Score One For Equality: Prop 8 Overturned

Hi everyone. Yay! Some good news. The fact that equal rights for gay people is even still an issue is rather depressing, but I'll take today's tiny victory. I'm short on time tonight, so some parts will be neglected. I'll give segments some extra love tomorrow. Away we go:

• At the top of the broadcast, Anderson Cooper uses the words "breaking news," but there is no horrible graphic. I was literally jotting down a note to give them partial brownie points for this, when suddenly...yes, the damn graphic! Uncool, guys. Uncool.

• Oy the noise on this show! I had to dip into my concentration reserves to keep up with the interview with attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson. To be fair, it's not the 360 kids fault they were at a rally, and Anderson did apologize. The big takeaway is that the supporters of Prop 8 just did not make their case. Why? Well, because they couldn't. There are no comparable experts that can credibly testify to the "dangers" of gay marriage. Also? The judge found domestic partnerships are not equal to marriage, so it's time for people to drop that argument too. Interview below:

• I don't have the video for the debate with Freedom to Marry's Evan Wolfson and the National Organization for Marriage's Maggie Gallagher, but I'll post it later if made available (video below). I don't even really know what to say about Gallagher. What kind of person dedicates a significant portion of their life to denying equal rights to their fellow citizens? It's pretty sick. Some kind of soul rot going on there. I'm just going to pull out the highlights, many of which would probably more accurately be described as lowlights.
  

• Wolfson: "My organization is called Freedom to Marry. It's not called Gay Marriage. It's not called Mandatory Marriage. It's not called You Have to Do What Somebody Else Wants Marriage. It's about the rights we all share as an American to make a personal choice of a partner in life and have that commitment in life respected under the law." Amen.

• Anderson pointed out that the judge said marriage was about more than just procreation. Gallagher totally ignores this and goes off on a tangent: "I said five years ago, this judge has proved the case for gay marriage is ultimately rooted in a rejection of common sense and core ideas about the natural family, including the idea that children need a mother and father." Is it immature that I just want to tell her to go Cheney herself? For the record, Anderson challenged her on that. Her response? The judge was biased. *Sigh* Our anchor then asks her three times why she thinks the judge is biased. Says Gallagher: "I don't know why he's biased. But the reason I think he's biased is, he telegraphed from the beginning in a variety of ways that he wanted to preside over a historic trial." In other words, she's just making this shit up as she goes along.

• Anderson brought up the interracial marriage argument and Gallagher tried to deflect with the 14th amendment. Ironic! It has nothing to do with the question, but you know, whatev. Finally, our anchor got her back on track. Gallagher: "I think the comparison you just made -- and just give me, you know, one-quarter of the time Evan just got and the two lawyers -- is that the idea that Americans are like racists for believing marriage is the union of a husband and wife is absurd and outrageous." First of all, way to play the victim card. Maybe if you didn't go off on unrelated tangents, you'd have more time to actually answer the questions Anderson asked. And second, nobody's calling you a racist. We're calling you a homophobe. Because you are.

• Gallagher: " It's not discrimination to treat different things differently." Pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

• Wolfson: "In America, we have two great political principles. One is that kings don't rule. The majority rules in ordinary things. But the other equally important American principle is that there are certain things that don't get put up for a vote. You don't put my freedom of speech, my freedom of religion, my freedom to marry up to somebody else's dictate, because that belongs to all of us. And the courts and the Constitution exist to safeguard that protection."

• Gallagher is also in denial that her side has already lost, something even Erick Erickson admits. This is what I wrote during a debate over DADT last year:

You almost have to feel bad for the people against gay rights (almost), because they've already lost. DADT will be repealed. Gay marriage will happen in this country. Unless they can figure out how to cease the progression of time, there's nothing they can do to stop it. So to the Elaines of the world, I have only this to say: tick, tock.

• That was pretty much it for the debate. Raise your hand if you now feel annoyed and a little dirty (not in a good way!). Our anchor did a pretty good job with the challenging on both sides. But psst, Silver Fox, you might want to work on your blank slate face a little. Not that I didn't enjoys some of those looks you were giving.

• The 911 tape from the Connecticut shooting was hella scary.

• Hey guess what? About a quarter of the country are still crazy birthers. Yay? *Sigh* We were joined by Paul Begala and Erick Erickson to talk about this and other topics. Why? Why, 360. WHY? Can these segments, like, not exist in the future? Anyway. I like how Erickson brings up the Killian documents to try to combat Paul going off on birthers. That is a terrible comparison. A better example would have been to bring up the truthers, but while that group is rejected by all of the credible left, birthers are egged on either overtly or subtly by people on the right, all the way up to members of Congress. Why do people still believe this crap? That's why. (This part can be viewed on the video below.)

• Erickson on the mosque controversy: "You know, there are bigger issues at stake here. We are at war with a group of people. This is going to be a propaganda victory for a lot of people who we shouldn't be giving them that victory." We are at war with terrorists. Terrorists. Not Muslims.

• Anderson: "Isn't this exactly playing in to the hands of Osama bin Laden by painting all Muslims with the same brush and basically saying moderate Muslims are under suspicion unless they can, you know, prove their allegiance?" Ding ding ding.
  

• Anderson: "I'm just thinking, if you're Osama bin Laden and you're sitting in North Waziristan and you're watching this debate, as he no doubt is..." Dudes, not only does our anchor know where bin Laden is, he knows he's watching CNN right now! The Silver Fox is full of surprises! (Yes people, I'm kidding.)

• Some more of that quote: "I mean, I have qualms about it myself. But doesn't it send a message about what America is and the strength of America and their values?" Whoa, is that an opinion? Okay, a "qualm" isn't anything to write home about, but I think our famously tight-lipped anchor did kinda sorta almost give a personal view on this. (For the record, I think he probably supports the mosque...with qualms!)

• The Ted Rowlands piece was interesting. And sad. Social media fascinates me.

• We had Tom Foreman for an oil spill update too, but I'm out of time. I'll try to give him extra love tomorrow.

• The show was fairly good. They're becoming too dependent on panels again though. You gotta change more than just your graphics package, kids. Lets see some outside-the-box thinking!