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Omission Watch: Obama Panders to Gay Marriage Advocates With Congratulations Letter to Gay Couple

By Tim Graham | December 22, 2011 | 08:48

A  A
Tim Graham's picture

The national media love to appear deeply cynical about politicians and their phoniness. But not when it comes to Barack Obama and "gay marriage." Obama campaigned in 2008 by publicly opposing it, and yet no one in the media condemned him like he was one of those troglodyte social conservatives -- because no one believed he was sincere. Now Obama is signaling to the gay Left that he's really in favor of "gay marriage," but few in the media are noticing.

ABC's The Note reported on Tuesday that President Obama sent a letter of congratulations to two men who were legally married in New York, but there's been no reporting on this story on the network airwaves or in the nation's leading newspapers:

Matt Katz, 32, and Aaron Lafrenz, 36, were married at the Katz family’s Brooklyn home on July 23, 2011, the day before gay marriage became legal in New York state. The following day, the two went to Brooklyn borough hall and were among the first gay couples to legally be married in the state.

This December, Katz and Lafrenz received a letter in their mailbox with the White House seal indented in the paper and the signature of one Barack Obama on the bottom. Obama has been opposed to gay marriage in the past, though he has recently said his views on the topic are “evolving.”

Katz told ABC News today that a family friend, Arlene Weinstock, had requested the letter on their behalf after hearing that the White House would take requests upon the passage of the New York gay marriage bill. Weinstock, of Long Beach, Calif., assumed that the request had not been fulfilled when the couple hadn’t heard from the White House during the summer, but realized today that she was the cause of the mysterious presidential salutation.

“I was so super confused,” Katz said, noting that he was not a major political activist and had no strong ties to gay rights groups. “But Aunt Arlene called me up and said, ‘This is my fault!’”

The White House confirmed to ABC News that they sent the letter.

The letter reads, in part, “Your union marks the beginning of a lifelong partnership as you share in the joys of your life together. I wish you the very best as you embark on your journey together and hope your bond grows stronger with each passing year.”

Katz said he was happy to receive the letter, but acknowledged the president is probably looking to shore up the gay vote ahead of the 2012 election.

“I do think he’s trying to (pander), but I don’t blame him,” Katz said. “At this point, this is not necessarily a ploy but he can’t for public office reasons be on one side, so maybe this is his way of winking at the gay public in New York and saying I really need your vote now.”

About the Author

Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Tim Graham on Twitter.
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Comments

Winking!

Submitted by GeneralAl on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 8:56am.

“I do think he’s trying to (pander), but I don’t blame him,” Katz said. “At this point, this is not necessarily a ploy but he can’t for public office reasons be on one side, so maybe this is his way of winking at the gay public in New York and saying I really need your vote now.”

Yep the old "I was against it before I was for it" routine. Hey guys, I'm really on your side but I need to get reelected. I can't live without Air Force One and all the rounds of golf I get to play!

"Old Soldiers never die, they just fade away"!

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Even Nancy Pelosi admitted

Submitted by motherbelt on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 9:32am.

Even Nancy Pelosi admitted that there were "a lot of things he was for....on the campaign trail." Defending traditional marriage being one of them.

Or as the Clinton spin team would say: That explanation is no longer operative.

This man is showing himself to be more like Clinton every day. A majority of blacks oppose same-sex "marriage."  But just like Clinton ignored black opposition to welfare reform in order to save his presidency, Barack Obama is doing the same to court another constituency, the gay community.  Both men knew that the blacks would not desert them, no matter what.

What Jesse Jackson said about Bill Clinton can also be applied to Obama: dig down deep enough and you'll find nothing but an appetite. 

That appetite is for power.

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He's as duplicious as Clinton, but not as smart

Submitted by Galvanic on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 10:17am.

Clinton knew how to manipulate people. He was experienced and skilled at coercing individuals and groups to do his bidding, and the skills included lying with a straight face. These traits were developed over his long tenure as governor of Arkansas. Clinton lost a Congressional election and his first gubernatorial re-election attempt, but was smart enough to adjust and adapt, and come back winning.

Obama isn't that good. He relies mostly on his delivery of rhetoric to 'inspire' individuals and groups to do his bidding, but he has disappointed too many too often, and now the rhetoric is just flat and ineffective. He's never held a job that required more of him, so he never developed skills akin to Clinton's. Moreover, he's never lost an election, so he's never had to readjust his style.

Let's hope he gets an opportunity to learn from losing next November.

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Pandering

Submitted by NC Boy on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 9:25am.

Pandering in the defense of the gay vote is no vice - BO, 2011

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The hell with the letter . . .

Submitted by Galvanic on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 11:06am.

. . . Did he send them a wedding gift?  How about a Chevy Volt? We gotta get rid of them somehow.

 “I do think he’s trying to (pander), but I don’t blame him,” Katz said. “At this point, this is not necessarily a ploy but he can’t for public office reasons be on one side, so maybe this is his way of winking at the gay public in New York and saying I really need your vote now.”

Aaaah, yes . . . the White House of  Unprecedented Transparency.

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Situational outrage

Submitted by Nonanon on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 9:30am.

Will we hear any cries from the so-called news media how this is offensive to a majority of the public? They charge the Republican candidates with excluding most of the citizens but never charge Democrats with the same thing.
The OWS gang is out there pitting the 1% against the 99% on financial differences and getting hours of free publicity from said "news media". But what about the forcing acceptance of the activities of maybe 3 to 5% who practice homosexuality on the 95 to 97% who do not?

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He's probably jealous because

Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 9:36am.

He's probably jealous because he's stuck being 'married' to Mooooooooooooochie.......

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This just in............

Submitted by Tomorama on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 10:10am.

The latest ommission by these frauds is that Larry Sinclair also co-signed this letter........................

His position is "evolving", WTF does that mean.

He get's two have it both ways?

"Apparently" he likes it that way.

The media barely reported his "being for traditional marriage" and when they did it wasn't in the same way Republicans are for "traditional marriage".

Yep, clear as mud.

If you make poverty easy, you will have more of it. Benjamin Franklin
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So, how does one gauge the sincerity of this note?

Submitted by Galvanic on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 3:28pm.

Since he hadn't met the newlyweds, the note is political anyway one looks at it. It's obvious that the note was not more than just a congratulatory message. Obama -- like thousands of other politicians do -- is using them.

But the bride (or was he the groom?) doesn't mind because he understands the facade the President must maintain for political purposes.

Hell, I'd sure as hell be mad that some politician chose me to be tool of his re-election campaign. I'd be angry that the President wants me to know he's in my corner even though he hasn't helped me.

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I wonder if rectum repair

Submitted by pfwag on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 9:47pm.

I wonder if rectum repair surgery is included in Obamacare?

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That would be wrecked rectum

Submitted by killa37 on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 9:51pm.

That would be wrecked rectum repair to you, p-wag!!!!

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Idiots

Submitted by Alpha Tango on Thu, 12/22/2011 - 10:03pm.

There are so many fools slobbering over these obviously straight women. These women are not lesbians. This is another liberal hoax.

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