# 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:** 6
**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 10, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/101 "2012-05-10T03:11:47Z")
And thank god he’s politicking. I want him to win and to win standing up for what I stand for. I want him to get things done and play hardball as necessary. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/102 "2012-05-10T03:20:48Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > My wife just tried to donate a second hundred bucks to Obama’s campaign (in response to this message), but _the server was too slammed by other donators_. > > Neener neener, **GEEPERS**. I had to send mine out in the mail. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/103 "2012-05-10T03:22:10Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > [Apparently Biden went off the reservation, and the West Wing isn’t too happy](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76140.html) that his little trip forced Obama to come out of the closet right here and now. Yes, I’d just been reading that. > [@](#): > > So, yes, there was political maneuvering behind his “evolution.” Lawd have muh-cy we have a \*politician \*in the White House! I’m outraged by this in accordance with people’s presumptions of my views about Obama! ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/104 "2012-05-10T03:27:08Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > I’m on Obama’s mailing list, and this is the explanation he gave for his change of opinion. Does he seriously go by **Barack Ness Monster** on that mailing list? ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/105 "2012-05-10T03:38:14Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > 1. Obama comes out in support of SSM in an election year, after facing some pressure within his party to do so and after recent polls have shown SSM proponents outnumber opponents. But yea, his recent change of heart was completely devoid of politics. Unlike certain people I could mention, Obama knows that the President is chosen by the Electoral College, not the popular vote, and that the states with the highest concentration of SSM proponents were already safe for him. ---
**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 10, 2012, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/106 "2012-05-10T04:15:59Z")
In my mind a flip flop is when you change your position without acknowledging that it was three result of a change of perspective or even a change from your previous position. Too often politicians give opposite views and act like it has been their stance the whole time. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/107 "2012-05-10T04:21:31Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > My wife just tried to donate a second hundred bucks to Obama’s campaign (in response to this message), but _the server was too slammed by other donators_. A Tumblr post claims Obama got to a million (dollars, not donators) within 90 minutes of the news (or the interview; it’s vague on that point). (BTW, since Firefox says “donator” isn’t a word, IS there a word…?) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/108 "2012-05-10T05:48:36Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > A Tumblr post claims Obama got to a million (dollars, not donators) within 90 minutes of the news (or the interview; it’s vague on that point). > > (BTW, since Firefox says “donator” isn’t a word, IS there a word…?) Donor. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/109 "2012-05-10T05:55:58Z")
:smack: Duh. I think I need sleep soon. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/110 "2012-05-10T05:58:22Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > In my mind a flip flop is when you change your position without acknowledging that it was three result of a change of perspective or even a change from your previous position. Too often politicians give opposite views and act like it has been their stance the whole time. A flip flop is when you change your position for political expediency. Period. Obama was more of a flop flip here as his previous position (anti-SSM) was the political calculation and his newly announced position is the one he held all along. I’m just not buying this “evolved” crap, or that a black man, and a constitutional scholar, thought separate but equal was a good way to go. I really hope he didn’t make this announcement because Biden forced his hand. Although both situations are distasteful, I prefer to think that Biden was the test case. But you know, that’s all water under the bridge. The precedent is set, and the Republicans are going to have to double down on bigotry to keep their position. Romney isn’t an idiot, and I don’t think he believes homosexuality is a “lifestyle choice”. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/111 "2012-05-10T09:50:47Z")
I somehow fail to believe that anyone using that phrase “lol” in this thread is actually laughing. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/112 "2012-05-10T11:07:56Z")
According to[this](http://features.pewforum.org/same-sex-marriage-attitudes/slide6.php) black voters lag behind white voters in their support of gay marriage. While it may not be a “vertical issue”, it may discourage some of them from voting at all. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/113 "2012-05-10T11:54:15Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > According to[this](http://features.pewforum.org/same-sex-marriage-attitudes/slide6.php) black voters lag behind white voters in their support of gay marriage. While it may not be a “vertical issue”, it may discourage some of them from voting at all. I think Obama’s support may actually change some minds about gay marriage, especially among African Americans. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/114 "2012-05-10T12:05:55Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > According to[this](http://features.pewforum.org/same-sex-marriage-attitudes/slide6.php) black voters lag behind white voters in their support of gay marriage. While it may not be a “vertical issue”, it may discourage some of them from voting at all. Just to be clear here, you honestly think that black voters who otherwise love their president and are among his most enthusiastic supports are going to not vote just because he personally supports same-sex marriage(but isn’t pushing any federal legislation in that direction? Count me unconvinced. I guess we’ll see in six months. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/115 "2012-05-10T13:12:28Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Just to be clear here, you honestly think that black voters who otherwise love their president and are among his most enthusiastic supports are going to not vote just because he personally supports same-sex marriage(but isn’t pushing any federal legislation in that direction? > > Count me unconvinced. I guess we’ll see in six months. As I said before, I know two people that wont be voting for him now. They are both black. I hope you’re right though. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/116 "2012-05-10T13:21:57Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > As I said before, I know two people that wont be voting for him now. They are both black. I hope you’re right though. One of my white co-workers was reading the headline out loud this morning, which prompted one of my black co-workers to (a) angrily insist the guy shouldn’t make up stuff like that, and then upon seeing the newspaper (b) spell out that he won’t be voting for Obama this time around. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/117 "2012-05-10T13:27:58Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > One of my white co-workers was reading the headline out loud this morning, which prompted one of my black co-workers to (a) angrily insist the guy shouldn’t make up stuff like that, and then upon seeing the newspaper (b) spell out that he won’t be voting for Obama this time around. The two I was talking about are deeply religious. I got into a Facebook fight with one of them about gay marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/118 "2012-05-10T13:48:24Z")
Hm. That is both mildly surprising and rather disappointing. I guess it’s because the folks I know personally, while opposed to SSM, don’t base their votes on it. I guess we shall see what happens in the fall. Either way, I’m happy that the President is on the right side of history here and opponents can no longer attach to the “even Obama doesn’t support SSM” argument. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/119 "2012-05-10T13:59:43Z")
Moved thread to Elections because it’s primarily about the reasons for the announcement and the potential electoral implications. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415/120 "2012-05-10T14:05:55Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Moved thread to Elections because it’s primarily about the reasons for the announcement and the potential electoral implications. Why don’t we just close my thread, then, since we now have two identical threads in the same forum? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage/621415.md?page=7)