AMERICABLOG: Ted Olson, better known as the devil, is now better than our president on gay marriage

[ruggerson]

Ted Olson, better known as the devil, is now better than our president on gay marriage

by John Aravosis (DC) on 5/26/2009 10:19:00 PM

Now I've seen everything.

Ted Olson. Also known as George Bush's Solicitor General. Also known as the guy who represented George Bush at the Supreme Court in the Bush v. Gore case. Also known as Mr. Burns. The man is pure evil. And he's now representing a gay couple in a legal challenge in federal court to overturn Prop 8.

Just called Joe. We're both speechless.

It's difficult to explain in words how much each of us hate Ted Olson. Of course, not any more. But you get the picture. It doesn't get any more conservative and nasty than Ted Olson. And now he's supporting gay marriage. And not just supporting it, but putting his legal muscle behind it.

First off, thank you Mr. Olsen. Seriously. And to our readers, this just goes to show you that even I can be fooled into thinking that some people are too far gone. As I've written on this blog many a time: Don't write people off, and don't mock people who reach out to the enemy. You'd be surprised what sometimes happens when you treat even bad guys with a modicum of decency.

Secondly, Ted Freaking Olson is now better on gay marriage than our president - than most of our party. Well, to be fair, let me be precise - Ted Olsen is now better on gay marriage than our president claims publicly to be?

At what point will President Obama realize that the year is 2009 and not 1993? America has become accustomed, inured, and possibly even bored with all the gay rights victories of the past five years. They just don't care any more. And I mean that in a good way. Gay marriage is bursting across the land and the American people have shrugged. They just don't care. So why does our president? Why do he and his advisers seem to be treating gay people and their issues as, at best, an embarrassing inconvenience?

Some realpolitik Iago has our President's ear. He's clearly convinced Obama that gays are the third rail, to be avoided at all costs. It's unfortunate. Not only did Obama openly campaign as a friend to the gay community, and iterate numerous clear-cut promises to act on behalf of our civil rights, but forget the politics for a moment. We're talking about people's lives. We're talking about millions of Americans. We're talking about a President who claimed, pretended, to care. Who claimed to be different.

Not looking so different any more.

http://www.americablog.com/2009/05/ted-olson-better-known-as-devil-is-now.html

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[musette_sf]

3. maybe marrying a Dem

has helped him gain a conscience? he certainly has a lot to be regretful for.

[Bucky]

4. Please reconsider this post

There's a million things to make fun of Ted Olson about. There's a million and one reasons to scorn the man for his neanderthal politics. Making fun of the fact that his wife is dead is simply beyond the pale. Please think about whether you really want to put your name to this sort of mean, heartless "joke" and see if you wouldn't rather delete it. It reflects badly on your character

[ruggerson]

5. agreed completely n/t

[t0dd]

11. I agree with the above comments

Your post is tasteless and offensive. Barbara Olsen deserves to rest in peace and not be made a mockery of.

[Creideiki]

2. By "Iago", you're referring to the parrot from Disney's "Aladdin", right?

[Bear down under]

17. The reference is to "Othello, or the Moor of Venice"

by Will Shakespeare.

You will recall that Othello is a black man who has risen to high office in the State, and his trusted lieutendant Iago undermines him by making false suggestions in his ear (and planting false evidence) about his wife's adultery, all the while posing as Othello's true friend ...

Disney's parrot was named in allusion to him.

[Creideiki]

20. Good grief. Sense of humorectomy.

[book_worm]

6. So why do you only point out "our president"? Was Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and most political

people in this country in favor of gay marriage? most of these people favor civil unions. Yes, I wish Obama and other politicians favored gay marriage. I don't understand why some around here only point at Obama when it's most politicians who don't have the courage to favor gay marriage.

[ruggerson]

7. Howard Dean favors marriage equality

so do Chuck Schumer and TOm Harkin, amongst many others.

But, you see, none of the people you or I mentioned are President.

What we need is courage and leadership. From the POTUS.

[book_worm]

10. Yes, but very few politicians do favor gay marriage. How many running for president in 2008

came out for gay marriage? Probably Dennis Kucinich, I would imagine.

[ruggerson]

13. Obama is president

that's the present day reality. He's the one who needs to be pushed, and pushed hard to start using the bully pulpit on issues of equality.

He said repeatedly he'd be a "fierce advocate" for equality. Well now's the time to put up. The world is a very different place than it was fifteen years ago or ten years ago. He's got a shot to be a hero in the history books.

[t0dd]

8. Obama is the president. Oh, and he marketed himself as a fierce advocate

for GLBT rights. He deserves the criticism. They all do.

[book_worm]

12. I agree they all do because on gay rights most politicians are pussies.

[Mari333]

9. cause hes the Prez

if he cant take the heat he should stay out of the kitchen.

[roguevalley]

24. I suspect they do because he is the current president and leader

of our country and party. if you are going to lead, you have to do it through deep as well as shallow water. if not him, then who?

[riderinthestorm]

14. Devil's Advocate argument: this is pure law. A more pure civil rights case that ever was.

Just like interracial marriage, this is pure civil rights era legalizing but NOW - not 1964.

As we all know on DU, civil rights for gays on marriage are going to happen. It's inevitable. Perhaps Ted Olson is less a religious ideaologue, and more a legal cogniscenti?

Can I just put it out there that these cases are crack-cocaine for anyone whose a true intellectual legal scholar? While Ted Olson can be a shitty person, he can be a legal freak? That's why (perhaps) he took on Bush v. Gore? I mean - again - a case of legal crack? Hugely important. History making. Maybe he's less a Dem or Rethug and more just a publicity-seeking lawyer hell bent on the history pages?

And yes, I'll say it again, Obama is wrong, wrong, wrong on this side of the law and history.

[ruggerson]

15. that's an interesting point

who knows what his motivation is. Maybe he sees it as his chance to be remembered for doing something right and good and historic.

[H2O Man]

18. It could be

that he is doing it for the correct reasons. Or, he might not. He is not the person that I think is best duited to do this. Still, it's interesting. Thanks for the OP.

[ruggerson]

23. Interesting quote from the Advocate

Olson said he was contacted several months ago by representatives of an association called the American Foundation for Equal Rights about his willingness to represent the two couples named in the suit. “For a long time I’ve personally felt that we are doing a grave injustice for
people throughout this country by denying equality to gay and lesbian individuals,” Olson said in an interview with The Advocate. “The individuals that we represent and will be representing in this case feel they’re being denied their rights. And they’re entitled to have a court vindicate those rights."

[bleever]

16. Whenever the devil is involved, I wonder what's in it for the devil.

That's just a question, not some fancy answer.

Maybe a dumb question.

[comsymp]

22. Not a dumb question at all

I've been wondering the same thing since reading about this last night.

Throughout the '90s and early aughts he showed himself to be an extreme ideological conservative, hyper-partisan and an all 'round douchebag - remember, this is the guy who wasn't above dumpster diving in order to support his "side" during the Clinton years. This move definitely seems out of character....

[Boomerang Diddle]

19. So now Obama is the devil?

[Forkboy]

21. It's a funny ole world.

[emulatorloo]

25. Ted Olson likes $$$$$$

Glad to hear a gay couple has gotten a good lawyer, but it means nothing about Ted Olson's beliefs.