In a blow underlining the rights of all Americans, the president completes his evolution on same-sex marriage

"I have to tell you that over the course of several years, as I 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're 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."

-- a clip posted by ABC News from the interview
with Robin Roberts on tomorrow's Good Morning America

by Ken

As I write, we don't have an embeddable clip yet, as ABC is saving its scoop for this evening's World News With Diane Sawyer and tonight's Nightline (which would certainly make sense if ABC had done something to earn the scoop beyond being selected by the White House). Well, no doubt within a matter of hours there will be clips all over the damned place, and I for one don't mind taking a moment to read the president's remark.

(Wasn't it just the other week that Andy Borowitz was joking about the potential disaster to the president's reelection campaign of his confounding habit of speaking in actual sentences? This one's a beaut!) [For the record, the Borowitz Report in question was "Obama's Use of Complete Sentences Stirs Controversy (Could Imperial Reelection Hopes, Experts Say," from April 28.]

The ABC News post goes on to report:

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.

"It's interesting, some of this is also generational," the president continued. "You know when I go to college campuses, sometimes I talk to college Republicans who think that I have terrible policies on the economy, on foreign policy, but are very clear that when it comes to same-sex equality or, you know, sexual orientation, that they believe in equality. They are much more comfortable with it. You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we're talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn't dawn on them that somehow their friends' parents would be treated differently. It doesn't make sense to them and, frankly, that's the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective."

There's a certain amount of bitterness in some LGBT circles that the president finally publicly completed his famous "evolution" on the issue of same-sex marriage just too late for any possible impact on the resounding North Carolina vote in favor of the literally hateful -- since it truly isn't about anything except hate -- Amendment One, banning even civil unions in the state.

However, the North Carolina vote was always a lost cause. This in no way lessens my admiration for the people who fought so valiantly to keep the margin as respectable as it finally was. But the president has done something concrete and surely more valuable: seized control of the news cycle on same-sex marriage from the self-shaming North Carolinians. Today when the subject of same-sex marriage comes up, it's not Amendment One people are talking about.


I ALWAYS HAVE A HARD TIME EXPLAINING HOW THIS
ISN'T JUST A "GAY" OR "GAY AND LESBIAN" OR "LGBT" ISSUE

It's an issue of basic human rights, the sort of thing that's supposed to be automatically guaranteed to all Americans. And the people who are most violently against it are also the people most violently against the rights of anyone who doesn't subscribe to their often-sociopathic orthodoxies. (For a laugh, or a cry, you might check out chapter and verse in RightWingWatch's post, "Religious Right Slams Obama for Backing Marriage Equality.")

UPDATE: WELL, D'OH! I may have a hard time explaining how this isn't just a "gay" or "gay and lesbian" or "LGBT" issue, but if I'd had the common sense simply to direct you to the "first comments" (immediately following!) from Blue America-endorsed congressional candidates Trevor Thomas, Eric Griego, Darcy Burner, and Norman Solomon, they do a pretty darned good job of explaining it from their wide variety of perspectives. Rather an impressive collection of thoughts, I think -- and a long way from your standard campaign boilerplate. I hope you'll read them all.


HOWIE HAS PASSED ALONG FIRST COMMENTS
FROM BLUE AMERICA-ENDORSED CANDIDATES

I'm sure more will be coming in, but these names will be especially familiar to DWT readers. (Remember, your contributions to help send these people -- and others like them -- to Congress are indispensable in counteracting those zillions of dollars in corporate and kook cash befouling the electoral process. Please check them out here.)

TREVOR THOMAS (who's openly gay)
Michigan's 3rd Congressional District

What the president said today is that equal rights truly means equal rights for all. I believe that's what it says in the Constitution, and it's certainly what I believe in my heart. Like President Ford, who also believed in equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans, we must continue to champion fairness and opportunity for everyone. Our young people still struggle with issues related to sexual orientation and many of them face bullying and harassment. I applaud the president for standing up for equal rights, and will work with the administration to make sure that America's freedoms are cherished and protected.

