NOM BLOG

Obama Campaign Mum on Effort to Place SSM in Democratic Platform

 

Andrew Harmon at the gay newspaper The Advocate:

The Obama campaign isn't directly commenting on a growing number of national campaign co-chairs and congressional Democrats calling for a pro-marriage equality platform for the party.

In a conference call Wednesday with reporters, Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said Democrats are “the big tent party” and touted the president’s “great record for siding with fundamental fairness” when asked by CNN’s Jessica Yellin about Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the Democratic National Convention chair and Obama national co-chair who said he supported a marriage equality-inclusive platform during a Politico event in Washington, D.C. this morning.

But Messina said the platform committee has yet to be formed and didn't comment on whether the president would support a pro-marriage plank. Rather, he spoke of a presidential record that “stands in sharp contrast to the other side,” referring to a field of GOP presidential candidates who have opposed “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal and have sided with a federal constitutional amendment banning marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Mayor Villaraigosa joined a growing number of Obama national co-chairs who have called for the Democratic platform to include marriage equality support when the party convenes this fall in Charlotte, N.C. to nominate the president for reelection.

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