OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
President Joe Biden has told the story again of an “epiphany” he supposedly had when he supported gay marriage but, unfortunately, his voting record and comments show that his actual epiphany happened far closer to when the polls changed on the issue.
The president spoke to Kal Penn in an interview for the Comedy Central show “The Daily Show” about the passing of the Respect for Marriage Act which is a law to keep gay and interracial marriage legal.
Penn asked the president when and why he changed his stance on gay marriage and also asked what he could do to “protect” transgender kids from “regressive” laws.
“I can remember exactly when my epiphany was,” the president said. “I hadn’t thought about it much, to tell you the truth. I was a senior in high school and my dad was dropping me off. I remember about to get out of the car, and I looked to my right and two well-dressed men in suits kissed each other.”
He said he looked at his dad who said, “Joey, it’s simple. They love each other.”
The president agreed with his dad, he said.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a same-sex or heterosexual couple,” he said. “They should be able to be married. What is the problem?”
But he was quickly pounced on by many Twitter users who pointed to his record on the issue.
“So he’s basically admitting he lied about a moral conviction for the next five decades? How heroic. Also, the idea that he was thinking about gay marriage in 1960-61 is really just silly,” The Dispatch editor-in-chief Jonah Goldberg said.
So he’s basically admitting he lied about a moral conviction for the next five decades? How heroic. Also, the idea that he was thinking about gay marriage in 1960-61 is really just silly. https://t.co/f6DtSlkLNe
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) March 14, 2023
“Biden voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Remember when the media made a big production of being incensed by all of Trump’s lies? I’m beginning to think that was insincere,” Mark Hemmingway said.
Biden voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Remember when the media made a big production of being incensed by all of Trump’s lies? I’m beginning to think that was insincere… https://t.co/XB2MaPnZbq
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) March 14, 2023
“I guess he forgot his high school epiphany when he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 at the age of 54. Has this guy ever told the truth about anything? Every memory is a lie with Biden,” another Twitter user said.
I guess he forgot his high school epiphany when he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 at the age of 54. Has this guy ever told the truth about anything? Every memory is a lie with Biden.
— Norvell Bowden (@fsuglommer) March 14, 2023
“It will never not be weird that Biden simply lies about stuff like this constantly. Biden voted for DOMA in 1996 and was openly saying marriage should be between a man and a woman over a decade later. There’s a 2006 clip from a Meet The Press interview where he says exactly that,” author AG Hamilton said.
It will never not be weird that Biden simply lies about stuff like this constantly. Biden voted for DOMA in 1996 and was openly saying marriage should be between a man and a woman over a decade later. There’s a 2006 clip from a Meet The Press interview where he says exactly that. https://t.co/QM25m7T80T
— AG (@AGHamilton29) March 14, 2023
“This is one of his funniest stories. He had an epiphany after seeing two ‘well-dressed’ men kissing in 1961 working-class Wilmington, but then voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996,” another Twitter user said.
This is one of his funniest stories. He had an epiphany after seeing two "well-dressed" men kissing in 1961 working-class Wilmington, but then voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. https://t.co/mMUZO2eTB4
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) March 14, 2023
And if we take a look at what Biden said during a “Meet The Press” interview on June 4, 2006, decades after Biden’s supposed “epiphany,” we see he did not support gay marriage.
“The president used his radio address yesterday, and tomorrow in the Rose Garden, to talk about a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage,” host Tim Russert said, speaking of former President George W. Bush.
“You know, think about this. The world’s going to Hades in a handbasket. We are desperately concerned about the circumstance relating to avian flu—we don’t have enough vaccines, we don’t have enough police officers—and we’re going to debate, the next three weeks, I’m told, gay marriage, a flag amendment, and God only knows what else,” Biden said.
“I can’t believe the American people can’t see through this. We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act. We’ve all voted—not, where I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law, there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman. What’s the game going on here?” he said.
“I can’t believe the American people can’t see through this”— “marriage is between a man and a woman and states must respect that.”
“Marriage is between a man and a woman, what’s the game going on here?”
– Joe Biden pic.twitter.com/alqOKTY4rJ
— Tayler Hansen (@TaylerUSA) December 14, 2022
Biden graduated from his high school, Archmere Academy, in 1961, which was 45 years before his “Meet The Press” interview. That is a long time to ignore an “epiphany.”
