A California judge’s ruling that effectively legalized gay marriage in the state creates a new campaign issue for the fall with no easy fallback for President Obama.
While he opposes gay marriage in favor of civil unions, Obama also opposed California’s Proposition 8, which outlawed same-sex marriage, calling it, in the words of one adviser, “mean-spirited.”
“The president does oppose same-sex marriage, but he supports equality for gay and lesbian couples, and benefits and other issues,” senior adviser David Axelrod told MSNBC. “He supports civil unions, and that’s been his position throughout. So nothing has changed.”
But striking that middle distance could get tougher for Obama as his party looks to secure an advantage in November by activating its political base.
“Obama’s supporters feel like he’s not energetic enough in pushing his and their agenda,” said Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University. “And his opponents feel like they are being overwhelmed by action on issues they don’t like.”
The White House put out a short statement on the ruling, but Obama is not likely to bring it up — or even talk about much, if he can avoid it.
“He will want to talk about it as little as he possibly can,” Jillson said.
It’s not clear how energetically Republicans will resurrect the issue for the fall campaigns. The party in 2004 used gay marriage to its advantage — but the political climate at the time was more fertile for a debate of social issues.
“When people have pocketbook issues, that always trumps moral issues,” said Susan MacManus, a political scientist at the University of South Florida.
Obama has disappointed many of his gay and lesbian supporters with his distant and at times contradictory stance on gay rights.
“There is a contingent of the GLBT community looking at Obama and saying, ‘What are you doing’ and ‘You haven’t come out strongly enough,’ ” said David Badash, a writer and blogger on gay issues.
Badash added, “I think he is very strategic and plays his cards close to the vest. He won’t say anything that will upset people.”
Striking a middle path on the issue reflects a trademark of Obama’s leadership style.
The president last year extended benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian federal workers, but only after the White House had angered the gay community by supporting the Defense of Marriage Act in court — while saying at the same time that Obama opposes the law.
And the administration has taken initial steps toward repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military, but final action on the matter will likely come after the election.
Polls show public opinion on gay marriage is softening, with 42 percent saying they support it while 28 percent oppose it, according to a recent CBS News poll. It was the strongest measure of public support on the issue to date.
