President Barack Obama said in an interview with ABC that "it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married."
With his Wednesday announcement, the president reversed his longstanding position on the issue. It came on the heels of his own vice president and education secretary saying they were in favor of gay marriage.
According to an ABC blog post, Obama further described his thought process as an "evolution" that progressed as he discussed the issue with staff members, gay and lesbian service members and his own family.
He said he thinks Americans are growing increasingly comfortable with the concept of gay marriage and cited his own daughters' views on the matter.
“It’s interesting, some of this is also generational,” he said. “You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we’re talking about their friends and their parents.
"And Malia and Sasha, it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently. It doesn’t make sense to them, and frankly, that’s the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective.”
Read CNN's full coverage of President Barack Obama's stance on gay marriage
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Post by: CNN's Eliott C. McLaughlin Filed under: Barack Obama • Civil Rights • District of Columbia • Gay and lesbian • Politics • U.S. |
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I'm glad Obama is finally coming out (so to speak) in favor of equal marriage rights, but I he better get the support of the many straight families with gay children and friends because you know the fundamentalists are going to use this as a wedge issue from now until November (and then some). My kids don't treat their uncle any different because he's gay, and we need to show the next generation what love and acceptance really means.
Give him a break. He could not answer right away because the surveys, the polls and the meetings with his advisers take time. If he was a leader or was guided by principals the answer would have come right away. In his case, without those advantages answers take time.
I hate to break the news to everyone, but politicians did not create marriage nor will they ever be remembered for "changing" one of God's ultimate creations. God created marriage – it is His law. Obama can talk about how everyone should be "married," but in reality, the final analysis in life is between you and God – it was never between you and them anyway.
Pretty sure people were marrying each other before we invented God.
Sorry, you're wrong. Marriage doesn't just predate government, it predates all major religions. The church became involved simply because it was the most dependable place to store marriage records, and now it likes to pretend it invented it. It didn't.
I hate to break it to you Sharon, God is dead. When will you people stop waiting for a mythological person that supposedly died 2000 years ago???
Ya see Sharon that the problem, your understanding of the history of marriage is lacking. If god created marriage then why do we have lawyers and laws modern laws involved in the process?
Pure and utter nonsense. You're assuming that your 'god' is the 'god' of all mankind. Keep your nose in your own business, with people who worship your 'god' and leave the rest alone.
Doesn't matter who you think created it, fact of the matter is that marriage licenses still come from the government, not the church.
God didn't invent marriage, people did.
(And, by the way, "God" is a myth that people also invented.)
So since getting married is completely religious, the under the separation of church and state the government should be allowed to regulate it. Right?
You are mistaken. What happens in the wedding ceremony is between the couple and God. The issuance and recognition of a valid marriage license is between the couple and the State, and governments did create those rules.
I'm so glad that the man I voted for, stood up for all people's rights. Thank you Mr. President!
right to what? naaa not happening marriage is meant for a man and a woman ! get that straight !
How can you say all the people's rights when I don't agree. I am part of ALL the people!!
A great move by President Obama! The first sitting president to support full equality and civil rights. I am not one of his biggest fans for some of his other blunders but this is something very positive for him! Great work Mr. President!
so lying is a good thing? this is not a civil right issue at all...... do pedofiles have the right to "love" kids?
LIAR,LIAR...he lied to the american people in 2008...then his position was not "evolving" at all.
gay "marriage" would be the beginning of the end of a stable society. Gays cannot marry.....please understand, it is an imposibility.... man/man woman/woman do not produce a family...and families are the backbone of a better and stable society. this is outrageous. This is not the way to be "nice" to gays...this is not a right! America wake up NOW.
frank my man, what are you so afraid of? People finding out you're a closeted gay? Why do you hate someone that does nothing to you? What about straight people that can't have children because of a physical problem? She they be banned from being married?
Gay people pay taxes like straight people. Gay people deserve the same rights that straight people get for paying those taxes that pay for our freedom. If you don't like it, move to the Middle East.
I support marriage equality too, but this means he loses. I hope the people who pushed him to publicly state this going into the election will be happy with a Republican gay-enemy president because that's what this means.
I can't wait to see what Fox News (aka Comedy Central) has to say about this.
comedy central is msnbc and your comment 🙂
It's amazing to me that people who consider themselves to be Christian and love Jesus think that Jesus would ever hate someone for being gay. Jesus loved all, and forgave all. And, yet Christians spend so much time hating. they're not religious at all. They're extremists! Like terrorists. That's what terrorists do. They hate.
Lol, these commentators are funny because god doesn't exist. Enjoy your imagination.
This is whats called "throwing the game". Thanks
Good....a backbone, finally. Don't care what his position is as long as he doesn't play "hide and seek" the answer.
Welcome to the brave new America. Don't like it? Don't believe in equal rights for ALL Americans? Leave it then. Don't support Liberty and Freedom for ALL? You're not welcome here...
Good for Obama. Whether or not someone believes in gay marriage is a part of someone's faith. Therefore, under the idea of separation of Church and state, there should be no law regarding the morality of gay marriage. If people don't believe in gay marriage, then they should live a straight lifestyle and (with the appropriate provisions of freedom of speech) should promote their cause as a faith issue, not as legislation to try and lock the rest of the country in with their religious beliefs. It really is a simple issue, I don't understand how people can't see it.