# Will Obama come out of the closet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 1, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542 "2008-11-01T05:13:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/1 "2008-11-01T05:13:47Z")
The only reason it doesn’t particularly bother me that Obama is not vocally supportive of gay marriage is that I don’t believe him. We all know that if he said he supported it, he’d never be elected. I’d hope he’s smart enough to realize this. But I also believe, knowing what little I know about what he does believe, that on a purely personal level, he probably would support it. (Pure conjecture, obviously.) How many people agree with me? What are the chances that once he’s in office he’ll come out of the closet and support gay marriage? Or will it still be political suicide, even for a sitting president, for a while yet? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/2 "2008-11-01T05:17:43Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > The only reason it doesn’t particularly bother me that Obama is not vocally supportive of gay marriage is that I don’t believe him. We all know that if he said he supported it, he’d never be elected. I’d hope he’s smart enough to realize this. > > But I also believe, knowing what little I know about what he does believe, that on a purely personal level, he probably would support it. (Pure conjecture, obviously.) How many people agree with me? > > What are the chances that once he’s in office he’ll come out of the closet and support gay marriage? Or will it still be political suicide, even for a sitting president, for a while yet? I agree it would be political suicide for any candidate to say they support same sex marriage at this point so im willing to cut them some slack on the matter. Its their record that matters, i doubt Obama would ever sign something like the defense of marriage act. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/3 "2008-11-01T05:18:39Z")
Have you SEEN how into each other Barack and Michelle are? If you had you wouldn’t bother posting this infamy. Man, they are like sex in a bottle that is about to EXPLODE! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/4 "2008-11-01T05:19:41Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Have you SEEN how into each other Barack and Michelle are? If you had you wouldn’t bother posting this infamy. Man, they are like sex in a bottle that is about to EXPLODE! I think he meant coming out in favor of same sex marriage, not actually admiting to being gay 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/5 "2008-11-01T05:20:47Z")
Oh yeah, I missed this one: BEING IN FAVOR OF GAY RIGHTS DOES **NOT** MEAN YOU ARE GAY! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/6 "2008-11-01T05:25:40Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I think he meant coming out in favor of same sex marriage, not actually admiting to being gay 😛 I think you’ve been whooshed. (Or I’m being whooshed by you.) ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/7 "2008-11-01T05:29:11Z")
I’d expect what we’ve seen from him all along: a measured, careful and deliberate approach that allows the general public to adjust to the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/8 "2008-11-01T05:31:50Z")
Liberals who are concerned about poverty and African Americans believe the same thing about their issues. That Obama is just playing political and will support blacks and poverty when he gets in office. I don’t think so. When he ignores those issues after taking office it will also be for political necessity. Politics doesn’t go away once you take office. McCain has that argument going for him too. That he will ignore the religious right when he takes office. Though how is he going to do that and win an election in 2012? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/9 "2008-11-01T05:34:13Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Oh yeah, I missed this one: BEING IN FAVOR OF GAY RIGHTS DOES **NOT** MEAN YOU ARE GAY! Still isn’t that an unusual usage of the term, “coming out of the closet”? I thought that means “ceasing the effort to conceal one’s homosexuality, and acknowledging it to the people in one’s life”–period. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/10 "2008-11-01T05:37:16Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > McCain has that argument going for him too. That he will ignore the religious right when he takes office. Though how is he going to do that and win an election in 2012? IF he even makes it that long-he’ll be what, 76? Yikes. (I know, agism, but considering that Reagan was in early stage alzheimers at the end of his first term…) ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/11 "2008-11-01T05:55:22Z")
Well who can get out of the closet with all of Sarah Palin’s clothes in the way?!? (I continue to perceive Obama as someone skillful at finding a solution that is good enough for most to live with. His current position does that and nothing would be served by his changing that. For strong civil unions and leaving the question of “marriage” to the states, much more concerned with gay rights under the law than whether or not a union is called a marriage or not.) ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/12 "2008-11-01T06:25:20Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > Liberals who are concerned about poverty and African Americans believe the same thing about their issues. That Obama is just playing political and will support blacks and poverty when he gets in office. > > I don’t think so. When he ignores those issues after taking office it will also be for political necessity. Politics doesn’t go away once you take office. > > McCain has that argument going for him too. That he will ignore the religious right when he takes office. Though how is he going to do that and win an election in 2012? This is kinda my fear; a la Clinton and DADT. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/13 "2008-11-01T06:29:02Z")
