President Obama today announced that he now supports
same-sex marriage, reversing his longstanding opposition amid growing pressure
from the Democratic base and even his own vice president.
In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, the president
described his thought process as an “evolution” that led him to this place,
based on conversations with his own staff members, openly gay and lesbian
service members, and conversations with his wife and own daughters.
"I have to tell you that over the course of several
years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about
members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous
relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I
think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there
fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't
Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, 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 told Roberts, in an interview to appear on ABC’s “Good Morning
America” Thursday. Excerpts of the interview will air tonight on ABC’s “World
News with Diane Sawyer.”
The president stressed that this is a personal position, and
that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own.
But he said he’s confident that more Americans will grow comfortable with gays
and lesbians getting married, citing his own daughters’ comfort with the
concept.
http://news.yahoo.com/obama-announces-his-support-for-same-sex-marriage.htmlI am surprised.
