That's cool... but I'm just wondering: what portion of Ellen's audience is the McCain crew gunning for?

From what I know, a lot of different kinds of people watch Ellen. I've known some super conservative people who watch her show.

I love how uncomfortable he was!!!

A big HELL YES for Ellen!

Ellen is so freaking amazing. She just directly asks him about a huge issue that is very personal to her and she is so calm and respectful while doing it. I would not be able to do that. She is wonderful.

Wow, Ellen is amazing. He really couldn't squirm out of that at all.

Go Ellen. His response about contracts comes off as utterly cold and clinical next to her genuine, heartfelt statements. He looks like the ass he is, and she barely has to do anything but state the truth. Ellen rules.

Hopefully this will influence some of the right wingers who watch her despite being homophobes/McCain supporters.

I have always loved Ellen. Way back when she had her sitcom I watched it (despite being a little to young to get everything). I was so happy she was able to make a comeback with her talk show.

God bless her. I agree with one of the other commentors that this made Mcain look cold. When he talks to a pundit or a reporting he can be insensitive, but face to face with Ellen, he can't help but sound like an ass. She handled the conservation very gracefully and brought her point across to her viewers. The audience seemed to support her whole-heartedly.

God bless her. I agree with one of the other commentors that this made Mcain look cold. When he talks to a pundit or a reporter he can be insensitive, but face to face with Ellen, he can't help but sound like an ass. She handled the conversation very gracefully and brought her point across to her viewers. The audience seemed to support her whole-heartedly.

i love her
http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com

i love her
http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com

Wow, McCain's reaction to what she was saying was priceless. He literally looked like he was about to wet himself.

I so knew that it was McCain's ass when he went on Ellen's show. I totally saw that coming. Everything. Color me excited, but not surprised.

Ellen, 1. McCain, pwnd.

She is so fantastically eloquent and charismatic. "You can sit there, but you can't sit there"... so well put! I just can never understand how McCain can sit there with Ellen, when she is talking about her love and her desire to get married in such a beautiful and logical way, and still tell her that if he had things his way, she would never be able to get married. I really just will never understand.

It takes bravery to put this so honestly, but it just works so well. I hope we see more and more of this style of approach to gay marriage. Ellen made McCain look so unreasonable. Ellen is lovely. Hooray for Ellen.

Umm...And she didn't ask Obama and Hillary(who hold virtually the position as McCain on this issue)this because?

Seriously, it would be politically stupid for McCain to publicly support gay marriage. The majority of the country opposes it. It would turn the conservative base against him without getting him anymore votes. Those who support gay marriage would never vote for him. He needs to be courting independents and Reagan Democrats to win.

It would have made more sense for Ellen to press Obama on his opposition to gay marriage because it would make more sense for him to change his current view. Hillary is courting the same Reagan Democrats McCain wants, but Obama's base would only rally around him even more.

lily, there's a big difference between Obama and Clinton vs. McCain on gay marriage, McCain supports a state ban on gay marriage. This is an ad he made in support of Arizona's voter proposition to ban gay marriage, where he warned people that activist judges may let homos get hitched:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clfqfl9Bs-0

It failed to pass. McCain isn't that in touch with the majority in his own state, at least.

On the other hand, both Obama and Clinton released statements immediately after California's court ruling applauding the decision. The contrast in positions is beyond equivocation.

Wait wait... What?

"I believe in the unique status of marriage between man and woman."

How is it unique? I'd say marriage between gays is friggin unique not your every day "traditionalist" marriage.

Also he looked really uncomfortable and had this "if i could i would shoot you right now" kind of look that reminds me of certain other people.

I know LadyTess, I know. Frankly, the religious argument to gay marriage has always bothered me because it seems like it ought to exclude a lot of things besides just gay marriage. Like, if marriage is a religious union, why are atheists allowed to be "married" rather than enter into a civil union? It's such crap. Straight people get to be married whether they do it for religious, financial, or whatever reasons, so why should gay people be excluded soley on the religious basis?

I watched this episode and I was really happy to see Ellen bluntly ask McCain about his veiws on gay marriage knowing that he did not approve. I think this really speaks to Ellen's character and it definatley put McCain on the spot. Oh, and his whole "contract" thing was bull shit. What is so wrong about calling it marriage when it's a same-sex couple?

I watched this episode and I was really happy to see Ellen bluntly ask McCain about his veiws on gay marriage knowing that he did not approve. I think this really speaks to Ellen's character and it definatley put McCain on the spot. Oh, and his whole "contract" thing was bull shit. What is so wrong about calling it marriage when it's a same-sex couple?

