Bush Campaign Lies
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Bush Campaign Lie #16: Kerry Flip-Flopped on Gay Marriage Amendment
This is item #5 in the 'Kerry Flip-Flops' gallery. Let's just look at the Bush argument without any of their supporting evidence:
- In 2002, Kerry Signed Letter “Urging” MA Legislature To Reject Constitutional Amendment Banning Gay Marriage.
- Now, In 2004, Kerry Won’t Rule Out Supporting Similar Amendment.
Anyone who reads the letter referenced in item (1) will immediately discover that the 'Constitutional Amendment' to which the GOP are referring would have done much more than simply ban same-sex marriage. Kerry --- and the entire Massachusettes congressional delegation --- were concerned that the amendment would prohibit any legal recognition of same-sex relationships. While Kerry opposes same-sex marriage in particular, he believes that "same-sex couples should be granted rights, including access to pensions, health insurance, family medical leave, bereavement leave, hospital visitation, survivor benefits, and other basic legal protections that all families and children need". So it's no wonder he opposed the amendment cited in item (1).
And when one reviews the broader context of the quote cited in (2), Kerry proves to be a model of consistency. He doesn't rule out the possibility of supporting a ban on same-sex marriage, but he explicitly states that he is 'for civil union' and partnership rights, and so he would not support an amendment which prohibited those things.
Any reasonable person reading these two articles would see immediately what Kerry's position is, and how it remains consistent. The Republicans fail to see that, so that would make them . . . ?