State Sen. ERIC GRIEGO
New Mexico's 1st Congressional District

President Obama just spoke out in support of full marriage equality for LGBT citizens. As a long-time supporter of marriage equality, l applaud his decision -- let's work to end all discrimination. Now it's time for Congress to do something about it. In Washington, I will be a part of making marriage equality a reality for all Americans.

In the State Senate, I worked to defeat the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). I also led the fight to pass the Domestic Partnership Bill, HB 603, because I believed it was the first step towards ending discrimination. In Congress, I will support the passage of the Employee Non-Discrimination Act and work to fully repeal DOMA. I will also work for full separation pay for service members who were honorably discharged but had their separation pay cut in half because of Don’t Ask, Don't Tell.

DARCY BURNER
Washington State's 1st Congressional District

I am thrilled that President Obama just announced his full support for marriage equality. When two consenting adults fall in love and want to get married, we should be wishing them their happily ever afters and throwing bird seed.

The next battle is here in Washington to defend the state's new marriage equality law on the ballot. Washington could be the first state to approve marriage equality by popular vote -- but we will see tremendous resistance. The same institutions we've seen fighting against women's access to birth control are fighting to dictate who may fall in love. But our decisions about our families are personal, and shouldn't be subject to the whims of politicians or anyone else.

I am committed to do my part. I have always stood firm in support of marriage equality. Government should treat everyone fairly. Send me to Congress, and I will fight not only to repeal the blatantly unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act so that all marriages are treated equally, but also to extend all federal benefits to every married couple in the country.

NORMAN SOLOMON
California's 2nd Congressional District

President Obama's endorsement of gay marriage is controversial nationwide. But new steps for human rights always are.

The first time I went on a picket line -- to integrate a whites-only apartment complex -- the concept of fair housing was controversial. That was in 1966.

Today, while some Democrats like to talk about reaching across the aisle, I advocate reaching toward the stars of our ideals.

That's how civil rights laws became reality. And that's how we can make marriage equality the law of the land.

For a long time, visitors to our campaign website have found this unequivocal statement: "All Americans should be accorded equal rights, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity."

And: "I support the right to marry for all consenting adults. The so-called Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed."

And: "I strongly support passage of an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination against gay, lesbian, and transgender workers."

If you send me to Congress, you can be sure I'll keep pushing the envelope -- with a steadfast and crystal-clear message inside -- on behalf of human rights for all.

THE DAY'S FUNNIEST (OR MOST INFURIATING) NOTE
COMES FROM CLUELESS LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS
(With honorable mention to the Unmentionable Willard Inc.)

The LCRs, you'll recall, are the organized Republicans who theoretically favor gay and lesbian rights. They're in high dudgeon today, denouncing the president for the timing of his announcement, with copious crocodile tears over the North Carolina vote:

That the president has chosen today, when LGBT Americans are mourning the passage of Amendment One, to finally speak up for marriage equality is offensive and callous," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director. "Log Cabin Republicans appreciate that President Obama has finally come in line with leaders like Vice President Dick Cheney on this issue, but LGBT Americans are right to be angry that this calculated announcement comes too late to be of any use to the people of North Carolina, or any of the other states that have addressed this issue on his watch. This administration has manipulated LGBT families for political gain as much as anybody, and after his campaign's ridiculous contortions to deny support for marriage equality this week he does not deserve praise for an announcement that comes a day late and a dollar short."

Apart from being idiotically wrong on the facts, R. Clarke shows truly stupefying chutzpah in blasting President Obama without devoting a whisper of consideration to the man R. Clarke and his fellow LCRs will presumably be supporting in the November presidential contest. That creature, the unspeakable Willard Inc., wasted getting on the record his opposition, not just to same-sex marriage, but to civil unions.

WILLARD SEZ: "This is a very tender and sensitive topic"

Is there a dumber life form on the planet? Or is he just the shiftiest?


WOULD YOU LIKE TO THANK THE PRESIDENT?

There are bound to be a bunch of online tributes, petitions, etc. Here's a way organized by ThinkProgress to thank the president for taking his stand.

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