Within hours of the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act in the landmark United States v. Windsor case, the American Civil Liberties Union announced a nationwide campaign to bring Republicans into its efforts to strike down barriers to the freedom to marry in states across the country.
"Today's historic Supreme Court decision will pave the way for full equality for gay and lesbian couples across America," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. "But for a full civil liberties victory, we need broad-based support from coast to coast. That's why the ACLU is joining with Republican leaders to fight to end state-based limits on the freedom to marry."
With the goal of working both with and within the Republican Party, the ACLU has hired Steve Schmidt, vice chairman of public affairs at Edelman.
Schmidt's role will be to help spearhead the campaign to strike down state-based laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. The campaign will, over the next four years, challenge legislative and constitutional provisions in states such as Illinois, Oregon, Hawaii, Montana, and others. The ACLU aims to spend roughly $10 million through 2016 and will officially announce the initiative with an ad in tomorrow's edition of The Wall Street Journal.
So Schmidt has finally finished his evolution from advising John McCain and using baling wire and duct tape to turn Sarah Palin into a presentable VP candidate, to working with one of the most hated by conservative groups in the country.
And worse yet, doing it in order to help spread "the gay agenda."
I can only imagine how dented that refrigerator in
Good for Steve Schmidt. He's actually one of the old school sane republicans. Of course this might work towards his redemption, but he's going to have to work REAL hard to make us forget his part in the Palin
ReplyDeletedebacle.
As always Palin doesn't make any noise about anything
of substance. Plus she's such an incredible hypocrite, fame whore
and shill who knows what she really thinks about anything. All her squealing is to belly up to the baggers and keep the lunatics pissed off so she can make more money. If she can't get her moronic crew of idiots pissed at the president----her job isn't done for the day.
She's a sad, sad woman. And easy to laugh at.
The statement: "That's why the ACLU is joining with Republican leaders to fight to end state-based limits on the freedom to marry." makes no sense to me. The moral values of the red states/Republican party is built upon a foundation of discrimination against minorities of race, color, sexual orientation, non Christians, and we can't ignore the current war against women.
ReplyDeleteGood luck finding any "Republican leaders" to do the right thing.
I think Steve Schmidt is on a redemption arc. He is trying to make up for his part in the choice of Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate and all that has followed since. He bears a heavy amount of guilt for that. A gig on MSNBC did not do it. Perhaps this will help him sleep better at night. Good for him. Just think: he and Nicole Wallace have both, in their own way, tried to atone for the Palin choice. Nicole with her roman à clef novel and Steve with his obvious help with the book Game Change.
ReplyDeleteProblem was, is and always will be Sarah herself, who has no shame.
Real atonement would involve telling the truth about Palin. So far, they have only been nibbling around the edges. They are not even close to redemption.
DeleteAgreed. Every time McCain appears on the TV, someone should ask him about Palin's latest screeches. Then, maybe he would get tired of it, and disappear.
DeleteAnd, remember that Nicole did not vote for the McCain/Palin ticket after realizing how inept Palin was - that came out in "Game Change".
Delete6:25 -
DeleteUnfortunately, the damage was long done by that time and they both put this country in terrible danger with the possibility of those two maniacs being elected.
It's not as if there was no way for them to find out who they were being hired to promote. I don't accept jobs for people who might endanger others. They are completely responsible for making the decision to work for the campaign and try to get McCain and Palin elected.
I have no doubt in my mind that Schmidt and Wallace were in line for very lucrative positions in the McCain administration if he had won. Do you HONESTLY think either of them would take a chance on losing that, to out Palin? So, they put the entire country at risk, for selfish motives. McCain has NEVER been presidential material, he is too hot headed. He also has a closet full of skeletons, just like $carah. So, knowing all of this, they still worked their arses off to get these two numbskullls elected? Remember, McCain was 895th out of a class of 899 at the Naval Academy. Not exactly what you would call intelligent, is he?
DeleteEvery time I revisit these two interviews (see link) with Steve and Nicholle, it amazes me that five years later nothing has changed. In fact, it has worsened to downright madness on Palin's part.
ReplyDeletehttp://info.msnbc.com/_news/2012/03/13/10671382-steve-schmidt-and-nicolle-wallace-share-their-reactions-to-hbos-game-change?lite
I can't tell you how many times I've read a cforpee's relating personal stories about how they were "awakened" in 2008. Never really involved with politics till "Our Sarah" came along. They believe it is a call from God, he has chosen sarah to save them and the US.
DeleteI think this is why we see more racism, anti-woman, pro christian ignorant voters these days. They've always been around, they just came out from under their rocks 5 years ago.
The republican politicians have bent over backwards to accommodate this new voting block and it has encouraged the more rabid to think they actually have a majority and a chance to remake America as the "pure" nation the seem to think it was once.
I think it has gotten worse also; palin opened a can of yuk and we've misplaced the lid..
Palin IS a can of YUK.
DeleteShe's just jealous cause he has a real job, and she was forced to take what FOX offered. She is being kept out of prime time, and doing low budget fox radio shows, and so far has only appeared on daytime and weekend shows. Her paycheck doesn't look nearly the same either.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he's evolving so much as trying to atone for past sins.....
ReplyDeleteOK, can they next take on ALEC, and return us to democracy? Please?
ReplyDeleteO/T Celebrity Wife Swap Twist
ReplyDeleteWhat happens after Bristol Plain spends too much time with Joan Rivers?
http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/celebrity-wife-swap-twist/n38439/
Fuck Steve Schmidt ... he would pimp out his own daughter if it helped his guy win.
ReplyDeleteSteve "knew" many of Sarah's scandals, but he still tried to help her win.
When this asshole comes 100% clean on what he knows about Sarah, then I will believe he has converted to the good side.
