President Barack Obama is opposed to
gay marriage ban Prop 8, but he is not ready to endorse marriage for
gay and lesbian couples.
Obama has previously said he favors
civil unions for gay couples and is “evolving” on marriage.
When asked the president's opinion on
Tuesday's Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that struck down
California's gay marriage ban, Proposition 8, as unconstitutional,
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney would only say that the
president's views were well known.
(Related: Court
says gay marriage ban Prop 8 violates 14th
Amendment.)
“Well I don't have any update for you
on that particular issue with regards to the president's views [on
gay marriage],” Carney told Washington Blade reporter Chris
Johnson.
“I can tell you that divisive and
discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex
couples is something that this president has long opposed. … That's
an important point to make. That these are proactive, deliberate
efforts to deny benefits and to be discriminatory.” (The video is
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