I watched this episode and I was really happy to see Ellen bluntly ask McCain about his veiws on gay marriage knowing that he did not approve. I think this really speaks to Ellen's character and it definatley put McCain on the spot. Oh, and his whole "contract" thing was bull shit. What is so wrong about calling it marriage when it's a same-sex couple?

I watched this episode and I was really happy to see Ellen bluntly ask McCain about his veiws on gay marriage knowing that he did not approve. I think this really speaks to Ellen's character and it definatley put McCain on the spot. Oh, and his whole "contract" thing was bull shit. What is so wrong about calling it marriage when it's a same-sex couple?

I watched this episode and I was really happy to see Ellen bluntly ask McCain about his veiws on gay marriage knowing that he did not approve. I think this really speaks to Ellen's character and it definatley put McCain on the spot. Oh, and his whole "contract" thing was bull shit. What is so wrong about calling it marriage when it's a same-sex couple?

I watched this episode and I was really happy to see Ellen bluntly ask McCain about his veiws on gay marriage knowing that he did not approve. I think this really speaks to Ellen's character and it definatley put McCain on the spot. Oh, and his whole "contract" thing was bull shit. What is so wrong about calling it marriage when it's a same-sex couple?

On the other hand, both Obama and Clinton released statements immediately after California's court ruling applauding the decision. The contrast in positions is beyond equivocation.

That's true, though at the same time, it's a little irritating to see the dem candidates making that sort of nod to the issue while still (last I checked, anyway) being officially opposed to gay marriage rights.

ellen is so wonderful. i saw HER nervous-ness, but that was nice because it showed how the importance of the matter required some uncomfortable tension. and mccain looked like an asshole, but i wonder what he thought was going to happen by going on her show? i agree, the religious argument is crap because so many other "unholy" people can get married. I admire her so much for being so bold and hope that (like some others have said) her more conservative/homophobic viewers can learn a little somethinggg from her honesty and upfront questions.

He was uncomfortable because he was lying through his teeth. He doesn't believe in that sanctity of marriage bullshit. He's just trying to appease his homophobic base (i.e. 80% of these homophobic states of America and 100% of republicans).

Let's face it, as much as we hate McCain for any number of foreign and domestic policy issues, he's a fairly progressive guy when it comes to social issues (a mere glimpse at his pre-campaign-cycle voting record will confirm this). Honestly, I think he seems more at ease with a gay woman than he does with some of the right wing Christian fringe that he finds the need to cling to in order to prove his Christiness.

He would never admit to being in support of gay marriage. It would be political suicide. He's pushing the envelope as it is by saying that gays should have the same legal rights as heteros. His Christian base probably isn't too keen on that.

I suspect he's a lot more socially progressive than he lets on. But he can't let it slip because he's got to get on with winning an election and bombing Iranian children.

Furthermore, both dems have the same stance. Even for the "progressive" party, it's faux pas to endorse gay marriage, because apparently it's just too taboo. I'm tellin' ya, a vast majority of this country is still horribly sexist, racist, homophobic, and utterly terrified of anyone different from them. I often hope and pray for people to wake up from their prejudiced stupor and embrace justice love and happiness.

Jon S
I agree with just about everything you said. There seems to be this consensus here that not coming out in support of gay marriage on Ellen hurt John McCain politically and that he's merely clinging to deep felt homophobic beliefs even if it turns the country against him. The reality is that it would be political suicide for him to favor gay marriage, and he probably would lose way more votes than he'd gain even if his party didn't riot at the convention and appoint Romney the new nominee.

that's why I love Ellen!!

Really, how dumb is this guy? If you are going to go on the Ellen show and are a vocal supporter of keeping marriage exclusive to heteros, you should really have something to say for yourself other than "we disagree". Well myes, we can see that., btu whilst Ellen put across a wonderful argument, he could say nothign back other than "well, you say that well, and we disagree." What a crock of shit.

Both dems don't have the same stance.

Clinton would keep DoMa and repeal only article 5, while Obama would repeal the whole thing. Clinton supports Civil Unions for gay people while marriage for straight people...Obama has a slightly trickier position. He says the state should give civil unions to people, while marriage should be a church thing...and his church supports gay marriage--as he points out.

Clinton keeps a two tiered system, whereas Obama's position could imply a separation of church and state that might not leave a two-tiered system.

fallingtink - Did you watch this episode? ;)

It is good to see McCain put on the spot like that. It was funny to see his inability to defend his position without being able to fall back on the bible.

Brava!
Ellen shows her power here, and also her ability to be elegant within that.

