President Barack Obama's reelection
campaign has expressed disappointment that voters in North Carolina
approved Amendment One, which bans gay and lesbian couples from
marriage, civil unions and possibly domestic partnerships.
Obama's North Carolina spokesman
Cameron French said in a statement released Tuesday that the
president is “disappointed” by the outcome.
“The President has long opposed
divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to
same sex couples,” French said.
“He believes the North Carolina
measure singles out and discriminates against committed gay and
lesbian couples, which is why he did not support it. President Obama
has long believed that gay and lesbian couples deserve the same
rights and legal protections as straight couples and is disappointed
in the passage of this amendment.”
After Vice President Joe Biden said on
Sunday said that he is “absolutely comfortable” with gay couples
marrying, Obama has faced renewed questions about his stance on the
issue. The president has said he is opposed to gay marriage but also
to bans against it.
Voters
in the state approved the measure on Tuesday.