Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday
frustrated gay marriage supporters as he explained away remarks that
appeared to suggest he backed the institution.
Appearing on NBC's Meet the Press,
Biden told host David Gregory that he is “absolutely comfortable”
with gay couples marrying, then added that “The president sets the
policy.”
The remarks suggest that Biden was
endorsing marriage equality since President Barack Obama does not,
though the president does support civil unions for gay couples and is
opposed to marriage bans.
Biden also gave credit to the hit NBC
sitcom Will & Grace for influencing society's increasing
acceptance of gay rights.
But in a statement released shortly
after Biden's interview aired, an aide rolled back his apparent
endorsement, saying the vice president's views are still “evolving.”
“The Vice President was saying what
the President has said previously – that committed and loving
same-sex couples deserve the same rights and protections enjoyed by
all Americans … the Vice President was expressing that he too is
evolving on the issue ...”
Top Obama political adviser David
Axelrod added in a tweet, “What VP said – that all married
couples should have exactly the same legal rights – is precisely
POTU's position.”
“You can see it like teasing,”
Kevin Cathcart, executive director of Lambda Legal, told
POLITICO.com.
“There is sometimes a disconnect between the administration and
the community, because I think they think they're doing brave
important things, and a lot of people on the ground think, 'Oh, come
on already.'”
Influential blogger John Aravosis wrote
on his AMERICAblog:
“All Axelrod's denial does is further tick the gays off while doing
nothing to dispel the notion on the right that the president already
embraces gay marriage.”
Chris Barron, co-founder of gay GOP
group GOProud, took a swipe in a tweet, “Remember those 5 minutes
when Biden was for gay marriage? Good times.”