We wondered yesterday how the President's announcement would play out on the campaign trail. He didn't express his support for same-sex marriage during a primetime address. He didn't call a joint news conference with leaders in the fight for equality. Instead, Obama entered this political firestorm in an afternoon one-on-one interview, with no fanfare. Will that be the tone until November? If the bases are energized, and not the crucial swing votes, then maybe so.

One day after expressing support for same-sex marriage, President Obama's re-election campaign released a video criticizing presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for being "backwards on equality." But Obama also denied the timing of his announcement was politically motivated. He says he decided to speak up because Vice President Joe Biden publically embraced gay marriage over the weekend.

Reaction to President Obama's support of same-sex marriage is coming in from all over the world. In New York City, a supportive Mayor Bloomberg said government "should not get involved with who you love, who you live with, who you marry." He hopes Romney's opinion also evolves over time. What do you say?

How will this issue affect the presidential election? Does it matter that Obama's opinion on same-sex marriage was revealed now? What's your reaction to Mayor Bloomberg's comments about government involvement in your personal life?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

I'm very disappointed with the President. Apparently he will do whatever is necessary to get reelected. SADDDDDDDD. I think it will hurt him in the election.

LOVE your show
helen from Queens

The most poignant comment made by the President is that his daughters are friends with children being raised in healthy LGBT households and that his decision was influenced by that fact. This is an understanding formed from reality. As a nation, we elect a President to lead and represent the most diverse country in the history of civilization. This is about equality as US Citizens not religious sects. I applaud the President for letting my son know it is ok to have two dads and he doesn’t need to feel less deserving. Simply stated, would I want my son to feel that all are equal and deserving or that only some are deserving? Which would you want for your family?

Leon

This was a political move. He shld have backed SSM long ago- actually he did when he was running for senate- then pulled "a Romney"- flip flopped- then "evolved" then finally spoke up AFTER Biden endorsed SSM on Sun AM TV. Don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth b/c support is support- but I think it way overdue and for the wrong reasons. Why not support when he took office and abolished DADT? this announcement is dubiously strategic in its timing. With Bloomberg publicly unaligned at this point with a prez nominee this announcement could surely put him on Obama's corner instead of Romney.

FUZI IN BAY RIDGE

It should not be up the Federal Government it is a local issue, Obama is saying that to raise money

Tom
Richmondtown

ITS A NON-ISSUE FOR THE YOUNG, EDUCATED, AND SECULARS. fURTHER, CERTAIN RELIGIOUS SECTS-ARE MISGUIDED IN HOW THEY INTERPRET THEIR RELIGIOUS TENETS. AS A MARRIED HETEROSEXUAL, I MAINTAIN THAT LESBIANS AND GAYS SHOULD BE AS MISERABLE AS THE REST OF US; IF THEY SO CHOOSE. ANY RELIGION THAT INTERFERES WITH THIS IS CULT-LIKE AND UN-CHRIST-LIKE.

JS
FLUSHING

John,

If Mayor Bloomberg really believed that, “government should not get involved with who you love, who you live with, who you marry” why is it involved in what we imbibe, what we ingest, what we inhale and what we shoot up and where we do it?

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

Hi John,

I said it was political last night and I believe he Obama told us that he talked it over with his wife and children. Now the reason is because of what Biden said. He was forced to say that he was for gay marriage solely because of this simple minded Biden that always speaks before he thinks.

WHAT DOES THIS MAYOR KNOW ABOUT LOVE OR ANYTHING FOR THAT MATTER.
I REPEAT THE WORDS FROM THIS DICTATORS OWN MOUTH = ARE YOU READY = SO SAYS THE DICTATOR, GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT GET INVOLVED WITH WHO YOU LOVE, WHO YOU LIVE WITH, WHO YOU MARRY.

WHAT WE DO IN OUR PRIVATE LIVES IS NONE OF YOU DAMN BUSINESS = REMEMBER ALL OF YOUR DO'S AND DON'TS THAT YOU IMPOSED ON ALL OF US. YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A DAMN SADISTIC GUTLESS HYPOCRITE THAT NEVER SHOWS HIS FACE TO US AND SENDS HIS HIGHLY PAID PITT BULLS WITH A TITLE BEING DEPUTY MAYOR TO RELAY THE MESSAGES.

maxxiee
mp

Republican party is about nothing but fear. President Obama welcome to the 21st century and let the Republicans wallow in the 19th century. Plus, remember all people are born alike except Republicans......

Howard from Fresh Meadows

Whatever reasons behind why Obama did what he did, the outcome of his decision will be settled in November, but as far as the mayor I wish he would practice what he preaches about government and personal choices, especially since he has his nose in every New Yorkers lives from smoke bans to what & how we eat, dance, etc.

Felix
Bay Ridge

If President Obama's announcement was not the result of a carefully calculated political decision, and if Biden took the initiative to bring it up, Biden's statement forced Obama to put his cards on the table, perhaps at an inopportune time in the campaign. Then again, Obama's statement did force Romney to put his own cards on the table, opposing both same sex marriage and civil unions, so perhaps it was good timing to have the conversation this early in the campaign, before the conventions, to clear the decks for discussion of more substantive issues that affect the entire country and the world.

