Mr. Withers, I appreciate your commentaries but, with all the poorly-informed Log Cabin types who visit this site and suggest that Senator Obama’s and McSame’s positions on marriage equality are identical (despite their very different positions on DOMA, on proposed amendments to state constitutions, on whether there are any circumstances under which they would support the FMA, on the rationales for their prior opposition to the FMA and on the types of judges they would appoint to the Supreme Court and other federal courts), it is not helpful to have a commentator on this site inaccurately suggesting that “Obama has not come out against Prop 8″ or that “Obama will stay mum on Prop 8.”

Senator Obama has gone significantly beyond where any prior credible candidate for President (including Senator Clinton) has gone on marriage equality by expressing his opposition to Prop. 8 and similar efforts, despite the fact that there is rather broad support for such measures across the country, as evidenced by the fact that we may lose this battle in one of the bluest states in the country. Certainly, his public stance against Prop. 8 is one that could be used against him in critical swing states like Ohio, Missouri, Virginia and Florida but that did not stop Senator Obama, like Senator Biden more recently, from taking a bold stance against discrimination. At the time Senator Obama announced his opposition to Prop. 8, the executive director of Equality for All, which is leading the fight against 8, welcomed Senator Obama’s support and the co-director of San Francisco’s Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Democratic Club, to whom Senator Obama’s opposition to Prop. 8 was announced, said he “was thrilled to see the senator step up to the plate and say how he feels about discrimination.”

Perhaps you would prefer that Senator Obama be spending the final days of this election cutting ads against Prop. 8 or addressing it in his stump speeches in Ohio and Virginia. I think that would be a horrible idea. As much as we all need to buckle down and do what we can to assist the effort to defeat Prop. 8 in California, the single most important result on election night in terms of its impact on the prospects for marriage equality for gay men and lesbians across the country will not be the result on Prop. 8 but rather the result of the presidential election as that will determine who will appoint future members of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. That is where the issue of marriage equality is going to be determined for most gay men and lesbians in this country. Let’s not complicate Senator Obama’s efforts in Ohio and similar places by suggesting that he should be highlighting this issue now.

The ball is in our court on Prop. 8; the race is very close and certainly winnable but, frankly, it won’t be won if most of us continue to do as little as we’ve done to-date to assist the effort. In that regard, allow me to note that Senator Obama, with his letter below, has done more to assist the efforts of those fighting 8 than most gay men and lesbians that I know.

Please let’s do some more careful fact-checking on points such as this in the future. The reckless suggestions of Log Cabin types that there is little difference between Senators Obama and McSame on marriage equality or that Mayor Palin is “inclusive” hardly need encouragement.

Obama’s letter opposing same-sex marriage ban

The text of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s letter to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club in San Francisco:

Dear Friends,

Thank you for the opportunity to welcome everyone to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club’s Pride Breakfast and to congratulate you on continuing a legacy of success, stretching back thirty-six years. As one of the oldest and most influential LGBT organizations in the country, you have continually rallied to support Democratic candidates and causes, and have fought tirelessly to secure equal rights and opportunities for LGBT Americans in California and throughout the country.

As the Democratic nominee for President, I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law. That is why I support extending fully equal rights and benefits to same sex couples under both state and federal law. That is why I support repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, and the passage of laws to protect LGBT Americans from hate crimes and employment discrimination. And that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.

For too long. issues of LGBT rights have been exploited by those seeking to divide us. It’s time to move beyond polarization and live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect. This is no less than a core issue about who we are as Democrats and as Americans.

Finally, I want to congratulate all of you who have shown your love for each other by getting married these last few weeks. My thanks again to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club for allowing me to be a part of today’s celebration. I look forward to working with you in the coming months and years, and I wish you all continued success.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

It’s one thing to question honestly why Obama has not come out against Prop 8. It’s quite another to raise the question in a concerted and persistent effort to weaken support for Obama among gay voters, as has happened all too often in the comments posted on this site. I think it would be very naive not to consider seriously that political strategists for the Republican camp would target readers on this site.

They should stick to their guns on this and not come out against Proposition 8.