The Globe and Mail of Canada has a lengthy profile piece on Obama campaign manager, and former Max Baucus (D-MT) Chief of Staff, Jim Messina. While the article mostly contains tidbits previously contained in other articles, I found this piece on the president’s recent announcement in support of gay marriage interesting. It certainly makes you wonder. As the gay rights community has drawn their focus on bullying, were they able to “bully” Jim Messina into pushing the president’s support of gay marriage? Oh, and he drives a black Porsche.
If anyone wants to read the full article, click here.
Here’s an excerpt of the article headlined, “Obama Campaign Manager Goes for the Jugular:”
Gay rights was one area in particular where Mr. Messina has clashed with Mr. Obama’s supporters. While he served as a liaison to the gay-rights community, the White House was seen as dragging its feet in repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for gays in the military, which was supposed to be a priority. Even before that, when Mr. Messina was working state-level elections in Montana, a former colleague recalls him blaming the Democrats’ stance on gay rights for costing them seats in the conservative state. Mr. Messina denied it at the time.
Despite Mr. Messina’s mixed track record on gay rights, Mr. Toole believes Mr. Messina was behind Mr. Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage last week, because it was the politically savvy thing to do.
“With Jim, it’s all a political calculation. If Jim thought it was the smart thing to do to advocate mandatory gay marriage for all people in the United States, he’d advocate for it,” Mr. Toole said.