Voters passed the North Carolina gay marriage amendment by a 22-point margin, 61% to 39% yesterday. Known as NC Amendment 1, the provision makes North Carolina the 30th state to add a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Amendment One defines in North Carolina that ′marriage′ can only be between a man and a woman. The Tar Heel state already had laws on the books banning same-sex unions since 1996. But supporters of the amendment claim that the law was vulnerable, as a judge or a simple majority vote in the state legislature could have overturned it. Now, with the passage of the amendment to the state constitution, only a three-fifths majority of the legislature could reverse the amendment.
The vote has national implications as North Carolina is a swing state for the November election. Barack Obama won the state in 2008. But can he do so again in 2012? Much ado has been made since a Sunday talkshow appearance of Joe Biden, who claims that Obama supports same-sex unions. In 2008, Obama drew a distinction between same-sex ′civil unions′ and marriage itself. Part of the reason Obama did as well as he did with Christian Evangelicals and Catholics in 2008 was his position that marriage was a religious sacrament, which takes the issue to a different level as opposed to a civil union ceremony.
Even among his strongest base of support, African-Americans, the issue is split nearly 50-50, as it is with most Americans across the political spectrum. So Obama′s reluctance to throw his full weight and support is a cause of concern for Liberal Democrats. Officially, Obama expressed disappointment with the results of yesterday′s vote in North Carolina. But it seems very clear that Obama will do all he can to avoid the subject during the campaign, especially with the state in play. Winning there′ along with other states like Virginia, will give Obama an edge in the electoral college, even such where winning states like Ohio or Florida are less important.
The ramifications of the North Carolina gay marriage amendment on the 2012 presidential election could be significant. Especially with voters passing NC Amendment 1 by such a wide margin, this could be a signal that Obama will have a difficult time winning the state again this year. Voters passed North Carolina Amendment One 61% to 39%. Barack Obama will trend softly on the issue of same-sex unions in order to have a chance to repeat his success of 2008.
May 9th, 2012 at 8:45 am
OH ! The Heartbreak of Grandparents who won’t be Proudly Beaming at the birth of an 8.5 lb
BABY TURD
May 9th, 2012 at 9:21 am
Found out the hard way they was just constipated
May 9th, 2012 at 9:26 am
But you can still marry your cousin. Just not your gay cousin.
May 9th, 2012 at 9:32 am
Me an Cristal is Second Cousins, Twice Removed. I thank.
May 9th, 2012 at 9:59 am
Did you serve squirrel or possum at your reception?
May 9th, 2012 at 11:52 am
Squirrels are greedy selfish hoarders.
Possum are better tippers
May 9th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Well, at least they ain’t gonna castrate them, hang them from trees, douse ‘em with gasoline and set them on fire, like the ol’ days in the South.
So even though they can’t get married, they got that going for them, and should be happy for small favors, I suppose.
May 9th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
TA, you can still marry your gay cousin, provided you are of different genders.
May 9th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Mmm, possum and crawdaddys! Nuttin’ like Southern Surf-N-Turf!
May 9th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Obama finally openly supports gay marriage…
Well it’s about time. History will question how long it took him, but better late than never.
May 9th, 2012 at 3:02 pm
Klo.
Heh, your idiocy knows no bounds.
May 9th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
ME
Obama would marry his own father to get a vote.
“Personally he doesnt care”.
I can only suppose he had some personal feelings about Gitmo too.
How much you wanna bet as his numbers tank Keystone gets what it wants ?
“Personally” I think hes a despicable pos when he does keep his word, thousands died in Afghanistan and Iraq for FCKIN NOTHING ! NOTHING !
10 years of sacrificed lives and the IEDs are in full fruition once again.
And you fckin idiots are worried about same sex marriage.
I seriously doubt thats why any trooper volunteered
May 9th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
I agree Mick
I do not get up everyday worried if my hairdresser can get married.
As my property taxes INCREASE and the value of my homes DECREASE….I wonder why 80% of “green energy money” goes overseas and Egypt gets 1.5 billion.
Returning Vets cannot get proper care or jobs and moonbats are salivating over birth control and rainbows?
Billy Ray is now wanting money for shout outs?
WTF?
May 9th, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Wish I could pay to shut him upo
May 9th, 2012 at 9:55 pm
If they were smarter they would have put the amendment on the November ballot. So in the presidential election, this is a turn out the voter for Dems.