President Barack Obama has just made history now that he’s become the first president to openly support same-sex marriage. The commander in chief sat down for an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts and said that he decided to express his support based on conversations with his own staff members, openly gay and lesbian service members, and conversations with his wife and daughters.
“I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” Obama told Roberts.
The full interview is expected to air Thursday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Excerpts of the interview will air tonight on ABC’s “World News with Diane Sawyer.”
The president stressed that this is a personal position and that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own.
–danielle canada
