President Barack Obama on Monday said
during a fundraiser in New York City that gay marriage “strengthens
families.”
“At root so much of this has to do
with a belief not only are we in this together but all of us are
equal in terms of dignity and in terms of respect,” Obama said
during the fundraiser co-hosted by the Obama for America LGBT
Leadership Council and the Futuro Fund at the Rubin Museum of Art.
“The announcement I made last week
about my views on marriage equality … same principle,” the
president said. “We have never gone wrong when we expanded rights
and responsibilities to everybody. That doesn't weaken families,
that strengthens families.”
“It's been said this election is
going to be about values. And I absolutely agree. It's about the
economic values we have, about the values that I believe are what
makes America so special: the idea that everybody gets a fair shot,
everybody does their fair share, everybody plays by the same set of
rules. … The good news is, I think the American people are on our
side on this.”
Singer Ricky Martin, a co-host of the
event, applauded the president for supporting marriage equality,
saying, “That is the kind of courage we expect from our president
and that is why we support him.”
About 200 people attended the
$5,000-a-head fundraiser.
(Related: Obama
explains his gay marriage stance on The View.)