McCain: Clarification on gay adoption

Posted: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:18 AM by Mark Murray

“Advocates for gay and lesbian families are denouncing Senator John McCain, an adoptive father himself, for opposing adoptions by gays, which prompted his presidential campaign to clarify yesterday that he does not seek a federal ban on the practice. Only one state, Florida, outlaws gay adoptions, which have become commonplace in much of the nation.

“The presumptive Republican nominee was asked for his views on the subject in an interview published Sunday in The New York Times. ‘I think that we've proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no, I don't believe in gay adoption,’ McCain replied. McCain then remarked that he and his wife, Cindy, were proud to be adoptive parents of a daughter born in Bangladesh, and he encouraged others to adopt. Asked whether those adopting should be a ‘traditional couple,’ McCain answered, ‘Yes.’”

The DNC is hitting McCain for calling social security a "disgrace," while a liberal coalition, which opposed Bush's privatization plan, holds a press conference call today attaching McCain to Bush on Social Security. Here's the DNC's video.

McCain “announced plans for four events in Maine Monday. McCain will speak at the Maine Military Museum in South Portland Monday afternoon, at about 12:30 p.m., following three fundraisers in Kennbunkport earlier in the day, the Associated Press reported.”

EMAIL THIS

Comments

The ultimate political waffle: "well, we'll just leave it to the states."

Straight Talk? (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:23 AM)

Brother Odd (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:29 AM)

McCain is an A**. As are all homophobic Republicans. What he's saying is that needy children are better off with NO PARENTS as compared to two fathers or two mothers. That's just dumb.

adam/Brooklyn New York City (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:29 AM)

this is a flip flop on mccains part, he completely said before that hes against gay adoption

Elitist Alert — Cindy McCain
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/elitist-alert-cindy-mccain/
or

http://sensico2.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-blogs.html

camie (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:34 AM)

According to a Newsweek article on the McCain's, they lead largely separate lives. If McCain's argument is that it takes a mother AND a father to raise a child, he has certainly failed that test.

I am always appalled at his willingness to throw red meat to the Great Unwashed in the Republican party. I am glad to know this now. I supported him in his last run for Pres. and would never do so again.

sotiredofignorance (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:37 AM)

Although I am an Obama supporter and tolerant of "people different from myself" I still can't help believing (privately because it is not politically correct to come out and say so publicly) that "the traditional family" remains the bedrock of society. Acknowledging that people are in homosexual relationships and being understanding of that should not compel us to say that a child growing up in a home with his two biological parents is going to experience the same trajectory as someone raised by a gay couple. By coming out for the importance of "fatherhood" Barack gives the nod to a long held belief in the evangelical community that a married couple is a team and that male leadership benefits developing youngsters. I am an evangelical for Obama.

Hermine Clouser (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:37 AM)

Ahh, the third rail of liberal politics. Thou shall not speak unkindly of gays. They are people to ya'know.

Sandy Lindquist, Florida (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:40 AM)

The DNC is hitting McCain for calling social security a "disgrace," while a liberal coalition, which opposed Bush's privatization plan, holds a press conference call today attaching McCain to Bush on Social Security. Here's the DNC's video.
-First Read

*********************************

This should bring the disappointed, senior feminists for Hillary around. It's hard to love a man who won't love you back.

donna (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:47 AM)

Brother Odd,

I fear for the children growing up with ignorant parents much more than gay parents. How many do you have anyway? I mean so I can pray for them.

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:51 AM)

What? Barbie and John couldn't find a good American orphan to adopt? Lets clarify these reproductive related issues up for some who have been confused or conned by mccain so far...

He intends to appoint judges who will overturn roe...he does believe a woman is chattel for her husband and he has a right to knock her up and make her keep the kid...he does intend to make women criminals who get abortions...he does intend to ban birth control except abstinance...he does intend to to push discredited family planning dogma on the rest of the world...so don't be confused by him

Ralph Malph (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:55 AM)

Every child should be adopted by parents worth a hundred million dollars, whether they are same sex or opposite sex parents.

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:05 AM)

McCain is closet material....

BJ, CA (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:07 AM)

"I think that we've proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no, I don't believe in gay adoption,’ McCain replied'

Adoption bt gay couples would result in two parents, just of the same sex.

Statistics have shown that these kids grow up in a loving home with 2 mommies or daddies.

They do no gecome homosexual growing up in this type of household.

This type of thinking is mideval and uninformed.

Opps....forget I was talking about McCain.

Ira, Freehold, NJ (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:16 AM)

If you read the Times piece on Cindy you will note that John McCain didn't spend much time home with the kids.

Cindy said she felt like a navy wife with her husband gone most of the time. So I guess John doesn't really feel that two parents are necessary.

By the way, in non-traditional families there are more loving parents home most of the time than there were in John and Cindy's home.