The second Bush election was won, not on the economy, the war, the environment, or even national security, but on the issues of flag burning, gay marriage, and other knee jerk hot button diversions. Yes, the gay marriage issue is polarizing, but the more the opponents oppose it on religious grounds, or because of its supposed threat to conventional marriage, the more ridiculous they sound. So perhaps Obama is giving the Republiclowns enough rope to hang themselves on this issue, while, at the same time, coalescing his own progressive support that had begun to wane in the face of the continuing war and of economic policies seen by the left as too supportive of the status quo.

BIG ANDY
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn

Really, Obama's opinion on gay marriage doesn't influence me one way or the other. I just want law-abiding neighbors. I am a basher against people who mug the elderly or rape the defenseless citizens.

Now fastforward...suppose that one or both of Obama's daughters decide to choose gay partners in the future. I am certain that he will give the only answer that he can give to the public. He will say "Sasha and Melia are still my daughters and I just want them to have a happy life." It would be nice if society could just live and let live. Maybe in the future this may be non issue?

kathy from Throggs Neck da bronx

While we're all being distracted by the issue of gay marriage & yet another "thwarting" of a fake terror plot: The number of homeless schoolchildren in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania etc. soars. Child hunger growing. Brutish austerity from emergency manager dictators. No home foreclosure relief. No student loan debt relief. No high-wage full employment. Union busting. Wage/benefits/pension cuts. De-industrialization. The coming sneak attack on the poors medicaid, the elderly's Social Security & Medicare. Gentrification... High food prices, high oil prices, high rent & taxes... And on and on and on and on....

Vee, Harlem

Obama's support of gay marriage will force Romney to make a fool of himself since he's clearly so uncomfortable with it on a personal level. This allows Jon Stewart & Bill Maher to expose Romney's prejudice independently from Obama's campaign.

Jeremy
Forest Hills

John,

When its all said and done, I think the President's support of gay marriage is going to hurt him. Clearly there are states that Obama is going to win on Election Day no matter what, and others that he is going to lose. Those that are loudly praising his support are probably living in the former, so i don't see Obama gaining on ground with this. In the so-called swing states, like Virginia and North Carolina, the independents and the political center are a lot more conservative than it is here in New York.. The independent center in these states are going to see this as another reason to vote against him. Factor in religious African American voters who might stay home, socially conservative Hispanics in places like New Mexico and Florida, and blue-collar "Reagan Democrats" in the swing states in the Rust Belt and I see this as a losing issue for Obama. He must be livid at Joe Biden right now.

Mike
Manhattan

Barack Obama had several years to come out and support gay marriage. He did it just a few months before the presidential elections. I think all Gay people should be offended by this. Also, it's a sad day for American politics.

Vasili
Astoria, Queens.

How does gay unions (called marriage or civil unions)personally effect the the life of the people who object? And this nonsense about it being for the children? So I guess if your child is gay s/he will be restricted from having their rights as a human. Your religious beliefs are yours! Why do they continue to try to shove their moral views down other people's throats? This country has REAL PROBLEMS!!!

Theresa
Washington Hts

I do not think that President Obama is playing politics on this issue. I, too, am a gay man who had to go through an evolving process to come to a conclusion on gay marriage.

The economy will decide the election. Mitt Romney is too prone to major blunders and will have a hard time rallying the conservative base to the polls. But we should be scared how far Romney will go to try and win over the conservatives.

Patrick
Manhattan

The video message is clear, clean, and fair. Finally someone in power respecting the rights of the people.

Nathan, bay ridge

As a senior gay man married for three years and together with my husband for almost 33 years, this is an incredible milestone in the right direction albeit not far enough. However, the video with Romney should act as a clarion call to everyone who truly believes in separation of church and state.

Kenn from Bayside

Hi John, this is Erik from Bushwick.

I'm happy that Obama got off the fence on the subject and said he was in favor officially.. its a step forward in society.. its just a shame it take an election to do whats right... this is supposed to be the land of the free for all.. but its sad to see that every year it seems we revert back to the times of ignorance with another issue that seems to offend the church.. will we ever truly be a separation of church and state?.....will we truly ever get there?

its sad, and primitive that in 2012 we still have to fight for civil rights for a large # of individuals in this country. we need more politicians like Barack Obama and Andrew Cuomo to take a stand and move this country forward. denying human beings the right to civil unions/marriage is medieval. i'm straight, unmarried incidentally

Trina,
Brooklyn

As a single man (heterosexual...if that matters) in my 40s I've been persecuted and taxed unfairly ever since my first job at 14 years of age. Get rid of marriage 'benefits' altogether. If homosexuals want to marry, great. Homosexuality is not a character flaw. Selfishness, greed, sense of entitlement, superiority complexes...these are the traits that drive conflict and problems in the US and really the world. Let anyone marry who wants to marry, and don't penalize those of us (via higher tax rates) who don't.

John
morning side heights

You go pres Obama, people can live their lives the way they want stop judging no ones perfect. What ever makes you happy!

