Ron Reagan, the son of late President Ronald Reagan, came down strongly on Tuesday against Barack Obama's unwillingness to definitively support same-sex marriage.
Appearing on Hardball, the MSNBC political analyst said, "He’s taking more time evolving on this issue than humans took evolving from apes" (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):
Tuesday's Hardball began with the same-sex marriage issue being voted on in North Carolina and the political dangers for Obama taking a position on it.
"This whole evolving thing has really jumped the shark at this point," Reagan said. "I mean, he’s taking more time evolving on this issue than humans took evolving from apes."
"We all know he’s making a political calculation," he continued. "We could argue as to whether the political calculation is correct or incorrect, but the problem for him is it’s an obvious political calculation."
A few minutes later, host Chris Matthews asked, “If he loses the election because of this, and Mitt Romney walks into the White House, a man who says he will not evolve…is that good for the cause?”
Reagan responded, “It’s not good for the cause, although the cause will continue and will prevail just because of demographics if nothing else."
“I understand what the calculation is,” Reagan continued, “but I think the calculation is now incorrect. You can only make this political calculation when people don’t generally see it as a political calculation. If people know that you’re not actually speaking your mind and your heart, if you are inauthentic about this issue – and it is an important issue to some people, a lot of people – then you’re doing yourself harm. You’re actually harming your electoral prospects."
It's going to be very interesting to see how this issue plays out in the coming months now that Vice President Joe Biden, appearing on Sunday's Meet the Press, has expressed his support for same-sex marriage.
Stay tuned.
