More Straight Talk

From Todd Purdum's piece in Vanity Fair (February 2007):

[Chris] Matthews wants to know McCain’s views on the prevalence of gay people in all walks of life....

“Should gay marriage be allowed?,” Matthews asks.

“I think that gay marriage should be allowed, if there’s a ceremony kind of thing, if you want to call it that,” McCain answers, searching in vain for the less loaded phrases he knows are out there somewhere, such as “commitment ceremony” or “civil union.” “I don’t have any problem with that, but I do believe in preserving the sanctity of the union between man and woman.”

It may not be clear just what McCain is trying to say, but it’s easy to see how his words could be skewed in a direction that the Republican right might not like at all.

Fast-forward to the next commercial break, during which McCain and Matthews reposition themselves from the stage to the auditorium floor to take questions from the students. McCain’s longtime political strategist, John Weaver, a lanky, laconic Texan, moves in to whisper some advice. The next question is about the pending federal farm bill, and McCain repeats his long-standing opposition to certain agricultural subsidies.

But then, out of nowhere, he adds, “Could I just mention one other thing? On the issue of the gay marriage, I believe if people want to have private ceremonies, that’s fine. I do not believe that gay marriages should be legal.”

What's "straight" about that talk? Beats me. The man is almost as articulate as our current confounder-in-chief.

Some people think this guy can lead the country out of Iraq, beyond the current economic train wreck, and into a brighter future, but he can't even handle softball questions without twisting himself into a knot.

Technorati Tags: McCain, Straight-Talk, Gay marriage, Flip flop

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