Obama Same-Sex Marriage: Politicians React To President's ABC Interview (REACTIONS)

President Barack Obama defined his "evolving" view on gay marriage Wednesday with his clearest support for the issue to date, telling ABC's Robin Roberts that same-sex marriage should be legal.

Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, says he's still opposed to same-sex civil unions or marriages.

Politicians were quick to respond to Obama's statement. Take a look at some of their reactions:

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• Mitt Romney

  "I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman," Mitt Romney said.

• Kyrsten Sinema

• Daniel O'Donnell

• Kirsten Gillibrand

• Jeff Merkley

• Elizabeth Warren

• Michael Bloomberg

  "This is a major turning point in the history of American civil rights," said New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. "No American president has ever supported a major expansion of civil rights that has not ultimately been adopted by the American people - and I have no doubt that this will be no exception. The march of freedom that has sustained our country since the Revolution of 1776 continues, and no matter what setbacks may occur in a given state, freedom will triumph over fear and equality will prevail over exclusion. Today's announcement is a testament to the President's convictions, and it builds on the courageous stands that so many Americans have taken over the years on behalf of equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans, stretching back to the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village."

• Jerrold Nadler

  "I applaud President Obama for announcing his support for marriage equality today," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) "For the first time in this nation's history, a sitting president has shown the courage and leadership to stand up for all American families by pledging to support the fundamental right of every person to marry the person they love, and to have that marriage fully respected. I commend President Obama for this brave and honest step. Those who seek to politicize civil rights for personal or political gain will certainly attack him, but the course toward marriage equality and justice is the correct and inevitable path."

• Brad Lander

• Fred Karger

  "I'm thrilled!" longshot GOP presidential candidate Fred Karger told HuffPost, referring to Obama's embrace of marriage equality. Karger is the first openly gay Republican or Democrat to run for president. "The Karger pressure has worked," he joked. "Particularly after the defeat in North Carolina, we welcome him to the full equality position."

• Vince Gray

• Martin O'Malley

• Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

• Barack Obama

• Mark Udall

• Senator Chris Coons

• Rep.George Miller

• Jim Himes

• Nancy Pelosi

• Nita Lowey

  "I have been blessed to have a long and happy marriage. I strongly believe all Americans deserve that same opportunity," said Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.)

• Antonio Villaraigosa

• Jackie Speier

• Michael Steele

• Dennis Kucinich

• John Brunner

• Cory Booker

• Chris Gregoire

• Fred Karger

• Ted Strickland

• Jared Polis

• Reince Priebus

  "While President Obama has played politics on this issue, the Republican Party and our presumptive nominee Mitt Romney have been clear. We support maintaining marriage between one man and one woman and would oppose any attempts to change that," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.

• Debbie Wasserman Schultz

• Chellie Pingree

• Christine C. Quinn

• Mike Huckabee

  "Barack Obama just announced he supports same-sex marriage," Mike Huckabee wrote in a fundraising appeal to supporters. "Nancy Pelosi immediately jumped on the announcement and emailed Democrat activists nationwide promising to continue their fight. This is going to be a defining issue this election. Obama, Pelosi and the Democrats have been a complete failure on economic issues so now they are going to focus on issues that will rile up their base. Well, Mr. President it's going to rile up our folks also. Men and women who support traditional marriage."

• Rep. Bill Taylor

• Deval Patrick

• Frank Lautenberg

  "President Obama's support for marriage equality marks an important moment for civil rights in America," said Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), who co-sponsored legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). "We simply can not treat same sex couples as second-class citizens in our country. Marriage equality is one of the most significant civil rights battles of our time and is critical to guaranteeing the equal protection under the law promised to every American in the Constitution. The President's support for marriage equality should inspire Congress, Governors and state legislatures to advance civil rights for all Americans."

• Allen West

• Ann McLane Kuster

• Sen. Patrick Leahy

• Peter Welch

  "This is an historic moment and I applaud the President for his decision and courage," Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said. "One of the greatest and most liberating human emotions is acceptance. And what the President did today was accept that the quality of love two people share is more important than their gender. The President's decision required him look within and engage his heart. It is truly wonderful and welcome news."

• Senator Patty Murray

• Steve Rothman

  "As an early and strong proponent of Marriage Equality, I am very happy that President Obama has made this announcement," said Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) "Marriage Equality is a matter of basic human rights and all of America's same-sex families are now closer to having their unions recognized by our government. This is an important step in our country's march toward achieving true justice and equality for all."

• Chuck Schumer

• JackieForNH

• Howard Dean

  "President Obama's public support for marriage equality is an historic affirmation of the fundamental American value of equal rights for all," said Howard Dean. "Having signed the nation's first law allowing Civil Unions as Governor of Vermont, I'm also proud to see our president affirm the belief that I and so many other Americans hold: loving and committed couples should have the same benefits that are extended through marriage. Marriage equality is a right and a benefit to all families."

