Democratic political strategist Richard
Socarides believes Republicans will come around on gay marriage.
Socarides, who is best known for
advising President Bill Clinton on gay rights, appeared Thursday
night on cabler Current TV's Viewpoint.
He cheered the news that Democrats were
moving forward on including a gay marriage plank in their official
party platform.
“It's a very big moment, I think,”
Socarides told host Eliot Spitzer. “A real milestone. Especially
when you remember that eight years ago the Republicans placed these
anti-gay ballot initiatives in several crucial swing states in an
effort to take the election to President George W. Bush. Those
anti-gay initiatives may have given the election to George Bush. And
now, just eight years later, it has turned so dramatically that the
Democrats may, by taking the other position, really help their
chances.”
(Related: Democrats
include gay marriage in draft party platform.)
“In eight years, and certainly in the
not-too-distant future, this will not be an issue. The Republicans
will have to come around,” he added. (The video is embedded in the
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