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Barack Obama becomes the first US president to back gay marriage, speaking out on the politically charged issue in a TV interview. Effectively, Obama has ended months of hedging on the issue of gay marriage by saying he thinks same-sex couples should be able to wed. He has become the first sitting US president to back gay marriage.
Mitt Romney, the Republican who is set to challenge Mr Obama for the White House in November's elections, promptly said he was against gay marriage. In recent days, Vice-President Joe Biden and cabinet member Arne Duncan had expressed support for gay unions. A Gallup poll on Tuesday A Gallup poll on Tuesday suggested that 50% of Americans were in favour of legalising gay marriage - a slightly lower proportion than last year - while 48% said they would oppose such a move.
There is a risk in this. For some it will further brand Mr Obama as the devil in disguise, destroying the fabric of America. That sharpens the election, but it does no harm to his campaign. Most social conservatives will not vote for Mr Obama anyway. But there are natural supporters, like African-American evangelical Christians, who won't like this. But Obama explicitly mentioned his religious faith:
"When we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it's also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated."
While not doubting that the president has struggled long and hard with this, this seems to me a deliberate moment.
BBC
Mitt Romney, the Republican who is set to challenge Mr Obama for the White House in November's elections, promptly said he was against gay marriage. In recent days, Vice-President Joe Biden and cabinet member Arne Duncan had expressed support for gay unions. A Gallup poll on Tuesday A Gallup poll on Tuesday suggested that 50% of Americans were in favour of legalising gay marriage - a slightly lower proportion than last year - while 48% said they would oppose such a move.
There is a risk in this. For some it will further brand Mr Obama as the devil in disguise, destroying the fabric of America. That sharpens the election, but it does no harm to his campaign. Most social conservatives will not vote for Mr Obama anyway. But there are natural supporters, like African-American evangelical Christians, who won't like this. But Obama explicitly mentioned his religious faith:
"When we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it's also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated."
While not doubting that the president has struggled long and hard with this, this seems to me a deliberate moment.
BBC