• Mike Quigley

• Senator Ben Cardin

• Sen. Barbara Boxer

• Senator Dick Durbin

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[bethechangeok]

08:29 AM on 05/11/2012

If the question has boiled down to the terms marriage or civil union, then the State has the duty to redefine it's participation in acknowledging that a marriage is a civil union and is defined as such.
So if you feel a need to get married you do it in your gun club or church or where ever. So you have a little certificate that states not only are you joined in a civil union your cat thinks you are also married...the State doesn't care. That takes the married term out of the equation.....its irrelevent...albiet emotion packed political horse manure

[Sacerdotus]

01:06 AM on 05/11/2012

It's funny how they only show the one's agreeing with him.

[old truck fan]

11:42 PM on 05/10/2012

sex was originally meant for multiplying in number, two men do not multiply, nor do two women. people have perverted sex to a lustful sickness.

[ForeignFlier]

11:54 PM on 05/10/2012

Oh really....????
How boring....!!!!!!

[Winthorpe]

12:13 AM on 05/11/2012

Most of our country's original leaders had slaves. Do you want to return to that, too?

[joy1967]

01:18 PM on 12/06/2012

Honest or lie? :)

[commonsenseislost]

09:34 PM on 05/10/2012

Today the Washington Post had a 9 page article about Gov. Romney's supposedly bullying a boy that was gay while they were in high school. Now it tuns out that the person who was interviewed for the article admits that he was not even present when the supposed bullying took place. On the other hand, in "Dreams of My Father" Pres. Obama himself describes in detail his bullying and shoving a young girl named Corretta while others cheered and laughed. Political move or Double standard. You name it.

[gmawx16]

09:01 PM on 05/10/2012

The man has again professed on an issue he is not versed in and is definitely Bilble illiterate.

[Winthorpe]

12:14 AM on 05/11/2012

We don't run our country on the "Bilble," whatever that is.

[joy1967]

01:25 PM on 12/06/2012

Our founding fathers based the principles of our government on the Bible for your information!

[jbrtts]

08:54 PM on 05/10/2012

Procreation has been the normal progression of a marriage between 1 man and 1 women, children of the union in question are not of that union so in some perverted situations they are allowed to"adopt" a child who has nothing to gain but a lifetime of repulsive embarassment.

[msuzye]

01:40 PM on 05/11/2012

Snore

[joemensa3]

08:31 PM on 05/10/2012

Same sex marriage is NOT a civil rights issue. Under the Constitution, state governments have always had the power o regulate marriage by imposing age requirements (i.e. 18 or older)...or to prohibit marriage between related individuals (i.e. father and daughter)...so it certainly has the power to define marriage as between one man and one woman..

[magnatta]

09:16 AM on 05/11/2012

WRONG. In Loving VS Virginia in 1967 the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that marriage is BOTH a constitutional right and that the states could not restrict marriage based on race. So the ability of the states to regulate marriage is not unrestricted. They may regulate marriage only so far as it does not violate the rights spelled out in the U.S. constitution. That includes the 14th amendment guarantee of equality under the law. That MAKES marriage a CIVIL RIGHTS issue.

[joemensa3]

08:06 PM on 05/10/2012

I don't like Obama...i didn't vote for him 2008 and I won't vote for him in 2012...but lets call a spade a spade...I admire the man for his bravery in supporting same sex marriage...whether you are for or against same sex marriage, you have to give him credit for (finally) openly stating his opinion regarding the issue...There are however polls which show that I cold be wrong about this attribution of bravery because I heard of a poll today that said that 50% of the people polled support gay marriage and 45% are against it...if Obama knew of these numbers prior to expressing his support of gay marriage then I suppose it wasn't all that brave after all but rather politically expedient

[Fenrir Lokison]

07:27 PM on 05/10/2012

Time is getting closer and closer.

[bigspin7]

07:07 PM on 05/10/2012

confused

[Samantha4]

06:49 PM on 05/10/2012

Rick Santorum's comment was that Obama is trying to impose "radical social engineering" on us. How is it radical social engineering if you are allowing someone to have a CHOICE of whom to marry? Isn't it social engineering when you tell people that they do NOT have a choice in this matter and that they can only marry whom the government tells them to marry?

[wolf20]

07:44 PM on 05/10/2012

Yup. It's hardly social engineering to simply leave people's decisions up to them. Once you impose yourself and insinuate yourself into the process, YOU'RE the one who's engineering something.

Let's look at it in the language of scientific experimentation.

An ant in a maze will keep walking in whichever direction it wants to. If there's a wall that prevents it from walking further in that direction, it doesn't mean it didn't want to keep walking that way, it means that a wall was ALREADY put in place to prevent it from doing so. That in itself was a bit of engineering.

