Black minister offers election view on Obama and gay marriage

[Lincoln Republican]

CNN News Room May 13, 2012

African American church leader, Pastor Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church, Beltsville, MD, stated today Obama's support for gay marriage could result in depressing the black vote turunout in November.

He believes black turnout could be 8% or 9% down from 2008 because of Obama's stated support for gay marriage, in which case, he says, Obama loses. 

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Blacks, who tend to be in the lower to lower-middle income brackets, naturally care most about the economy. The same-sex marriage thing will blow over like the contraception fight did, and the election will be won by Obama due to the improving economy.

[Alcon]

I wonder what sort of in-depth analysis Pastor Jackson did to arrive at the precise number of 8-9%.  I'm guessing he consulted his proctologist.

[politicus]

Blacks, who tend to be in the lower to lower-middle income brackets, naturally care most about the economy. The same-sex marriage thing will blow over like the contraception fight did, and the election will be won by Obama due to the improving economy.

The African-American attitude to gays is generally pretty negative and gay marriage is a much more important issue than contraception, so I wouldnt be so sure about that. It will be interesting to see some reliable polling on this issue.

[wan]

I know a couple black people who thinks obama really don't support gay marriage he was just forced to because his vp endorsed it. I am still voting obama even though I don't support gay marriage.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Blacks, who tend to be in the lower to lower-middle income brackets, naturally care most about the economy. The same-sex marriage thing will blow over like the contraception fight did, and the election will be won by Obama due to the improving economy.

lol

but basically Politicus hit the nail on the head.

[Beet]

Gay marriage will hurt Obama. A recent poll in Ohio states that 54-35, Ohio voters oppose gay marriage. A lot of people who support equal rights for gays still oppose gay marriage because marriage is seen as a religious institution.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

For the hundredth time, most people already knew Obama was leaning for gay marriage before he even made the announcement and people who vote on the issue and oppose it probably weren't going to vote for Obama in the first place.  This is absurd claim that this somehow 'hurt' Obama is totally ridiculous.  Either it had no net effect at all or it boosted his support among liberals.

I still love how half of the right claims it's "all about the economy" and that social issues don't matter, but then the other side says, "No, wait!  This will hurt Obama because people vote on social issues!"  You guys can't even make up your mind.

[Lief 🗽]

This forum dramatically under-estimates the amount of people who had no idea Barack Obama ever opposed gay marriage.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

This forum dramatically under-estimates the amount of people who had no idea Barack Obama ever opposed gay marriage.

[Vosem]

While it's true most Obama supporters simply assumed he was for gay marriage, I doubt this was true among the black community. That said, I doubt it'll really depress black turnout significantly enough as to hurt him. It does make it likelier Romney wins every county in WV, as I recall tmth pointed out in the every-county-in-the-state thread.

As somebody who wants Obama to win but supports gay marriage, I'm uncertain how to react to the knowledge that Obama supporting gay marriage will probably hurt his reelection effort.

For the hundredth time, most people already knew Obama was leaning for gay marriage before he even made the announcement and people who vote on the issue and oppose it probably weren't going to vote for Obama in the first place.  This is absurd claim that this somehow 'hurt' Obama is totally ridiculous.  Either it had no net effect at all or it boosted his support among liberals.

I still love how half of the right claims it's "all about the economy" and that social issues don't matter, but then the other side says, "No, wait!  This will hurt Obama because people vote on social issues!"  You guys can't even make up your mind.

It's impossible for some rightists to hold one view but others to hold another? 'The right' is a very broad group, Scott.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

'The right' is a very broad group, Scott.

In this country, the right makes more of an effort to narrow itself than does the left.

[Adam Griffin]

This forum dramatically under-estimates the amount of people who had no idea Barack Obama ever opposed gay marriage.

I wonder what sort of in-depth analysis Pastor Jackson did to arrive at the precise number of 8-9%.  I'm guessing he consulted his proctologist.

[HappyWarrior]

I'm betting African American voters care alot more about keeping the first black President in office than they do about whether gay people can get married.

[milhouse24]

I know a couple black people who thinks obama really don't support gay marriage he was just forced to because his vp endorsed it. I am still voting obama even though I don't support gay marriage.

I can see how Black people can justify voting for Obama by thinking his support of gay marriage is just for PR purposes, to fundraise money, and to appease the liberal activists for GOTV.  Obama doesn't really have much power to change federal gay marriage bans, so his statement is largely for PR purposes and media purposes.  

Black males strongly oppose gay marriage, and view it as challenging masculine strength and black masculinity.  Specifically, Blacks are still a significant minority in many parts of America, and in many ways, the strength of the Black population is predicated on increasing the Black population through reproduction for this generation, and the next generation.  Black males also live shorter lives than any other race, so the idea of reproduction to increase black power is a motivating mindset for Black male identity and purpose.  

I also think Black turnout will be significantly less for Obama than in 2008, and not just because of gay marriage, but also because of complacency in having elected the first Black president, it is far less exciting to "re-elect" a black president if his economic policies are not working, and there is general malaise across the nation.  The gay marriage issue will only further dampen the enthusiasm from Black males who would rather stay home than support gay marriage.  

Obama made a campaign calculation, and he realized that enthusiasm for his re-election would be decreased across every race, including Blacks, based on economic struggles.  But Obama believes that "supporting gay marriage" will excite the liberal base to GOTV, rather than do nothing and lose re-election without trying to throw everything against the wall.  

Afterall, Obama has stated he would rather be a great one-term president who tries big things, than a cautious 2 term president who passes weak moderate laws.  

[DrScholl]

Ministers aren't political analysts. I would think he just made that number up out of nowhere.