People have disagreed about things forever and try to bully each other into agreement with no luck. If it gets bad enough, someone just eliminates the other for their differences. (bombs, torture, violence)

In this interview, Ellen shows how we can have conflict, and address it. It's too bad that McCain didn't meet her equally, and have some balls to express solid reasoning for their "disagreement".

Ellen provides a significantly louder response by remaining true to her beliefs and expresses salient reasons for her position. In providing an arena for discussion, she opens a door for possibility.

The fact that McCain is a politician makes him a "hard-wired" liar - doing his best to dodge the truth with his statement of "we disagree" so that he doesn't really have to expose - even to himself - how small minded and cruel any kind of inequity truly is.

My thoughts are to celebrate Ellen and her commitment to show an incredible example to others, and look forward to more of the same in the media.

P.S. I don't get how the Bible fits into any conversation about current events. It's got some juicy morsels, but geez... it was written thousands of years ago, and has been translated that many times as well. Using the Bible as a reference seems ridiculous. How about the Bill of Rights? or the Constitution? When politicians start referring to those documents, they may get my attention.

Did anyone else notice that McCain could not look her in the eye when he'd go on about how he disagreed or when he talked about the "contracts"? I thought that was interesting. It makes him look ashamed of his position. Being face to face with someone who DOMA affects and seeing that yes, gay people are humans deserving of the same rights as straight people. I really think that made him ashamed of himself.

I also thought it was interesting that he practically came out in support of civil unions there. I still wouldn't vote for him though.

Ellen is amazingly cool. I congratulate her on her upcoming marriage.

She carried herself with dignity and heartfelt emotion throughout the discussion. Go, Ellen, go!

I loathe McCain, but the anti-gay marriage stance isn't his alone--a lot of the country seems to be opposed to it. I still can't figure out why.

Good for her, but I, sadly, don't see his stance on this issue, or R v. W for that matter, having any effect on his voting base.

I've even talked with "log cabin" republicans that just write off equal treatment under the law. I thought I understood self-loathing, then I met a gay republican who also converted from Judaism to Mormonism after he came out to himself.

Clinton and Obama do not oppose gay marriage, they just won't push for its legalization. On the other hand, McCain actively campaigns to ban gay marriage, even at a state level. There's a world of difference in those approaches. The former would, at worst, keep the status quo. The latter would make life harder for gay people.

mccain really shouldn't have taken this interview.

bad move for him.

as a transwoman and one of the LGBT people of the " rainbow" , I love ellen and think she's so hot! she's funny, awesome, just a totally real feminist woman all the way. one whom does not need to " act like a lady" in order to be a WOMAN! I had read about this , but never actually saw the clip , nor the show that day. now I know what she told him in full, and I think that's awesome. she told it like it is, as in why should we LGBT's be denied the right to marry by law; many of the more narrow minded churches still will not perform them anyway; but churches like mine, unitarians- already do! I was already considering moving to either a halfway affordable area of calif. or oregon; but soon as I heard about the LGBT marriage thing, I was like, " even if I move to yreka! it's still california! at least, if it ever happens for me; I will be able to marry a woman as a woman!" another thing is , when I saw her and portia together; something inside me just made me get all emotional and cry a bit. I realize this was because a part of ME was, and for over a year now, has been; telling me, after two years on estradiol/HRT; that I am definitely a transsexual lesbian-feminist woman.

and well, to add more, I feel this interview showed john mc jerkass for whom he truly is! as if his position on women's rights to choose/birth control [ www.NARAL.org/johnmccain ] does not do enough to prove that he is not that " moderate" of a repug-nican; both his anti-gay marriage TV commercial for arizona's own " Defense Of HETEROSEXUAL-ONLY, Marriage Act"; and this I-View w/ ellen; surely proves it! now, what I can NOT understand after alone reading NARAL's mc cain voting record is this. why would any progressive woman in her right mind, vote for this jackass?? yet my very own 58 yr old sister, a NY city high school teacher and former democrat gone "repug-nican"; when I asked her if she was " voting for the old republican goat?"; told me that she was! being both LGBT and extreme feminist, that felt like a slap in my face! as far as hillary v. obama? well what somebody here posted about hillary being strictly for civil unions; while obama said " leave marriage to the churches- unions for all"; this along with her courting the catholic voters; has sort of been steering me away from calling for her lately as a volunteer for her campaign. besides, with 52 delegates left for obama, 246 for hillary; I'm 80% sure obama's got the democratic nomination sewed up!

What I hate most about his response is the whole, "I respectfully disagree." How can you respectfully disagree to not respect someone as a legitimate member of society?

McCain's inability to show unabashed bigotry will seriously hurt him in the general election.