President Obama openly spoke of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act at a fundraiser Monday, as he defended his personal view that gay couples should have the right to marry.
While his administration has put out statements on the idea of repealing the 1996 federal law defining marriage as between a man and a woman, it's unusual for Obama to call for its repeal.
He did so Monday as one of a list of policy goals for what he hopes will be a second term, along with passing the immigration legislation known as the Dream Act, reforming Wall Street and investing in schools.
"We have never gone wrong when we expanded rights and responsibilities to everybody," Obama said. "That doesn't weaken families, that strengthens families."
The president was raising money before an audience of gay and lesbian supporters in New York, hosted by the LGBT Leadership Council and openly gay singer Ricky Martin, as well as Latino group The Futuro Fund. His comments at the fundraiser were his first to such an audience since he announced last week his personal support for gay marriage.
Obama's Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, says marriage is defined as being between a man and woman.
The Obama campaign, according to most accounts, was not originally planning to hit this issue this early in the season. But Vice President Biden, by personally voicing support for gay marriage more than a week ago, nudged the president along. Now, the two campaigns are diverging. Romney is focusing on the economy. And, for a change, the Democratic presidential campaign is hitting the social issues debate -- as some on the right urge Romney to return fire.
Earlier Monday, Obama was taping an appearance with The View, where his announcement last Wednesday also came up.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/14/obama-calls-for-repeal-defense-marriage-act-while-touting-support-for-gay/#ixzz1uwEjyyTH
