JUST IN: President Biden has signed the Respect for Marriage act into law which codifies same-sex and interracial marriages with a large celebration on the South Lawn of the White House.
And his signing of the Respect for Marriage Act TuesdayDuring the 2008 campaign, Biden, as former President Barack Obama's running mate,,"No. Barack Obama nor I support redefining from a civil side what constitutes marriage."
It was a delicate line the Democrats were walking then. In 2004, the issue of same-sex marriage was a lightning rod. Anti-same-sex marriage amendments were put on various state ballots. Then-President George W. Bush backed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, and white Christian evangelicals helped Bush win reelection.
Democrats had moved toward the half-measure of civil unions — giving legal rights to gay couples, but, largely because of the politics, were not ready to come out fully in support of"marriage."As vice president, Biden got out ahead of President Obama in advocating for same-sex marriage — on national television.."And will you be loyal to the person you love? ... whether they're marriages of lesbians or gay men or heterosexuals.
He continued:"Look, I am vice president of the United States of America. The president sets the policy. I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly, I don't see much of a distinction beyond that.
"Would I have preferred to have done this in my own way, in my own terms, without there being a lot of notice to everybody?" ObamaBiden's appearance came at something of an inflection point. This was in an election year and at a time when the country was still split on acceptance of same-sex marriage. Three days before he went onAfterward, support continued to rise.
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