President Obama didn’t publicly support marriage equality until May of 2012, but his views today sound more like those of a lifelong champion of gay rights.
In an interview with The New Yorker about his judicial legacy, Obama said:
“Ultimately, I think the Equal Protection Clause does guarantee same-sex marriage in all fifty states. But, as you know, courts have always been strategic. There have been times where the stars were aligned and the Court, like a thunderbolt, issues a ruling like Brown v. Board of Education, but that’s pretty rare. And, given the direction of society, for the Court to have allowed the process to play out the way it has may make the shift less controversial and more lasting.”
Given the president’s background as a constitutional law professor, and the fact that he’s the president and all, it’s pretty amazing to hear such strong language on an issue that’s taken so much work to advance.
He was also asked what the “best” Supreme Court decision during his tenure has been, and he answered:
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“In some ways, the decision that was just handed down to not do anything about what states are doing on same-sex marriage may end up being as consequential—from my perspective, a positive sense—as anything that’s been done. Because I think it really signals that although the Court was not quite ready—it didn’t have sufficient votes to follow Loving v. Virginia (the 1967 decision that states could no longer ban interracial marriage) and go ahead and indicate an equal-protection right across the board—it was a consequential and powerful signal of the changes that have taken place in society and that the law is having to catch up.”
At what point will same-sex marriage opponents realize they’re not going to come off so great in the history books?
Danny
OMG. I may have to take me to a nunnery. It seems that President Obama and I agree on the subject of the constitutionality of something. Of course, I’ve held the view a lot longer than he has, and didn’t need to do any opinion polling or focus groups to get there. With friends like him a person doesn’t need any enemies.
maze791
MY 2 FAV LESBO CABBIES IN LAS VEGAS HAD TO MOVE TO CANADA
throwslikeagirl
I love your graphic for this article. It would make an awesome stamp. I’ve always loved Obama and always will. I believe he always felt strongly about lgbt equality and had to play it cool so the country could catch up. I said early on he’d do exactly what he’s doing during his second term. Politics is a chess game. Well played, Mr. president.
throwslikeagirl
@throwslikeagirl: That would be “Mr. President”. Damn IPad!
manjoguy
Since when does Obama concern himself with the Constitution?! He’s ignored it in instances before this and now he reveres it on this issue. Well, better once than never, I guess.
Trippy
Yawn. I appreciate his late-to-the-party cheerleading, but I do hope he doesn’t try to paint himself (in the future) as someone who really led on this issue. We have marriage equality in 32 states as of today not because of Obama but because of a lot of very hard-working lawyers, activists, and brave same-sex couples who stepped up and fought damn hard for it. And they were doing it long before he came to office.
So yes, thanks for the support, but PLEASE don’t try to make this a legacy thing for the history books. It wasn’t your win.
Dakotahgeo
“At what point will same-sex marriage opponents realize they’re not going to come off so great in the history books?”
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They won’t because they don’t have enough self-respect or intelligence to even realize they’ve lost the battle. Time has dealt them a cruel blow by leaving them behind! Kansas and South Carolina are perfect examples
tjr101
Well this will certainly make the righties (and gay republicans) panties twist up in a bunch. Thank you President Obama. And whether you haters like it or not it is HIS legacy. He will be remembered more favorable than any other president in history when it comes to gay rights.
Many of these victories would not have happened if it wasn’t for his supreme court picks as well on the federal appeal court benches.
Dakotahgeo
@tjr101: What makes this especially delicious is that Reagan and Bush Dynasty Federal Judicial appointments are the ones who have voted in favor of marriage equality. Had it not been for President Obama and these conservative Federal judges, the GLBT community would not be where we are today. The right wing nut jobs need a new change of panties anyway… better now than later!
aliengod
He’s still one of the worst presidents in our history and has zero respect for the US Constitution. I say good riddance Mr. Obama. Next!
Dakotahgeo
@Saint Law: @Saint Law: Thank you both! You saved me the time of writing aliengod a rather blistering comment regarding his arrogance and ignorance, not to mention his lack of education. I’m sure the world will not hang in the balance, based on his meanderings.
Saint Law
@aliengod: Your posts read like they were typed by a really precocious dog.
Have a biscuit.
Mr C
@Trippy: well if it wasn’t Miss one where the PHUCK was the gays with every other president? His statement changed many minds if you like him or not. Idi0t
Mr C
@aliengod: salty B_itch LOL!
Mr C
Reading some of these comments from some of you Benedict queens at times I thought I was over at Gay Patriot!
Virge
What’s this make — The fifth or sixth or seventh time he’s flipped to take a “lead from behind” stand on LGBT issues since his 22 months as a senator from Illinois? I’ll bet he’s got time to flip one more time before he’s out of the white house. With his approval rating in the forty percentiles and sinking… all he’s really doing is saying, “hi queers, please like me now and boost my numbers.”
Put all the indignation over this aside and get pissed he’s appointed political hack as the “Ebola Czar” instead of any of several hundred competent and qualified physicians or scientists. This shows all he’s interested in is putting the best possible spin on what could be a major national health crisis.
Dakotahgeo
@Mr C: Thank you! I’m getting tired of all the GOTP trolls on this site. Always bitching about something Obama. Bite a chunk of Ebola!
restoretherainbow
This is one for the history books! It’s wonderful to have a President of the United States publicly declare that the LGBT community deserves equal protection under the Constitution.
maze791
MY 2 FAV LESBO CABBIES IN LAS VEGAS HAD TO MOVE TO CANADA TO GET MARRIED
Vegas Tearoom
I believe that Obama has two personas and he knows it. I believe that his private persona has always been pro-marriage equality. But he kept that to himself as his public persona was the “bring me on the journey” guy that had to ‘evolve’ on the issue. By doing so, he also brought with him millions of other Americans. He is a teacher who knows how to teach.
reallygoodthings
Here’s the thing. Obama studied constitutional law at Harvard and became an expert, even became the editor of the Harvard Law Review. So my question is, has the constitution changed? Why only now, is he discovering that this issue is unconstitutional? Bogus. It’s all bullshit politics. He always knew it was pure discrimination and unconstitutional but chose, for political expediency, to only state this now.
MarionPaige
When “interpreting” the constitution, it is common for lawyers to refer to the written records of what senators and representatives were “thinking” / saying when the law in question was passed. For example, There is actually a case in which a lawyer argued that some “protections” that White Men enjoy from the constitution do not apply to Blacks BECAUSE CONGRESS NEVER INTENDED FOR THOSE LAWS TO APPLY TO BLACKs. And, technically, one could point to what senators and representatives were saying in the senate and the house and it is clear that those men (some of whom were slave owners) did not intend the original formation papers to apply to Blacks.
The point here is who out there actually has any documentation whatsoever that The Original Slave Owners who founded this Country intended the constitution to apply to two people of the same sex marrying?
Maybe Obama is doing a version of Nixon’s “Declare Victory And Go Home” strategy on Vietnam. Only Obama is saying to the Gays: “You’ve Won! Now, Go The Fuck Away!” Remember Obama called Chad Griffin and “congratulated Griffin on AFER’s “win” when The Supreme Court passed on the Prop 8 Appeal.
NJjoe
@Mr C:
Agreed!!
If you want to talk about Presidents, let’s discuss Mr. Reagan, and his defiance of compassion, no appropriating funds for AIDS research. He was a horrible President and his legacy is nothing more than being a dick of a leader.
Ronnie didn’t mention the word “AIDS” until what, 1987? He failed on many people, not just homosexuals.