Reply #14: I don't know if it is courageous, so much as your observation that

[karynnj]

in the past, he saw the likelihood of succeeding to get the full rights while calling it marriage significantly higher than if you called it marriage. That does not explain his need to continue to point out that he personally sees marriage as between a man and a woman. I do wonder if the comments to Cambridge Paul might not be a bridge to eventually quietly doing that. The comments in the BG article from Coco and his own words in the letter to Holder seem to suggest that Kerry does see their gay marriage as a marriage.

As you and others have said, Kerry from the time this issue started - back in the 1990s, has been absolutely consistent on "equal rights".

He and Kennedy were not in the same position. When he first articulated the position of civil unions with the full rights of marriage he was planning a run for President and in 2004 that was likely the most progressive position he could take without it killing his general election chances. Given that he very likely thought that this position was the most likely to help gay couples, it was not throwing them under the bus. He likely did not completely give up the possibility of being President until it was clear that Obama would win - an effort he worked his heart out for. Supporting the MA people in challenging DOMA in court and writing the Holder letter are actions that are consistent even with his 2004 stands.

It also might be that Senator Kerry and his wife are practicing Catholics and they might fear the church making an example of him. In 2004, one article spoke of Kerry's staff calling Catholic churches that he quietly attended while campaigning to make sure he would not be embarrassed or refused communion. In 2007, in a New Yorker article the CO bishop who was so awful to Kerry in 2004, spoke of not having the same problem with Guiliani, who was also pro-choice. His argument was bizarre. He said that no one would think that Guiliani's positions could be a valid Catholic positions - but he felt that was a danger with Kerry, who used Catholic social justice language to argue for things like health care etc. It is almost because on many issues Kerry does reflect his religious values that they hit him harder.