Obama, same sex marriage and his evolving de-evolution.

The other day Barrack Obama arranged for a TV interview where he announced he supported same sex marriage. This came two days after VP Biden said publicly he supported it and "had no problem" with same sex couples getting married.

Almost immediately Obama tried to distance himself from Biden's remarks. That was his knee jerk reaction and his press secretary, when pressed on what Obama's position was, said the president's position was "evolving". Obama probably had "survival of the fittest" in mind politically.

As an Illinois State senator Obama had made public declarations in support of same sex marriage which is really nothing more than supporting equal rights and freedom and acknowledging gay couples as actual human beings and American citizens entitled to the same rights as anyone. Now Obama was "evolving".

When the ridicule starting pouring in Obama decided to do his TV interview where he said he supported same sex marriage.

What was the reaction of Democratic political groups, organizations and progressively leaning journalists? To call their reactions pathetic would not be too strong a word. Their reactions were the reason Obama has wiped his feet on the backs of progressives and Democrats since he's been in office.

MoveOn, Democracy for America, Credo, TPM and other groups started sending out emails asking people to sign petitions to say "thank you" to Obama for coming out in support of same sex marriage.

Someone named Charles Kaiser writing for CNN called Obama's coming out for same sex marriage "the most courageous thing he's ever done" adding to the pathos.

How anyone would or could consider Obama doing a 180 degree switch within 24 hours on an issue he had previously supported that is about simple human rights as something "courageous" is why progressives are looked on as weak and malleable and something of a political joke not to be taken seriously. And its why they rarely succeed in accomplishing their agenda. .If that's their idea of courage its only because, like Obama, courage is something they themselves lack when it matters most. The man holding the sign in the picture above speaks for itself. That is the opposition. That politically active progressives thinks it takes courage to stand up to that makes their reaction even more pathetic.  And it's why Obama feels he can put anything over on this group with no fear of retribution. It's also why groups like TPM, MoveOn, Democracy for America or CREDO send out emails every other days saying " Tell President Obama not to sell out to this..." or "not give in" on that. It's that list that keeps evolving, not Obama.

Its not courageous to stand up for equality especially in the face of medieval stupidity. Its not courageous to stand up for justice. It's not couragous to say that gays and lesbians deserve the same rights as everyone else. You are a coward if you don't. Or a fascist.

Maybe these "progressive"  groups should also thank Obama for selling out the public option, the most important piece of legislation in 50 years, to health insurance industry lobbyists when the votes were in congress to pass it, completely destroying any chance for true true health care reform. Maybe they should thank him for reneging on his promise to close Gitmo, or to get rid of the Bush tax cuts which he had the opportunity to do four times and didn't,  and a litany of other promises and positions he has reneged on because, quite frankly he didnt have the courage, the principles or the convictions to see them through.

Secondly, Obama, and everyone else knows that those who are against same sex marriage aren't voting for him anyway and he was just shoring up his political position after receiving criticism for backing away from Biden's remarks.

The third thing to keep in mind, especially for people for whom this issue is important, is that Obama's history is he never, ever, means what he says. This is the politician, in addition to his sell outs as president, supported the Washington DC gun ban as a US senator then a year later when the Supreme Court overturned the ban,  supported the Supreme Court decision to overturn it.

If gays and lesbians as well as other Democrats and progressive groups actually believe him, then they haven't learned anything in four years and never looked into his political history. How many times will they accept being lied to, have promises reneged and then pretend it never happened?  It's because Obama has gotten away with it in the past and those like TPM,Democracy for America and MoveOn will never hold him accountable. Instead they want to send him "thank you" notes.

Their own lack of courage in standing up to Obama is so pronounced that to people like Charles Kaiser, a minimum statement of support for equal rights that was virtually forced upon him is called "the most  courageous thing he has ever done". Gee.

Again, for the sake of progressive amnesiacs, what Obama says today when its to his benefit  is no gurantee he will stand by it.  There has been no politician in recent memory whose word is as worthless as Obama's.  Need more proof?

In 2008 in order to get MoveOn's endorsement Obama pledged to filibuster the FISA bill and vote against it if it had retroactive immunity for the telecoms who illegally turned over private information about their customers to the Bush administration. MoveOn gave Obama their endorsement and Obama not only didn't filibuster the bill, he voted for it. He also pledged he would use public financing if he were the nominee, then as soon as he got the nomination forgot he ever said it and out raised John McCain 4-1 because McCain pledged the same thing but stuck to his word. In a speech in front of 7,000 Jews in Miami whose votes he needed,  he publicly supported Jerusalem as the capitol of Israel. When the Palestinians went beserk over his comment,Obama reversed himself the next day and said everyone misunderstood him. The list keeps evolving.

Whether it was his support of the public option that he sold down the river and then claimed he never supported it , the FISA bill, the Bush tax cuts, or Gitmo, or his sell out to Wall Street,  what Obama knows that if he continues to offer his snake oil, or, what Hillary Clinton supporters called his Kool Aid, there are, unfortunately still too many willing to swallow it. Either that or they don't have the fortitude or integrity to admit they were bamboozled in the first place and instead  are willing to swallow what Obama tells them is good for what ails them it and then try and believe that its working.

Obama's public statement in support of same sex marriage according to him,is  a result of his "evolving". Darwin would disagree. It is more de-evolution than evolution. Real evolution would be progressive groups sending  Obama a thank you note that says, "Thanks for nothing".