NOM releases anti-gay pledge

Political pledges are popular this election season with Republicans, with presidential hopefuls Michelle Bachmann, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum signing the National Organization for Marriage’s “marriage pledge.”
Bachmann previously got press for clamoring to sign another conservative, anti-gay pledge, “The Marriage Vow: A Declaration of Dependence upon Marriage and Family.”

The pledge includes the following stipulations:

Support and send to the states a federal marriage amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman,

Defend DOMA in court,

Appoint judges and an attorney general who will respect the original meaning of the Constitution,

Appoint a presidential commission to investigate harassment of traditional marriage supporters,

Support legislation that would return to the people of D.C. their right to vote for marriage.

“Marriage is an issue with an unbroken string of victories that unites Republicans, and we’re pleased and honored the leading candidates in the race for the GOP nomination have spoken up for marriage. We expect the voters of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina will continue to reward candidates who champion marriage,” said Brian Brown, president of the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage.

Former Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a conservative Republican against gay marriage, refused to sign.

“Pawlenty’s communications director Ann Marie Hauser, personally informed me on Tuesday that Tim Pawlenty would not sign NOM’s marriage pledge,” Maggie Gallagher, chairman of the board of NOM, told the Wall Street Journal “Like many people, we are scratching our heads wondering why Gov. Pawlenty, who has been a champion for marriage in Minnesota, would not commit to doing so for America.”

Thomas Roberts Hammers Brian Brown Over NOM's Marriage Pledge, Which Pawlenty is Now Signing