Mitt only makes right turns
by digby
The dead tree version of the LA Times has this big headline above the fold: Romney’s fight against gay marriage. If you click through you’ll see that they changed it to “As governor, Romney faced challenge on gay marriage.”
It was a challenge, alright — a challenge as to how best to position himself as the right wing defender of “traditional marriage” in a state that clearly favored gay marriage. (Why did Massachusetts vote for this guy anyway?)The lesson is that if caused him a lot of trouble with liberals and independents, but he did it anyway.
Romney, now the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, faced one of the biggest challenges of his four years in office. His response would alienate constituencies on both sides and contribute to criticisms that he shifted positions for political gain, a charge renewed in his two bids for the White House. At minimum, Romney’s handling of the gay marriage ruling — laid out in interviews with key players and state documents — provides a window into his decision-making style and political tactics.
Romney had vowed while running in Massachusetts to defend and expand the rights of gays and lesbians, although he opposed same-sex marriage and civil unions. When the court ruled, he initially promised to follow its decision, while also seeking a state constitutional amendment to overturn it.
But soon he devoted his attention to trying to block the ruling. Among his moves: resurrecting a 90-year-old state law, aimed in part at preventing interracial marriage, to keep same-sex couples from flocking to Massachusetts for weddings.
The battle served to boost his national profile and conservative credentials in the years leading to his first presidential run in 2008.
To supporters, he emerged as a steadfast defender of traditional marriage. But critics and some onetime allies believe that Romney’s national ambitions — and a resulting need to tack to the right — eventually drove the way he dealt with Goodridge vs. Department of Public Health.
One has to assume that a Romney administration would operate the same way. He would forever be looking over his right shoulder. In fact, he’s been fooling people his entire career into thinking he’s more liberal than he has ever been in practice. It’s not as if he’s ever taken a right wing position and moved left. It’s always the other way.
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