Obama Signals Shift On Gay Marriage Support
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President Obama told a group of progressive bloggers Wednesday that his attitude about same-sex marriage, an issue that he has consistently and openly opposed, was beginning to "evolve."
From the discussion:
But I also think you're right that attitudes evolve, including mine. And I think that it is an issue that I wrestle with and think about because I have a whole host of friends who are in gay partnerships. I have staff members who are in committed, monogamous relationships, who are raising children, who are wonderful parents.
And I care about them deeply. And so while I'm not prepared to reverse myself here, sitting in the Roosevelt Room at 3:30 in the afternoon, I think it's fair to say that it's something that I think a lot about. That's probably the best you'll do out of me today.
Obama then continued, calling himself a "strong supporter of civil unions" who was uncomfortable getting behind legislation to broaden marriage rights for gay couples because of his "understandings of the traditional definitions of marriage."
The president and his administration have taken their lumps from the gay rights community over the Justice Department's recently successful appeal of a federal court decision that had forced the military to halt its "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
Obama addressed his future plans to get rid of the anti-gay protocol, though not in great detail, telling the group that he had a "strategy" outlined for the upcoming lame-duck Congressional session. The important thing, he said, would be getting Log Cabin Republicans to pressure their Senators to support the legislation when it came out in order to secure the necessary 60 vote margin.
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The Huffington Post Nick Wing First Posted: 10/28/10 06:10 PM ET Updated: 05/25/11 07:10 PM ET