Obama Gay Marriage Views - Washgton Post

Contents:

• THE 'EVOLUTN' OF OBAMA'S STANCE ON GAY MARRIAGE
• OBAMA'S GAY MARRIAGE NTROVERSY: 'I AM JT NOT VERY GOOD AT BULLSHTG'
• OBAMA’S LATT ‘EVOLUTN’ ON GAY MARRIAGE: HE LIED ABOUT OPPOSG , AXELROD SAYS
• AXELROD: OBAMA MISLED NATN WHEN HE OPPOSED GAY MARRIAGE IN 2008
• OBAMA SAYS HE DIDN'T MISLEAD ON GAY MARRIAGE

THE 'EVOLUTN' OF OBAMA'S STANCE ON GAY MARRIAGE

ABC broke to s daytime lp May 9, 2012, to announce a historic shift: the print of the Uned Stat clarg his personal support for gay marriage. While the print has nsistently supported civil rights for gay upl — pepperg his ments wh specifics such as hospal visatn, transfer of property and Social Secury benefs — his discsn of marriage has differed.

I am not favor of gay marriage. In 1996, as he ran for Illois state Senate, Chigo’s Outl gay newspaper asked ndidat to fill out a qutnnaire. Gay marriage?

OBAMA'S GAY MARRIAGE NTROVERSY: 'I AM JT NOT VERY GOOD AT BULLSHTG'

I am not a supporter of gay marriage as has been thrown about, primarily jt as a strategic issue.

"(But) is my obligatn not only as an elected official a pluralistic society, but also as a Christian, to rema open to the possibily that my unwillgns to support gay marriage is misguid, jt as I nnot claim fallibily my support of abortn rights.

OBAMA’S LATT ‘EVOLUTN’ ON GAY MARRIAGE: HE LIED ABOUT OPPOSG , AXELROD SAYS

Still, a 2007 Democratic primary bate sponsored by a gay rights group and a gay-oriented ble TV channel, he spoke stead about his support for civil unns wh "all the benefs that are available for a legally sanctned marriage" — but not for legal regnn of "marriage" between same-sex upl.

He offered an explanatn that would prage his 2012 shift: "I thk that is an issue that I wrtle wh and thk about bee I have a whole host of iends who are gay partnerships.

I've always been adamant that — gay and lbian — Amerins should be treated fairly and equally.

AXELROD: OBAMA MISLED NATN WHEN HE OPPOSED GAY MARRIAGE IN 2008

And I had hated on gay marriage — part, bee I thought civil unns would be sufficient. Obama, a nsistent supporter of civil rights for gay upl, neverthels said as early as 2004 and through 2008 that he didn’t support same-sex marriage. Fox News, "OBAMA FLIP FLOPS ON GAY MARRIAGE, " May 9, 2012.

POLITICO, "Evolve: Obama gay marriage quot, " May 9, 2012. CNN Transcripts, "Anrson Cooper 360: Polics of Gay Marriage; Same-Sex Marriage Flip-Flop? MTV, "Barack Obama Answers Your Qutns About Gay Marriage, Payg For College, More, " Nov.

OBAMA SAYS HE DIDN'T MISLEAD ON GAY MARRIAGE

POLITICO's Unr the Radar blog, "Obama says he's evolvg on gay marriage, " Oct.