Obama Backs Same-Sex Marriage

(by Tracy Jan and Matt Viser, Boston.com) WASHINGTON – President Obama became the first president Wednesday to speak out in favor of same-sex marriage, setting up a clear contrast to his Republican rival Mitt Romney on a highly charged issue over which Americans remain deeply divided.

“At a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married,’’ Obama said during a hastily arranged television interview at the White House with “Good Morning America’’ co-anchor Robin Roberts.

Obama’s support for same-sex marriage is a signature moment in an equal-rights campaign that began 12 years ago with civil unions in Vermont and won marriage rights for the first time in Massachusetts nine years ago.

Six states, mostly in the Northeast, have now approved gay marriage.  [In all six states, same-sex marriage has been legalized through legislation or court ruling, not by a vote of the people.]  … [Every state that has cast a ballot on the question has voted against same-sex marriage, including three socially liberal ones (California, Maine and Oregon). Many U.S. states have amendments to their state constitutions which prevent the recognition of some or all types of same-sex unions. As of May 2012, voters in 30 states had approved such amendments; this total does not include Hawaii’s amendment.]

Obama said his position on same-sex marriage evolved over several years as he spoke with friends, family, and neighbors about it. He cited the influence of members of his staff “who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together,’’ and the gay soldiers, airmen, Marines, and sailors “who are out there fighting on my behalf’’ but not allowed to marry.

ABC interrupted a regularly scheduled soap opera Wednesday afternoon to air an excerpt of the interview. An extended version [aired] Thursday on “Good Morning America.’’

Obama’s sudden declaration departs from his longstanding public statements supporting equal rights for gay couples that stopped just short of marriage. It came after advocates on both sides of the issue called on the president in recent days to clarify his stance.

It also injects into the presidential race a galvanizing social issue, significantly elevating the topic of gay marriage at a time when the economy is still struggling to gain momentum.

Mitt Romney on Wednesday reaffirmed his strong opposition to both gay marriage and civil unions, which puts the two presidential contenders on opposing sides of the issue.

Hints of a possible White House shift on gay marriage began early this week. On Sunday, Vice President Joe Biden, a Catholic, said he was “absolutely comfortable’’ with “men marrying men, women marrying women.’’

On Monday, Obama’s Education Secretary Arne Duncan said unequivocally that he believes same-sex couples should have the legal right to marry.

Some Democrats have called on Obama to include support for same-sex marriage in the party’s presidential platform*. Gay donors have provided significant funds for the president’s campaigns. [*A party platform is a list of the actions which a political party and/or individual candidate supports. This often takes the form of a list of support for, or opposition to, socially relevant, urgent, controversial, or complicated topics or issues.]

In explaining his previous stance, Obama said, “I’ve been going through an evolution on this issue.’’

“I’ve always been adamant that gays and lesbians should be treated fairly and equally,’’ he said, citing the reversal of the “don’t ask, don’t tell’’ policy that barred openly gay servicemen and women from serving in the military, and his stance that the Defense of Marriage Act* is unconstitutional. [*The Defense of Marriage act was passed by a large majority in both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996.  It is a federal law that defines marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman.]

Obama’s new position could help mobilize public opinion against the Defense of Marriage Act, which is under court challenge. Overturning the law would make same-sex couples eligible for federal benefits available to heterosexual couples.

Obama said he has “stood on the side of broader equality’’ for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, “and I’d hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought civil unions would be sufficient . . . and I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people, the word ‘marriage’ is something that evokes powerful tradition and religious beliefs.’’

Obama’s position on same-sex marriage has vacillated [wavered; changed] over the years: He endorsed gay marriage during a 1996 run for the Illinois Senate, then opposed it when he ran for US Senate in 2004 and for president in 2008.

He once said on a questionnaire that he supported gay marriage, only to later say he supported civil unions, and then said that his position was “evolving.’’ He has mostly avoided discussing the subject as president.

Staying mum on the issue, especially as key members of his administration were speaking openly about their support of gay marriage, would have made it harder for Obama to attack Romney, the presumptive GOP nominee, for one of his main vulnerabilities – that he’s seen as willing to change his own positions with the political winds.

The timing of the president’s remarks could allow Obama supporters to argue that he is willing to take firm position, even when they differ with the electorate in key states, while they contend that Romney lacks a political core.

[Massachusetts] Governor Deval Patrick, a strong supporter of same-sex marriage and close friend of Obama’s who is a cochairman of his reelection campaign, said the president’s announcement gives hope to same-sex couples across the country awaiting the right to marry. …