Steve, did you know Todd was actively pimping prostitutes during the 2008 campaign?
I don't think he had a choice, he had to go along with it and I'll bet he's WELL aware of Pimp Daddy.
Delete5:18 -
DeleteHe had a choice to take that job in the first place. He took it, knowing full well the two people he was hired to promote.
If he didn't know enough about the candidates to make an informed decision, that's an even worse indictment of him.
It's just not enough to spend months trying to convince people to elect incompetent, dangerous people to the highest positions in the country and then say, "Oops, my bad! Sorry about that!"
There is the difference. The Obama supporters were 100% behind their guy. They believed in his message. The other side just wants a repub. in charge to further their agenda.
DeleteSteve Schmidt just finally graduated from the University of Delaware this year. I guess he was finally able to pass that pesky math class he needed! A friend of mine just graduated and she said he was there, getting his degree and speaking. As an alumna, I so want Steve to answer my querries to him. How did he get from a regular middle class guy from South Jersey, to a UD student who couldn't quite pass math, to hoaxing by omission or commission and entire nation. And with a wife who is an OB nurse for dogs sake. How DO you get there from here? Huh Steve? I really need to know.
ReplyDeleteHe could make a whole lot of money by just writing that book....if he is working for the ACLU , does that mean his work with the GOP is done ??
With the republican penchant for false equivalencies, Steve wasn't good at math and Sarah wasn't good at thinking. No big deal. He could still run a presidential election campaign and she could still be vice president. Here Sarah has Steve beat by a mile because if there is one, and only one thing she understands, it's number$.
DeleteI am highly suspicious of Steve Schmidt's involvement with the ACLU. It's like the fundamentalist Christians taking over the local school board; they don't want their kids in public schools but they sure want to run them, that is, run them into the ground. Over a lifetime of almost 70 years I have learned never to trust a Republican. Schmidt has spent his career as a GOP water carrier; he's a "plant." I guess the idea is now to infiltrate any bastions of liberalism and destroy them from within.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
Seriously?? That's a bit too much but to each her own I suppose.
DeleteWhat you libruls fail to understand is that starting today and through to infinity (and beyond) EVERY hurricane that strikes this country will be evidence of Jeebus' anger with Amercia for letting teh geys marry.
ReplyDeleteIf SCOTUS had done the Right (wing) thing and upheld DOMA, we wouldnt have any fewer hurricanes, no, but those hurricanes would be punishment for abortion and prohibiting organized prayer in public schools, instead of for forcing god-fearing men and women into depraved homersexual lifestyles under threat of execution by armed IRS investigators!
This is not the Amercia that Jeebus intended when He discovered this country in 1776!!
A bit understated but so true. Also, too.
Deleteyea Beldar! Yes b/c we all know this is a xtian kuntry donchaknow, youbetcha!
Deleteamiright? amiright?
I hate when PBO HAS to say "and GOD bless America" every freaking time he has a speech!
Hurricanes and floods and earthquakes and wildfires and plagues of locusts...they're a-comin'!
DeleteBetter get down on those knees and start a-prayin' with me...
(What's that under the couch? Oh, so THAT'S where the remote disappeared to!)
She doesn't have a problem with gay people. smh
ReplyDeleteYeah RIGHT, 5:13 AM.
DeleteAs long as they remember their "place", right smh?
DeleteAsk your princess when she plans to express her full support of gay marriage.
Until then, fuck off, toadie.
Every troll is told to FU. Nice. And you think it's Todd? Nutty.
Delete7:10 -- Of course I don't think it's Todd. Google "toadie" why don't you.
DeleteAlso, too -- perhaps you missed the signature "smh". She's a regular who shits all over this blog. I reserve my "fuck you's" for her (and for all who support and defend bigots).
She had to Google the ACLU before deciding if she should be angry or not.
ReplyDeleteThe problem that I have with Steve Schmidt is Sarah Palin. He knew what she was, and so far as we can tell, he never talked with McCain about dumping her, even though campaign workers thought she had serious mental issues.
ReplyDeleteI don't trust anyone who'd continue to actively promote and campaign for a woman after he discovers she's dumb as a post, malicious and hostile and ignorant- for the vice presidency.
Ivyfree
I agree with everything you just said.
DeleteNot to mention also, too, his wife is a registered nurse who doubted $carah's "special delivery from God" right from the start.Any one of them could have quietly put out the word on this low intelligence harpy from Wasilly.
DeleteIt's particularly egregious when you know that the top candidate is 72 years old and has serious health problems. That exponentially increases the potential for her to end up in the White House, which should give anyone nightmares.
DeleteSteve Schmidt is an opportunist. He follows the money. I didn't like it when he was trying to get a 72 year old man (with a history of recurring cancer) elected president (along with his idiot of a vice president candidate). Then, Steve appeared on MSNBC. While he may be very smart, I still don't trust him.
ReplyDeleteIf the past is prologue, a generation or two down the road, the republicans will say they were the ones who led the way in the fight for gender equality over the fierce objections of the left.
ReplyDeleteSteve Schmidt isn't taking this job as any form of "penance" or "redemption". He could have looked for another line of work, but chose this because it's something he feels is a good cause. It's not getting him any brownie points in today's GOP.
ReplyDeleteHe did what he was paid to do for John McCain, and he got paid well for it because that's what political advisors are paid to do, tell the man who signs his check what he wants to hear. He realized Sarah Palin is a fake, but it was too late to put the nag back in the barn door. If he wanted to seek "redemption", he'd have exposed a lot more about Palin with his roles in "Game Change" and his gig with MSNBC.
Seeking Redemption, Mr Schmidt? Write a book exposing everything you know about Sarah, don't hold anything back.
Good Luck in your new endeavor.