Obama’s [LGBT positions](http://pride.barackobama.com/page/content/lgbthome) (just because he’s not gay doesn’t mean he can’t take gay positions, if you catch my drift): Expand Hate Crimes Statutes Fight Workplace Discrimination Promote LGBT Rights Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples equal legal rights and privileges as married couples. … repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/14 "2008-11-01T06:31:29Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Obama’s [LGBT positions](http://pride.barackobama.com/page/content/lgbthome) (just because he’s not gay doesn’t mean he can’t take gay positions, if you catch my drift): > > Expand Hate Crimes Statutes > > Fight Workplace Discrimination > > Promote LGBT Rights > > Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: Barack Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples equal legal rights and privileges as married couples. … repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. > > Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage Thanks, that’s actually very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/15 "2008-11-01T06:37:13Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > Still isn’t that an unusual usage of the term, “coming out of the closet”? I thought that means “ceasing the effort to conceal one’s homosexuality, and acknowledging it to the people in one’s life”–period. Not really. my longtime friend, DEAL WITH IT! Some people, like my bro Barack and I, are straight WITHOUT becoming gay in the process. We can be for gay rights WITHOUT wanting to fuck you in the ass. There is no automatic binary gay/straight alternative! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/16 "2008-11-01T07:00:18Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > But I also believe, knowing what little I know about what he does believe, that on a purely personal level, he probably would support it. (Pure conjecture, obviously.) How many people agree with me? > > What are the chances that once he’s in office he’ll come out of the closet and support gay marriage? Or will it still be political suicide, even for a sitting president, for a while yet? In my opinion, you give Obama too little credit. Another politicion who bullshits to get elected :rolleyes: I have no doubt in my mind that he has absolutely no problem with gay marriage. But he doesn’t want to support any initiatives that will be divisive. The means both opposing the Constitutional ban on same-sex marriages or ramming down the throats of conservatives legislation in support of gay marriages . I believe what he says. Civil unions,legally equivalent to marriage will be strongly supported by him. No more and no less. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/17 "2008-11-01T07:03:53Z")
'Course not. He’s an African-American male. He’s on the [down-low.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down-low_(sexual_slang)) (But they’re all fags really, which is why there are almost no negroes left in America.) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/18 "2008-11-01T07:05:23Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Not really. my longtime friend, DEAL WITH IT! Some people, like my bro Barack and I, are straight WITHOUT becoming gay in the process. We can be for gay rights WITHOUT wanting to fuck you in the ass. There is no automatic binary gay/straight alternative! Dropzone, I hope you haven’t been abusing cause it sure sounds like it, reading all your posts in the last hour or so. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/19 "2008-11-01T07:08:15Z")
Yeah, I don’t think Obama would hesitate for one second before signing a bill legalizing gay marriage. But even if his “opposition” to gay marriage is for real – opposition which doesn’t actually involve wanting to do anything to stop it – he still clearly supports gay rights more than McCain. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542/20 "2008-11-01T07:24:27Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Dropzone, I hope you haven’t been abusing cause it sure sounds like it, reading all your posts in the last hour or so. Abusing What, my friend? Abusing the old, Demon Rum? Only to the extent that it can toss aside my natural middle-American, I’d Never Admit It Sober Because My People Shy Away From Politics, tendencies. My Frying pal, I keep most of that hidden, as a good boy from Minnesota should. The booze tips it from “You are a natural-born Minnesota Wobbly who should keep that hidden,” to, “SCREW THAT!” Longtime friend, between Monday and Friday evening I am looking for a common ground. After Happy Hour my natural impulses kick in. Yet, I still consider you a friend. Just one who is TOTALLY WRONG! 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-obama-come-out-of-the-closet/470542.md?page=2)