# Obama supports same sex marriage **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 9, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415 "2012-05-09T19:16:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/41 "2012-05-09T21:26:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > With the primaries essentially over, that hesitancy was always going to go away. Except among hard-line conservatives who don’t trust the sincerity of Romney’s conservatism/Christianity/pro-life convictions/whatever. The Obama campaign may be setting up a clever toxic-coattails effect here: “Mitt Romney’s positions have historically been much more like mine than what he’s currently spouting, and _look what a SCARY LIBERAL I am!!! **BOO!!!** _” Hard-liners (at least some of them) stay away from the polls in fearful expectation of imminent Rapture. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/42 "2012-05-09T21:30:35Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > Wow, we have a president who has “evolving” morals. lol Can’t believe anyone would consider re-electing this man. Self reflection and the ability to evolve ones point of view is an admirable trait in anyone and essential in a person who is supposed to lead us. Rigidity is a terrible trait. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/43 "2012-05-09T21:32:03Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Except among hard-line conservatives who don’t trust the sincerity of Romney’s conservatism/Christianity/pro-life convictions/whatever. He has few convictions, but he can fake it and he’s not Obama. If Newt Gingrich can endorse Romney and pretend he doesn’t absolutely loathe him in a very personal way (and even Santorum endorsed Romney the other night), most of these people can talk themselves into voting for Romney. Well, at least unless he moves too far back to the middle again. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/44 "2012-05-09T21:35:32Z")
I was fully expecting Obama to say this, except I figured he’d say it on November 7th. Good news nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/45 "2012-05-09T21:40:51Z")
I think this may cost Obama the election. Given the economy (no matter whose fault it is) and the huge money available to anti-Obama PACs, IMO it was already very close. I think this might push it over to Romney. The polls I’ve seen say the US is just about equally divided on gay marriage, but you have to think that support is disproportionately prevalent in solidly blue states. As the NC election yesterday showed, it’s unpopular even in swing states. let alone red states. And given the number of idiots who worry about Obama imposing Sharia law, there have to be millions who don’t understand that even if gay marriage becomes legal, it won’t become mandatory. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/46 "2012-05-09T21:43:54Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > Wow, we have a president who has “evolving” morals. Makes a hell of a lot more sense than an eternal, omniscient God who has started over on his absolute morality at least twice now. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/47 "2012-05-09T21:46:02Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Makes a hell of a lot more sense than an eternal, omniscient God who has started over on his absolute morality at least twice now. Heck, the Mormon God’s morals were still evolving as of the late 70s regarding black persons. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/48 "2012-05-09T21:53:25Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Heck, the Mormon God’s morals were still evolving as of the late 70s regarding black persons. I believe Satan has a hold of you I believe That the Lord God has sent me here And I believe That in 1978 God changed his mind about black people \ You can be a Mormon A Mormon who just _believes_! ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/49 "2012-05-09T21:54:07Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > I think this may cost Obama the election. > > Given the economy (no matter whose fault it is) and the huge money available to anti-Obama PACs, IMO it was already very close. I think this might push it over to Romney. > > The polls I’ve seen say the US is just about equally divided on gay marriage, but you have to think that support is disproportionately prevalent in solidly blue states. As the NC election yesterday showed, it’s unpopular even in swing states. let alone red states. > > And given the number of idiots who worry about Obama imposing Sharia law, there have to be millions who don’t understand that even if gay marriage becomes legal, it won’t become mandatory. The more I think about it the more I think Obama may be chumming the waters with this one. I’m sure President Obama has something up his sleeve should the GOP or Mittens try to chastise him for it. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/50 "2012-05-09T21:55:21Z")
I too am pleased that Obama came to the right ethical and moral decision, but I also fear it may cost him the election, mainly by losing him the “swing” states that he very much needs–FL, PA, WI, OH, CO, NC, VA, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/51 "2012-05-09T21:57:44Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > Wow, we have a president who has “evolving” morals. lol Can’t believe anyone would consider re-electing this man. Would it help if we said he “intelligently designed” morals? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/52 "2012-05-09T21:59:28Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > The more I think about it the more I think Obama may be chumming the waters with this one. I’m sure President Obama has something up his sleeve should the GOP or Mittens try to chastise him for it. I’m sure they are considering how to deal with those issues, but ultimately, it seems like he decided to go ahead and make this move because they were out of other options. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, they’ve stopped defending DOMA, and after Biden’s comments the other day I am not sure what else he could have said that wouldn’t have hurt his standing with gay supporters (and a disavowal wouldn’t have helped him with SSM opponents anyway). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/53 "2012-05-09T22:03:04Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > What’s the advantage of saying it now rather than after the election? > > Sure, go on record as being in favor of gay marriage because it’s the right decision and because he must want to be known as the first president to be in favor of gay marriage. But saying it before the election seems to have only downsides and no upsides. The upsides are that gays and liberals who might otherwise have hesitated to send him money or turn out for him on e-day might think again. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/54 "2012-05-09T22:04:43Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > I think that it’s very likely he held the same view as a majority of African-Americans . . . Never a safe assumption in Obama’s case; he was not **raised** in that culture. He is not a descendant of American slaves and was not raised by or among descendants of American slaves. He did marry into that family, but so do many white people. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/55 "2012-05-09T22:05:52Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > This is terrific news. Any bets on how Romney reacts? However he reacts, he will somehow, against all odds, find a way to make it seem boring. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/56 "2012-05-09T22:08:10Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > However he reacts, he will somehow, against all odds, find a way to make it seem boring. And, [he did!](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/mitt-romney-reaffirms-opposition-gay-marriage/story?id=16314461) > [@](#): > > “I have the same view on marriage that I had when I was governor. I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman,” Romney said. “I have the same view I’ve had since, well, running for office.” ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/57 "2012-05-09T22:15:17Z")
It’s a small step in the right direction, but I still feel he’s unfit to serve as a politician. ---
**Author:** ![dngnb8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@dngnb8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dngnb8)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/58 "2012-05-09T22:38:08Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > Wow, we have a president who has “evolving” morals. lol Can’t believe anyone would consider re-electing this man. Wow, and it is amazing how the morals seem to “evolve” right at election time. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/59 "2012-05-09T22:42:20Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Independent voters support same-sex marriage (as do Democrats, of course). It’s only Republicans that oppose it. Cite: [http://www.gallup.com/poll/154529/Half-Americans-Support-Legal-Gay-Marriage.aspx](http://www.gallup.com/poll/154529/Half-Americans-Support-Legal-Gay-Marriage.aspx) Yes, swing voters, from everything I’ve read, tend to be socially liberal and fiscally conservative. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/60 "2012-05-09T22:46:58Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > It’s a small step in the right direction, but I still feel he’s unfit to serve as a politician. Unfit in what way? The Bar is, unfortunately not set that high for “serving as a politician.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415.md?page=4)