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
Thank you, President Obama
It's about time. Marriage should be a human right.
HE HAS LOST ALL HIS MARBLES. HE does not have ANY MORAL VALUES. HE is INSANE !
Moral Values??? Why don't you turn on the news...you'll see some moral values there...better...look in your own homes. How dare you say that
Thank you Obama for giving us this. We are now united and fired up to defeat you and we are gaining new members by the minute.
I doubt Obama was getting a large percentage of the biggot vote to begin with.
You're so sad....wow
Obama has evolved. The Bible is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Fine Obama, evolve, but good luck explaining to God why you chose to support what He calls an abomination. You will not be re-elected because you supported gay rights, and chose man's perversion over God's creation.
actually you're wrong...the bible is not the same as it was...it's been re-written several times...learn your facts
religion again, trying to control and dictate lives.
are we ever going to be rid of this nonsense?
It's a free country and people should be allowed to marry whoever they want to. The president is right and his decision is a reflection of our changing times. Yes, it might hurt him in November but he did the right thing. I am not even gay but I am proud of him.
But where is the line? By that standard what is considered wrong today wont be down the years. Then you will be the old fart complaining that you can't believe what society is doing...
Want a little insight into the minds that wrote this amendment?
Here is an excerpt from an article, easily found and widely reported and recorded on video.
Jodie Brunstetter is the wife of Republican Senator Peter Brunstetter, the man who authored Amendment 1 in North Carolina...
"The reason my husband wrote Amendment 1 was because the Caucasian race is diminishing and we need to uh, reproduce."
She goes on, look it up.
She tried to explain it away as heat stroke.
It appears that he is determined to help destroy the fabric of this country. Gay military, gay marriage. The Muslim communities are laughing at us and know that it will only be a matter of time before America as we knew it will fall. It's sad to watch our great country be misguided by ignorant politicians.
Thank you Mr. President, now let's hope the rest of the country can follow suit.
How does that theroy work with Hitler, Stalin, Assad, etc, Bonnie...? Another Right-Wing freakshow...
Good for the President, good call. as the celebration of this please stop the name calling and you know who you are on BOTH SIDES
I agree with equal rights, but don't agree gay union = marriage. One more reason that Obama has to go. Nice flip-flop.
Our Commander & Chief, if his going to stand for our counrty he better beleive in the foundation & morals this country was brought up with, he needs to stand firm and dictate what's the right choice and that GOD's CHOICE not his or ours, it's written in the Bible in black & white. He has no backbone all he wants is to win the election with gays voting for him. Read between the lines, That's all I have to say.
you think gays are a big swing vote huh?
then again you apparently believe in a deity so its easy to understand why your thought processes are so messed up.
If we went back in time and told black and white couples they couldn't get "married", and instead they could only have "civil unions", they'd see it for exactly what it is – discrimination with words, instead of denial of rights. It's wrong either way, because it reinforces the idea that blacks or gays should be treated differently, even if it's just because you say they "have a civil union" instead of saying "they are married."
It's wrong, and no amount of religious kicking and screaming is going to stop religion from going extinct. It's evolutionary baggage.. and I assure you, natural selection will win this battle.
Just grow up people and let everyone have the freedom they want. The world laughs at the US for being so purtin and controled by repulicains and their religon.