OMG Megan McCain runs the GOP. Steve Schmidt says Republicans should accept gay marriage

[Aloha Spirit]

Schmidt (McCain campaign manager)

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/17/schmidt.log.cabin/index.html

In a speech Friday to Log Cabin Republicans, a conservative gay rights group, Steve Schmidt said allowing same-sex marriage is in line with the conservative credo of keeping government out of people's private lives.

"There is a sound conservative argument to be made for same-sex marriage," Schmidt, who was McCain's campaign manager, told the group. "I believe conservatives, more than liberals, insist that rights come with responsibilities. No other exercise of one's liberty comes with greater responsibilities than marriage.

Says parties that let themselves be controlled by a single religious group will fail, will become sectarian.

(sorry if this is a repeat, I couldn't find it posted anywhere)

Either Megan McCain runs the GOP or Steve Schmidt is up to something.

[HopeOverFear]

1. there just might be hope for republicans yet

but all of the old farts have to die off first

[Aloha Spirit]

2. That's how I see it

Although they will also have to "resolve" those reactionaries that won't be happy until the US becomes one big religious cult.

[madeline_con]

6. But how? Do we open deprogramming camps?

[Aloha Spirit]

10. 8 years

of Obama leadership might deprogram some of them.
He is after all, optimistic that he will find common ground between pro-choice and pro-life, and between pro-gun and pro-gun control people.
And I think Schmidt pointed out how there's common ground between pro-gay marriage and conservative values.
If Obama has some hope, I'll have some too, I'm am optimist like that :party:

[Hellataz]

14. This is what I've said about Obama, his ability to let the Right Bend his ear will rub off on them

Each time he opens his door to those people we can't stand and gives them the respect of listening to their ideas, even if he disagrees with them, it leaves the door open for him to get the same respect from them. They will appreciate not just being ignored and will be more willing to listen to Obama's idea and one by one he can change some minds.

It's a sort of "Divide and conquer" strategy, that Obama has figured out, together the GOP is hard to penetrate with new progressive ideas, but individually some of them can see the light on some of these social issues and I think Obama has figured out a way to get through to them even if it is one republican at a time.

[madeline_con]

4. Hope springs eternal.

Bless you heart. You think a leopard can change his spots.

Welcome to DU :hi:

[DesertFlower]

5. sarah palin

bobby jindal, and eric cantor are not old farts.

[Aloha Spirit]

8. True, but

if the GOP does manage to concede territory on gay marriage, they won't be led by people like Cantor or Palin, I don't think.
I can see Jindal, the joiner that he is, wanting to be the innovative compromiser to save the party.
He's a quick learner, I think he already realizes that social issues aren't a good starting point right now.

[Cha]

3. Good..we can count on no more

of their ugly wedge issues.

[ErinBerin84]

7. I remember

Anna Marie Cox saying on Rachel that Steve's sister is gay.

[stevenleser]

9. There will not be a GOP if they lose any more support that they have and this includes the Christian

Fundamentalists.

Which is fine with me, don't get me wrong. The death of the GOP, the loss of power by the Fundies, and the wholesale acceptance of equal rights for the GLBT community are great stuff as far as I am concerned, but something tells me that the leadership of the GOP is too savvy to let themselves be destroyed this way. I hope I am wrong.

[SpartanDem]

12. There won't be a GOP if they don't change

there some in party who realize they're on the wrong side history polls shows than trending trending more liberal on this issue bettter to face the pain of changing now than latter.

[cwcwmack]

11. which highlights the #1 split in teh Pub party...

The fundies who hate and the Libertarians who don't care...

[Joe the Liberal]

13. "conservative gay rights group"???

:wtf: since when do conservatives care about gay rights? or any civil rights for that matter?

[Aloha Spirit]

17. Lol, economic conservatives, the Log Cabin Republicans have been around since like 1977,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briggs_Initiative

They feel strongly about civil rights and respect President Lincoln's leadership on this issue.

[Adelante]

15. They might as well let her run the party

They've got nothing else going on.

[Aloha Spirit]

19. I can't wait to see her debate Jindal in the 2020 elections!

[Canuckistanian]

16. Just showing up at a LCR event was brave enough

It would be like one of us attending a....

I started that sentence and don't know how to finish it with an appropriate analogy.

[Aloha Spirit]

18. lol