Jim, Chapel Hill, NC (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:36 AM)

Brother Odd,

There are many, many children growing up in foster homes who would disagree with you. They would just like somebody who loves and can care for them. I think gay couples are capable of loving someone and capable of providing for them so I don't see where the problem is. You are speaking on the assumption that ones environment makes people gay. If that were the case then what did our honorable VP Dick Cheney do wrong in your opinion?

Tina, NC (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:36 AM)

First of all, these children who need adoption are the products of heterosexual unions gone bad. Should we use the same anti-gay logic and say heterosexual parents are a bad risk for children because too many of their kids end up wards of the state? How about the fact that heterosexual marriages fail half the time? Children are the victims of these failures. How on earth can anyone claim that children are better off in institutions than with loving, same-sex parents?

Dee (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:37 AM)

"On this I agree with McCain. No child should be forced to grow up with gay parents. They could suffer humiliation when they get older and realize that it is not normal. Sex between a man and woman is normal. Through same sex life could not have sustained. "

So since were basing the healthiness of a parent on whether or not their kids COULD get made fun of lets also ban the following from adopting/having kids...

Fat People
The Blind
Deaf
Blacks
Whites
Latinos
Asians
Republicans
Democrats

All of which could potentially cause their children to be humiliated or poked fun at...

Heck while were at it...lets not make kids who could potentially be made fun of go to school or live their lives...

Your line of thinking is extremely flawed.

The issue here is with societies depiction of homosexuals...change that, and the issue becomes non-existent.

Jay, Tampa, FL (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:39 AM)

On this I agree with McCain. No child should be forced to grow up with gay parents. They could suffer humiliation when they get older and realize that it is not normal. Sex between a man and woman is normal. Through same sex life could not have sustained.
Brother Odd (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 9:29 AM)
==================================================
Of course there's no actual evidence here that this IS, in fact, an issue but what the hey. Believe anything you want such as no teenager has ever felt humiliated by their parents. That, I guess, isn't "normal".

Ian (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:42 AM)

This is not the McCain of 2000 when he spoke about the "evil of intolerance" and chastised the right.

Now McCain is bending more and more to the right.

Another flip-flop for the "maverick".

Tom Kaye (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:50 AM)

As far as I am concerned, all the children put up for adoption should get loving safe homes. I personally don't care if the adopting parents are homosexual or heterosexual, as long as the child knows that they are loved and well taken care (including health, education and other children to grow up with, etc).

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:53 AM)

Brother Idiot.....

Just so you know gays and Lesibans have been around since the begining of time. It's just in the past40-60 years that the right wing reglious groups have decided to play GOD and determin that same sex relationships are wrong. So much for being Christens !
I have been raised by gay parnets, my straight parnets abandoned me when I was 3, I then went to live with my Uncle and his partner, who I consider to be my parnets. I NEVER had those problems you mentioned. As a matter of fact I feel I have had a better life. I was raised with a strong moral code of conduct. I don't prejudge people, I am respectful, andI don't discriminate. I am now 23 yrs old and getting married next spring ( to a woman). My future in laws love my parnets as well. They have said if everyone could see things with a open mind, we the US would be better off. My dads have been great to me and my friends love them, as do their parnets. We have BBQ's with all of our neighbors and friends and the crowd is mixed gay and straight. We live in TEXAS, Big Red State. So that goes to prove that narrow minded biggots like yourself
should get to know people before you say anything you know NOTHING about.

Gay raised (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:54 AM)

I am againist gay marriage, but when you have kids with no parents. Well I feel it's best they have a home instead of living never being love by parents....

Which means gay's should be able to form a union,..... I guess....

Kahn,MD (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:55 AM)

Acc. to most recent statistics availaible (from AFCARS) there are 600,000 children in U.S. foster care. Of these, nearly 140,000 are awaiting adoption into a loving home.

More parents are needed, not fewer. Shame on you, John McCain.

Amy, TX (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:55 AM)

Oh, I forgot... My parnets are Republicians as am I.
We feel Senator McCain is just pandering to the above mentioned crowd. We all will be supporting him this fall. Just so you also know, after 25years together they got married last week in Calif. It was incredible and I was SOOOOOOOOO proud to be there.

Gay raised (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 10:58 AM)

Mr. McCain is attempting to appeal more strongly to the right side of the Republican Party with comments about issues that have NOTHING to do with either our national security or the economy, the two biggest concerns. If he had any class whatsoever, when asked about his opinion regarding gay adoption, he would have simply stated, "That is not a concern of the President nor should it be." Those who persist in attempting to legislate and/or dictate moralism are doomed to lose.

erik eriksen (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:16 AM)

Another clarification? Does McCain have any true convictions anymore?

Just wondering, Houston, TX (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:20 AM)

Another very good reason to vote for Obama.

Tom, San Jose, CA (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:58 AM)

I think the Republicans want to ruin social security. - There is an interesting post today on the history of Social Security and the Amish, who pay no social security taxes. It's at http://www.Vaboomer.com

Nancy Mehegan (Sent Wednesday, July 16, 2008 12:07 PM)

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=1201530