The Gist

Take my wife's support...please

A discussion on the show yesterday centered around Elizabeth Edwards' remarks when she spoke at a San Francisco pride event on Sunday and said that she supports full marriage rights for gays, in opposition to her presidential contender husband. John Edwards claimed on Jay Leno the next night that he was "surprised" by her comments, had read them for the first time in the paper. He said her remarks didn't change his mind and that, as much as he supports just about everything else for GLBT people, he disagrees with his wife on this, something they're split on.

John Edwards' claim that he was "surprised" seemed unbelievable, and, for some, overshadowed the positive news of his wife's support. Yes, her remarks came during comments in an interview -- and reportedly were almost offhand -- and not during her speech. But these are seasoned political people, and Elizabeth Edwards has in fact let her feelings be known before, so it shouldn't be a suprise, to us or certainly to her husband. She said last year, in a response to a question by George Stephanoppoulos on whether or not she supports gay marriage, "“Well, it's not particularly important whether I am, but I guess I come from a more eclectic background and so it’s less problematic, I think, probably for me.”

It's inconceivable that John and Elizabeth haven't talked about it nor that she didn't plan to say it at the pride event. I wondered, as some commentators have suggested, if this is John Edwards' way of moving forward on the issue, planning some future announcement before the 2008 election, or if this was all planned to soften him on the issue and perhaps get more of the gay vote by distinguishing himself slightly from the other major candidates.

Whatever the motives, at least judging from callers to the show, it appears to have worked against Edwards among a lot of gay people: Most callers saw it as a cynical ploy and not very genuine, and it reminded them of things they don't like about Edwards. Interesting, considering that it all was initiated by someone doing something good, coming out in favor of gay marriage.