Over the weekend, four of the declared candidates for PA governor met at the Pennsylvania Progressive Summit and engaged in a debate that is mostly notable for how sleepy and boring it was. The debate did get a little lively, however, when the moderator asked, point blank, where the assembled candidates stood on the issue of same-sex marriages. Below, we translate what they said from the video above; quotation marks indicate things the candidates said with actual words.
PA Auditor general Jack Wagner: “I SUPPORT MARRIAGE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN!” But, uh, I am sensitive to your needs or whatever it says on this card here. And uh, hate crimes are bad. Can’t you see how much I’m on your side? Some of my best friends, I tell you!
Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato: Civil unions! Weeeee!
Montgomery County commissioner Joe Hoeffel: I am saying a lot of things about equality and making a joke about how my gay neighbors have nice flower beds and now I am making a very tentative claim that I support same sex marriage. Why did it take me so long to do that? I don’t know!
Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty: “As the only one here who performs weddings, I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SAME SEX MARRIAGES.” Boo-yah, bitches.
Wishes one of these guys would grow a set and say “what I think about gay marriage is moot because I’m running to be the governor, and the governor doesn’t make laws about marriage or anything else. Ask this of the legislators. Now if you have a question that relates to my ability as an executive, lets hear it.”
I support Same-Sex Marriage in the State of PA. If passed into the lower house the upper house, then to the governor. Yes your true the governor can veto, HOWEVER, with 2/3 if the houses’ approving it would become a passed bill making it allowed. However I don’t think it would even get close to the desk of the governor. Pennsylvania is a weird state, mostly Democrats support Same-Sex Marriage, I am going to say Pennsylvania is not a democrat state, it has its Repulician side too.
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Wishes one of these guys would grow a set and say “what I think about gay marriage is moot because I’m running to be the governor, and the governor doesn’t make laws about marriage or anything else. Ask this of the legislators. Now if you have a question that relates to my ability as an executive, lets hear it.”
February 2nd, 2010 at 6:20 pm
arcticsplasher…
I could be wrong but i believe the governor has the ability to veto said legislation.
February 2nd, 2010 at 6:30 pm
true that. darn checks and balances! i guess i was just frustrated about these kinds of “gotcha” questions…
February 28th, 2010 at 12:18 am
I support Same-Sex Marriage in the State of PA. If passed into the lower house the upper house, then to the governor. Yes your true the governor can veto, HOWEVER, with 2/3 if the houses’ approving it would become a passed bill making it allowed. However I don’t think it would even get close to the desk of the governor. Pennsylvania is a weird state, mostly Democrats support Same-Sex Marriage, I am going to say Pennsylvania is not a democrat state, it has its Repulician side too.