PERVERTS PREFER BASTARD BARACK....

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Obama voices his support for gay marriage
By JULIE PACE, Associated Press – 28 minutes ago
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WASHINGTON (AP) — On the fence no longer, President Barack Obama
declared his unequivocal support for gay marriage on Wednesday, a
historic announcement that gave the polarizing social issue a more
prominent role in the 2012 race for the White House.

The announcement was the first by a sitting president, and Republican
challenger Mitt Romney swiftly disagreed with it. "I believe that
marriage is between a man and a woman," he said while campaigning in
Oklahoma.
Gay rights advocates cheered Obama's declaration, which they had long
urged him to make. Beyond the words, one man who married his gay
partner in Washington, D.C., was stirred to send a $25 contribution to
the president's campaign. "Making a contribution is the best way to
say thank you," said Stuart Kopperman.

Obama revealed his decision after a series of events that made clear
the political ground was shifting. He once opposed gay marriage but
more recently had said his views were "evolving."

In an interview with ABC in which he blended the personal and the
presidential, Obama said "it wouldn't dawn" on his daughters, Sasha
and Malia, that some of their friends' parents would be treated
differently than others. He said he also thought of aides "who are in
incredibly committed monogamous same-sex relationships who are raising
kids together."

Obama added that he thought about "those soldiers or airmen or Marines
or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf, and yet feel
constrained even though now that 'don't ask, don't tell' is gone
because they're not able to commit themselves in a marriage."

The president said he was taking a personal position. Aides said the
president's shift would have no impact on current policies and he
continues to believe that marriage is an issue best decided by states.

"I have hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought that civil
unions would be sufficient," Obama said in the interview. He added, "I
was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people the word 'marriage'
was something that evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs
and so forth."

Now, he said, "it is important for me personally to go ahead and
affirm that same-sex couples should be able to get married."

He spoke on the heels of a pair of events that underscored the
sensitivity of an issue that has long divided the nation.

Vice President Joe Biden said in an interview on Sunday that he is
completely comfortable with gays marrying, a pronouncement that
instantly raised the profile of the issue. White House aides insisted
the vice president hadn't said anything particularly newsworthy, but
gay rights groups cited Biden's comments in urging the president to
announce his support.

On Tuesday, voters in North Carolina — a potential battleground in the
fall election — approved an amendment to the state constitution
affirming that marriage may only be a union of a man and a woman.

Additionally, several of the president's biggest financial backers are
gay, and some have prodded him publicly to declare his support for
same-sex marriage.
Senior administration officials said Obama came to the conclusion that
gay couples should have the right to legally marry earlier this year
and had planned to make his views known publicly before the Democratic
National Convention in early September. They conceded that Biden's
comments accelerated the timeline, but said the vice president's
remarks were impromptu and not part of a coordinated effort to soften
the ground for a shift by the president. They spoke on condition of
anonymity to discuss internal White House deliberations.

As recently as eight years ago, conservatives in several states
maneuvered successfully to place questions relating to gay marriage on
the election day ballot as a way of boosting turnout for President
George W. Bush's re-election.
Now, nationwide polling suggests increasing acceptance of gay
marriage. In a national survey released earlier this month, Gallup
reported 50 percent of those polled said it should be legal, and 48
percent were opposed. Democrats favored by a margin of roughly 2-1,
while Republicans opposed it by an even bigger margin. Among
independents, 57 percent expressed support, and 40 percent were
opposed.

Whatever the polls, the political cross-currents are tricky, and
administration officials conceded as much.

Some top aides argued that gay marriage is toxic at the ballot box in
competitive states like North Carolina and said the vote there this
week shows that opposition to the issue is a rallying point for
Republicans.

Shifting his emphasis, even briefly, could open Obama up to Republican
criticism that he is taking his eye off the economy, voters' No. 1
issue.

Yet some prominent gay donors have said publicly they wanted Obama to
announce his support for gay marriage. Other Democratic supporters
claim Obama's decision could energize huge swaths of the party,
including young people. He also could appeal to independent voters.

The decision also creates an area of clear contrast between Obama and
his Republican rival as he argues that he's delivered on the change he
promised four years ago.

Obama said he sometimes talks with college Republicans on his visits
to campuses, and while they oppose his policies on the economy and
foreign policy, "when it comes to same sex equality, or, you know,
sexual orientation, that they believe in equality. They are more
comfortable with it."

Maggie Gallagher, co-founder of the National Organization for Marriage
and a leading supporter of the constitutional amendment approved in
North Carolina on Tuesday, said she welcomed Obama's announcement at
the same time she disagreed with it.

"Politically, we welcome this," she said. "We think it's a huge
mistake. President Obama is choosing the money over the voters the day
after 61 percent of North Carolinians in a key swing state
demonstrated they oppose gay marriage."

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi instantly sought political gain
from the president's announcement. The Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee issued an email in her name that asked recipients
to "stand with President Obama." Such requests are often followed by a
solicitation for campaign donations.

Obama said first lady Michelle Obama also was involved in his decision
and joins him in supporting gay marriage.

"In the end the values that I care most deeply about and she cares
most deeply about is how we treat other people," he said.

Acknowledging that his support for same-sex marriage may rankle
religious conservatives, Obama said he thinks about his faith in part
through the prism of the Golden Rule — treating others the way you
would want to be treated.

"That's what we try to impart to our kids and that's what motivates me
as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true
to those precepts, the better I'll be as a dad and a husband and
hopefully the better I'll be as president," Obama said.

Six states — all in the Northeast except Iowa — and the District of
Columbia allow same-sex marriages. In addition, two other states have
laws that are not yet in effect and may be subject to referendums.