Gov. John Kasich scores political points on gay marriage without embracing it

John Kasich

Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks to a packed crowd Wednesday during a presidential campaign stop in Derry, N.H.

(Jim Cole, The Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The kudos keep pouring in for Ohio Gov. John Kasich. His tender response last week to a question about gay marriage has been viewed as a sign that at least one Republican candidate for president can speak with compassion.

So hearty the reviews have been, it's easy to overlook a few relevant details.

For starters, Kasich opposes gay marriage. And as gay rights advocates push for stronger anti-discrimination laws in Columbus and in Washington, his aides will not say whether he supports these efforts, even as he preaches equality and respect.

"The court has ruled, and I said we'll accept it," Kasich said last week in Cleveland during the GOP's first presidential debate, in response to a question about how he would explain his position on same-sex marriage to one of his daughters if she were gay.

"And guess what, I just went to a wedding of a friend of mine who happens to be gay," Kasich continued, drawing applause from a home-court audience at The Q.

"Because somebody doesn't think the way I do doesn't mean that I can't care about them or can't love them. So if one of my daughters happened to be that, of course I would love them and I would accept them," he added, the applause growing louder. "Because you know what? That's what we're taught when we have strong faith."

This counts as more progress in a Republican Party that, four years ago, stood silent as the audience at one debate booed a question from a gay soldier.

Since then, several Republicans, including U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, have declared their support for gay marriage. More recently, the U.S. Supreme Court, after hearing a case challenging bans in Ohio and other states, legalized gay marriage nationwide.

Kasich, for the record, was "very disappointed."

But his advisers and supporters -- and many outside observers -- thought he hit a home run with his debate answer. On one hand, Kasich asserted his conservative credentials by saying he doesn't believe in gay marriage. On the other, he did so while showing heart. Put another way, Kasich was able to stick to his principles while not seeming like an intolerant culture warrior.

"I thought it was the best answer to any question anyone gave all night," said Kasich ally and Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges. "In cycles past our party and our nominee, whoever that happened to be, struggled to show our human side. There was our governor, who admitted on the front end that he's conservative on this issue but managed to show his human side on the issue. I think it was the right way to carry that message."

Ohio Rep. Nickie Antonio, an openly gay Democrat from Lakewood, was happy, but not surprised, that Kasich reinforced his love for his daughters. The problem, she said "is that whether or not you believe in it -- and I'm putting air quotes around 'believe in it' -- it's now the law of the land. I think what the Supreme Court said is that it's not fair to tell a group of people that they are not equal when it comes to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I don't know how we expect to elect a president who doesn't accept that."

His memorable debate moment indeed raised expectations that Kasich, who gladly challenges party orthodoxy on other hot-button issues, might pull a Portman. His fellow Ohio Republican came out in favor of same-sex marriage after one of his sons came out as gay. One national writer even connected the hypothetical question about Kasich's daughters with the reality that informed Portman's change of heart. She suggested Kasich's answer would make gay marriage more palatable for the GOP.

Nonetheless, anyone expecting Kasich to pull a Portman is probably expecting too much. Anyone expecting more than polite words at a prime-time debate might be disappointed, too.

As a rule, Kasich does not share his views on pending or potential legislation unless it pertains to a cause he uses his bully pulpit to champion. Gay rights is not such a cause. But seeing as how Kasich answered the marriage question last week with a call to "treat everybody with respect and let them share in this great American dream," questions about tougher anti-discrimination policies seem worth a try.

Ohio does not prohibit employment or housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Gay rights advocates have long pushed to expand state law to protect gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender citizens. Antonio, who has sponsored such legislation in the past but been blocked by the GOP-controlled General Assembly, will try again soon. And congressional Democrats are behind a similar bill at the federal level.

Representatives from Kasich's presidential campaign and administration declined to share his thoughts on adding protections for gay and transgender citizens. "His policy has been to oppose discrimination, period," said campaign adviser Scott Milburn.

Doug Preisse, the openly gay chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party and one of Kasich's closest political advisers, said he only would discuss the subject if campaign officials approved. Preisse never called back.

Administration spokesman Rob Nichols told the Cincinnati Enquirer in March that the governor was "confident that ... we can find a way to preserve our religious freedom and also live free from discrimination." He did not elaborate then or now.

Nichols also declined to address a "religious freedom" bill introduced last week by State Rep. Ron Young, a Republican from Lake County. Young's legislation would allow businesses with religious objections to deny providing services for same-sex weddings.

Asked for decisions that demonstrated support for LGBT issues, Nichols pointed to one of Kasich's first moves as governor. In a January 2011 executive order, Kasich established a policy that protected state employees from discrimination based on several factors, including sexual orientation. But it was a step back from his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, whose policy also covered gender identity.

Borges, who in his past work as a lobbyist advocated for one of Antonio's anti-discrimination bills, said he has never discussed that measure with Kasich. The Ohio GOP chairman is not sure what Kasich would do if such a bill crossed his desk.

"We didn't get anywhere with it," said Borges, who lobbied on behalf of Equality Ohio. "Look, if these were easy issues, they would have been handled a long time ago."

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