The Washington Blade has a new White House statement on White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer's statement earlier today that Barack Obama never filled out the 1996 questionnaires in which he stated his support for marriage equality:
“Dan was not familiar with the history of the questionnaire that was brought up today, but the president’s views are clear," Inouye said. "He has long supported equal rights and benefits for gay and lesbian couples and since taking office he has signed into law the repeal of 'Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,' signed into law the hate crimes bill, made the decision not to defend Section 3 of DOMA and expanded federal benefits for same sex partners of federal employees.”What does that mean?
Inouye didn't respond to a further question from the Washington Blade to verify whether the White House believes the president in fact filled out the questionnaire in 1996.
The White House communications director wasn't familiar with an issue but gave an answer anyway? Hardly. Where did he hear that Obama didn't fill in the questionnaires himself? And what does the White House's clarification even mean? That the President DID fill in the questionnaire himself, and thus he WAS in favor of gay marriage, but since, bizarrely, changed his mind? The White House needs to explain why Pfeiffer said this, and more importantly, they need to explain the 1996 memo.
This latest statement is frankly offensive. We deserve an answer, we are owed an answer. These cutesie non-statements that talk about DOMA and DADT, when the question was the 1996 questionnaire on marriage, are intended to fool you into forgetting what you asked in the first place.
The White House simply doesn't think you matter enough to be given an actual answer as to why the President was for gay marriage before he was against it. Answer the question.
