Barack Obama--I don't buy what he's selling

Every time Obama opens his mouth, he attracts of crowds of liberal supporters. But listen to some of what he has said:

I am a great admirer of our founding charter and its resolve to prevent theocracies from forming and its resolve to prevent disruptive strains of fundamentalism from taking root in this country. I think there is an enormous danger on the part of public figures to rationalize or justify their actions by claiming God's mandate.

No one can accuse Obama of "claiming God's mandate," but he hasn't been shy about using religion to justify his lack of support of gay marriage. And Obama, like the other so-called liberals in Congress, knows full well that there is no difference whatsoever between gay marriage and a "civil union." Instead of attacking the language charlatans, Obama et al are the language charlatans.

Obama also said:

I don't think marriage is a civil right, but I think that not being discriminated against is a civil right.

This is "Is 'is' is?" territory. If marriage is not a civil right, but not being discriminated against is a civil right, then who determines what the exceptions to not being discriminated against are? Obama? And on what grounds should there be exceptions? Obama says on biblical grounds, exactly the grounds given for why his own biological parents' marriage was "illegitimate"--his father was black and his mother was white. This brings to mind Colin Powell, whose arguments against gays in the military are identical to the arguments that were used to keep African Americans out of the military.

There is a lot to like about Obama, but for me, someone cannot be called "progressive" until he gives the same blessing to gay citizens that he gives to heterosexual ones.