A day after former New Jersey Governor
Jim McGreevey suggested First Lady Michelle Obama supported gay
marriage, Mrs. Obama has denied supporting it.
During a CNN In the Arena
interview, host Eliot Spitzer asked McGreevey, who came out gay amid
a sex scandal that ultimately forced him to resign as governor, if he
was disappointed with President Barack Obama's position on the issue.
“If he could only listen to Michelle
more often,” McGreevey answered. “I think the president is
moving. And, you know, for many elected officials they all started
in the same place, you know, marriage is between a man and a woman,
but they understand that they are moving inevitably, catching up to
the American public.” (The video is embedded in the right panel of
this page.)
On Tuesday, the First Lady's office
quickly denied the claim.
“Mrs. Obama has never made any public
statements about same-sex marriage,” Communications
Director Kristina Schake told POLITICO.com.
The president has said he believes gay
and lesbian couples should be recognized with civil unions, not
marriage, but he's also suggested that his position isn't fixed,
saying he's “evolving” on the issue.
Obama
skirted around the issue of gay marriage at an LGBT fundraiser in
Manhattan that took place on the day before New York legalized
marriage equality. He'll have a second opportunity to “evolve”
on Thursday, when the White House hosts its annual Gay Pride
reception.