Contact: Peter LaBarbera, 630-457-0178, Founder of Republicans For Family Values, rffv@comcast.net

NAPERVILLE, Illinois, Oct. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- GOP vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin missed a golden opportunity Thursday in her debate with Joe Biden to expose Barack Obama's double-speak on "gay marriage," Republicans For Family Values founder Peter LaBarbera said today.

Obama claims to support traditional marriage even as he promises to fully repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – signed into law by Bill Clinton – which protects states from being forced to recognize out-of-state homosexual "marriages." Obama also opposes state Marriage Protection Amendments, and even promised gay activists that he would use the "bully pulpit" to promote same-sex adoptions.

After vice-presidential debate moderator Gwen Ifill asked Biden, "Do you support, as they do in Alaska, granting same-sex benefits to couples?" the Delaware senator answered that "in an Obama-Biden administration, there will be absolutely no distinction from a constitutional standpoint or a legal standpoint between a same-sex and a heterosexual couple."

Seemingly contradicting that sweeping statement, Biden then said that he (like Obama) does not "support redefining from a civil side what constitutes marriage."

Responding to the same debate question, Palin strongly defended traditional marriage but failed to mention Obama's extreme plan to overturn DOMA. Palin – who as Governor vetoed a bill denying benefits to homosexual state employees on the advice that it was unconstitutional -- said granting same-sex benefits undermines marriage.

LaBarbera said Palin could have responded as follows:

"Gwen, I oppose all efforts to redefine traditional marriage, and to give marital benefits to unmarried and same-sex partners. I strongly support the Defense of Marriage Act signed into law by President Clinton in 1996. Back then, Joe Biden – like John McCain -- voted YES on DOMA, but now Biden's running-mate, Barack Obama, wants to repeal this vital law.

"It's time for some straight talk on defending marriage. 'Both-Sides Barack' claims to support traditional marriage – while simultaneously opposing DOMA and helping to defeat ballot measures in California, Florida and Arizona that would constitutionally protect marriage. If Obama gets his way and DOMA is overturned, it would open a Pandora's box for judicial activists to spread same-sex 'marriage' across the nation. By the way, Obama is even more liberal than Hillary Clinton, who pledged to repeal only part of DOMA.

"Sen. McCain and I want to preserve traditional marriage – and not just in name only like the Democrats. Obama and Biden want to give all the benefits of marriage to same-sex couples – while still pretending that they are standing up for marriage as one-man, one-woman. What a sham.

"Obama even wants to use the 'bully pulpit' to promote homosexual adoption of children. That may appeal to liberal elitists but surely not to Main Street Americans, who – perhaps 'clinging to their religion' – know instinctively that every child deserves a mom AND a dad."

For identification purposes only, LaBarbera is president of Americans For Truth about Homosexuality.