President Obama Supports Same-Sex Marriage

Yesterday, President Obama openly expressed his support for gay marriage. Vice President Biden embraced the idea in a talk show interview on Sunday, and this put pressure on the president to accelerate the publication of his position. That interview, along with the recent North Carolina ban on same-sex marriage led to the Wednesday announcement.

Obama previously thought that civil unions were a sufficient compromise for same-sex couples, but he expressed that his views have since evolved.  He supports his change in view with a basic Christian ideal to treat people the way you would want to be treated.

Obama’s public announcement has little substantive or political impact – it is more a confirmation of what many already assumed about his views on the matter anyways. It did bring the issue to the forefront of the campaign debate, but ultimately, the election will likely turn on the economy.

See Jackie Calmes & Peter Baker, Obama Says Same-Sex Marriage Should Be Legal, The New York Times, May 9, 2012.