Log Cabin by Yeshe

Log Cabin by Yeshe

Hey there, Log Cabin Republicans -- how's the view from under that bus?

John McCain’s position on California’s marriage amendment has officially switched from supporting the voters’ right to define marriage as they see fit to endorsing efforts to prohibit same-sex marriage by amending the state’s constitution, according to a statement by the Log Cabin Republicans.

All those secret meetings—even the Governator's opposition to PropEight!—and you boys still couldn't get your party's nominee to stick to his original position on the California Anti-Marriage Equality Amendment.

At its recent national convention in San Diego, Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon was able to get Schwarzenegger to say on tape that he opposes the constitutional amendment.

But, today:

A statement released Tuesday by the Log Cabin Republicans read: “Late last week, the group pushing California’s anti-marriage constitutional amendment released an email from a McCain staffer saying the Senator backed the amendment. We now have confirmation that this represents the Senator’s view.”


LCR president Patrick Sammon noted in the release that supporting the amendment is inconsistent with McCain’s belief in federalism. “Unfortunately, his position on this amendment hurts gay and lesbian families. We obviously disagree with Senator McCain on this issue and do not believe he should have interjected himself into this state issue,” Sammon said in the release. “Backing California’s ban sends the wrong signal to the independents who will decide this election because it creates the impression that he’s pandering to social conservative leaders.” McCain also held a closed meeting in Ohio late last week with social conservative leaders, around the time the news statement appeared on ProtectMarriage.com.

In a Politico opinion piece also published today, Sammon made clear the risks GOPs face when using marriage equality as a wedge issue.

In 2006, the five Republicans who used marriage most prominently as a wedge issue all lost. Sens. Rick Santorum (Pa.) and George Allen (Va.), Reps. John Hostetler (Ind.) and Anne Northup (Ky.), and Ken Blackwell (in his race for Ohio governor) tried to win with anti-gay campaign tactics. They didn’t necessarily lose because of their tactics, but these tactics didn’t prevent them from losing, as they might have a decade ago.

Support for marriage equality is growing. Pew Forum polling shows a 6 percent increase in support for marriage equality in the past four years. A recent Field poll in California showed 54 percent of respondents opposing an anti-marriage constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in November — an initiative Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger opposes.

And many who oppose marriage equality support civil unions — nationwide, combined support for allowing marriage or civil unions for gay and lesbian couples approaches 60 percent. It’s only a matter of time before the law treats all families equally.

Sorry, Log Cabin Republicans, but—once again!—your Presidential standard-bearer is just not that into you. Are you going to sit this one out, like you did in 2004? How will you feel, working to defeat PropEight while John McCain tells the Haters he's all for it?

{h/t Pam}