Surprise from the Veep

I listened to the Vice Presidential debate on NPR this morning while I worked on a lasagna* for a band party later in the day. The lasagna was tastier, but the debate had more meat.

ZING!

The candidates both did well, I thought, though Biden was the clear winner. I was a little turned off by Gov. Palin's gosh-golley fersher also purely political attacks on Obama also - the times when she also acted SHOCKED at the way he'd voted, when in fact McCain had voted the same way also - but in general I thought they were good.

Surprising to me, though, were the candidates' answers about same-sex partner benefits. Senator Biden said that in an Obiden administration (can't help it, love Obiden) there would be no difference between hetero- and homosexual couples in terms of civil benefits. When he asked Governor Palin if she agreed, she said yes! Is it me, or is that a huge departure from the previous Republican platforms? I am incredibly heartened by this progress, though disappointed that both oppose equal marriage rights.

I believe civil marriage is a civil right, one that should be available to all consenting adults, and that any 'separate but equal' distinction involving civil unions or some such thing are unfair and ultimately unsustainable. Josh and I lived in Massachusetts when we got married, and all those big gay marriages all around us didn't affect our lives one whit.

So check out www.noonprop8.com, and make a donation, why don't you. Let's give all Americans equal rights and protections, and make sure our leaders stand up for the same.

*My in-laws, who would rather hear about our lives than my political leanings, are always on my mind when I make lasagna. Hello and love to Grammy and Papa!