expect), most of Obama’s discourse was framed as a moral issue and it needed to be more pointedly political.

I did not actually hear practical promise for legal remedies (on hospital visitation, let allow civil unions). He reminded the audience that even if we disagreed, we should be morally decent about same-sex relationships. OK. While in a speech of this magnitude, he might not like to get into specifics about “us”, he could have addressed the spate of hate crimes in the US of late and stated there is no place for homophobia in America and that he would tackle this.

On the GOP: I’m now reading that a plane has left Alaska for the McCain rally and this points to Governor Sarah Palin… may be more rumour, but she’s be a good pick adn suddenly Alaska is in play.

By: SeanR

SeanR — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:55:13 +0000

While words and recognition are good, I watched the speech and felt that Obama did not actually promise anything in his speech for same-sex marriage/ civil unions – or even promise to have a conversation about it. In his litany of things to do was an appeal to populist politics but I wonder in the light of day how he can accomplish what he set out. I’m left sceptical and an unrepentant Hillaryista.

BTW: I’m hearing McCain might pick Sarah Palin…