Lillie

Hi John,

I’m against gay marriages for several reasons (non of them religious). All I’ve heard is about allowing gay marriage to occur, but I haven’t heard one single word about what the laws/rules will be when the marriage breaks up and results in “divorce.” I think we all know that when a straight marriage breaks up, the wife gets custody of the kid(s) 90% or more of the time, so if it’s two guys, which one is the “mother,” or does the poor kid just get tossed off to an orphanage causing much psychological harm, and if the marriage consists of two women, does it turn into a real ugly fight over who keeps the kid? Since gay marriages cannot produce children nature’s way, will tow gay men be allowed to adopt a female child, or vice versa for gay women and a boy child—what’s the psychological effect on the child. And what about alimony, again we all know that women get alimony in well over 50% of divorces, or if it’s two guys, is just an automatic even 50-50 split? If there’s an automatic split, then shouldn’t straight marriages have the same rules? And what about state taxes for gay marrieds in states that allow it and states that don’t (especially if they move). There are lots of other scenarios that I haven’t heard mentioned whatsoever, and I don’t think anybody out there believes that gay marriages will never result in divorces. Has anyone thought-out all these situations and other problems of gay marriages breaking down?

Regards,
Walter,
New Dorp

This all happened because Joe Biden came out in support of same sex marriage. Joe Biden put his foot in his mouth -- as he usually does -- and put President Obama in a very tough political position. I believe that this could hurt President Obama's re-election. I don't like the fact that President Obama's statement supporting same sex marriage could cost him the election -- but although the polls may show that this country is 50/50 for same sex marriage -- there still seems to be a swing towards opposition. He does not need the blue states to win. He needs states like Ohio to win and the Carolinas'. He won in 2008 off of Ohio and the Carolinas'. There are a lot of religious people in these states. This was a very risky political statement. BIDEN SHOULD BE OFF THE TICKET!!

And who cares about who Mayor Bloomberg endorses. This is not about him nor is he that important to the country!

Lisa

Shame on president Obama wanting to support gay marriage because of votes. Mick Romney does not disagree for votes. Pres. Obama said this statement for votes. He needs to be careful what he says.

Kevin
Sheepshead bay.

I applaud Obama and Bloomberg. However, the real issue is the need for the marriage laws in the first place. Marriage should simply be repealed.

Diane

I agree with the President but not with those who are trying to create some kind of moral equivalency between the gay marriage issue and what Black People have gone through. This is not in any way equal in significance to the civil rights movement. It is right and just but does not have the same moral weight as what MLK, Ralph Abernathy, Medger Evers or Rosa Parks or any of those millions of souls went through during the horrors of their enslavement from Africa. For the record I am straight and white.

Jorge
Clinton Hill
Brooklyn

I believe the Prez has put gay marriage out there and the republicans will fumble around with this issue while the Prez is addressing real concerns about jobs, etc. He will prevail...

Nancy R
Hell's Kitchen

Just wanted to add to the discussion that i am very surprised about how much discussion the gay marriage triggers here in the us. Coming from the netherlands (moved last week), saying that gay people cannot marry is almost racist. Who is anybody to judge who you can or cannot love and assign different rights to you as a result.

Cheers from the upper west side,
Sjoerd

Hello John, not to dismiss an important topic but I have to say with all that is going on in the world today I think this issue should rank very low. If in 2012 we can't get comfortable with gay marriage our priorities are way out of line.

Desmond

I don't understand why people think he said this to gain votes--the amendment PASSED, which shows that the votes do not swing that way.

Caitlin

The presidents' announcement that he approves same sex marriage was shocking and happy at the same time. All of this is a strategy to win the election, but president Obama will win no matter what. On the other hand and throwing politics aside, he is a human being who had the courage to change his mind and support the L.G.B.T all the way. The courage he showed it going on TV, where no president in hi...story has done it before only him. We are moving slow in change like his slogan says but we are going there. Deep in my mind and heart, he wants to end all this discrimination and bullying once and for all. Also, he wants to leave a legacy that we are all human beings with feelings and that we should not be a shamed of being who we are. Martin Luther King JR said the famous words " I have a dream" and with that president Obama wants to make clear the L.G.B.T people could get married, adopt children, be the next president gay of the United States, vice president, a lawyer, or whatever you desire to be in your own home of opportunities.

Eric
Bronx, NY

I think we have a President who believes in all equal rights. I believe we all should stand this President who is confident enough to stand up. Our President isn't doing this for political gains. Because he knows this is a hot topic in this nation.

Cely from Parkchester

To everyone saying the President is doing this for the votes, that is ridiculous because clearly this is not a majority position. There are something like 38 states with anti-gay marriage policy on the books so to gay marriage is clearly not a mainstream, slam dunk vote-getter. This could backfire on him if the country decides they're not ready for it. It is clear that people under 30 are very much in favor of gay marriage and as they age it will continue to be an issue that younger generations favor. I believe within 50 years the bigots that fight against gay marriage now will be seen in an equally unflattering light as those who fought against civil rights in the 60's. If you want to be against equal rights just come out and say you are a bigot, don't try to hide behind your religion.

Adam