After that, imagine one person letting the ant walk whichever way it chooses. Now imagine a second person slamming a wall down in front of the ant. NOW imagine this second person chastising the FIRST for interfering!! Now look at how ridiculous that claim is.

The identity of that second person? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you -- North Carolina!!

[joemensa3]

08:13 PM on 05/10/2012

lets perform another experiment...lets say a person wants to commit murder...rape or armed robbery but there is a law proscribing such activity...is that considered social engineering?...under your thesis, it is...which shows how absurd your little experiment is in comparing an ants choice of walking direction to gays insisting on being able to marry...by the way, the law is now and always has been full of inequity...take for instance discrimination based on age...voting rights, drivers licenses, age of retirement and right to receive social security...the right to carry a weapon or drive through red lights enjoyed by police, etc.

[luvMTRYbay]

08:15 PM on 05/10/2012

OMG!!! What an analogy. You should be so proud of yourself for having such insight. NOT

[joemensa3]

08:07 PM on 05/10/2012

social engineering can be equally accomplished not only by way of affirmative directives as well as proscription.

[Epilef2000]

06:40 PM on 05/10/2012

Michael steele said "ibamafinally jumps the broom". Did anyone else imagine Obama as a witch....a creative way to wink at log cabin republicans but also wink to religious people who oppose gay marriage?

[seattlesun]

05:26 PM on 05/10/2012

"He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.". 1 John 4:8. Love is love and it doesn't matter if it's between M-M, F-F, or F-M. Stop hating while proclaiming your righteous Christianity!

[heulet4588]

09:41 PM on 05/10/2012

YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT THE STATEMENT LOVE MEAN READ YOUR BIBLE AND LEARN OF GOD. AND HIS WORD

[bar2200]

01:53 PM on 05/10/2012

While I personally feel/believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, I am far from being prejudice....in that I believe to each his own..What I am bothered with is that prior to President Obama coming out publicly yesterday announcing his view on same sex marriage, so many were criticizing him badly for the fact that he has been "evolving" on this issue - and now, everyone is praising him - commending him....it took guts on his part...I don't get it! Just because someone has their own feelings/beliefs, doesn't mean they should be put down. It seems like as long as one succumbs to someone else's beliefs only then, they will be accepted. If you truly want proper civil rights, then everyone, regardless of their own personal beliefs and/or feelings, should be accepted always.....In this world, we have many civil rights issues that are still not resolved, that have been going on far longer than the issue of Gay Rights!

[chuckl8899]

03:28 PM on 05/10/2012

.In this world, we have many civil rights issues that are still not resolved, that have been going on far longer than the issue of Gay Rights!

Like what? this struggle for equality has been going on publicly for at least 50 years. What other inequities are more important?

[bar2200]

04:47 PM on 05/10/2012

What other inequities are more important? Really? Just because one is considered Gay and wishes for certain rights, that should not mitigate other civil rights...as you have implied here....and they have been going on longer than 50 years.....certainly, I believe they're ALL important!

Other Civil Rights include:

Human rights, race, color, and religion, women's rights, abortion, gender equality, class rights, health care and educational rights.

These are ongoing issues.

I will tell you what struggle is ......having the one you love with all your heart and soul passing away at the age of 46 years old because they were not afforded proper healthcare!

[Conservative Crusader]

12:34 PM on 05/10/2012

I am pro marriage. I don’t know what two men or two women do together, don’t care either, but it is no more a marriage than my sitting in the sun is photosynthesis. I only wish they would not insult the rest of us by calling it marriage. Next thing you know they’ll want to call the religion which believes sexual activity between two men or two women is NOT a sin Christianity. Cats are dogs, slavery is freedom, war is peace, murder is birth control; in a debate over ideas, I guess they have adopted the philosophy: If you can’t beat them, redefine them.

[NVEd]

12:42 PM on 05/10/2012

Marriage is a legal status which should be available to all who wish it. Because they are of the same sex changes nothing. No one I have heard is in favor of telling church's who they must marry but to deny equal legal status to any two people because of their sex is discrimination no matter what it is called.

[Conservative Crusader]

01:01 PM on 05/10/2012

Marriage is a union between an MAN and a WOMAN... Always has been. Always will be... come up with your own term...

[NovemberScorp]

01:31 PM on 05/10/2012

Bingo!

[almedoz]

01:39 PM on 05/10/2012

It wasn't too long ago that marriage between a white woman and a black man (or vice versa) was illegal in many states. Think about that while you discriminate, why don't you?

[Conservative Crusader]

01:48 PM on 05/10/2012

Because that is still between a man and a woman. I am not racists so I have no issue there. My sister in law is interracial marriage. Marriage id for Man and Woman. period.