At the Clooney event: Equality 'What America Is Supposed to Be,' Says Obama

[Tx4obama]

President Obama says his support for marriage equality is “a logical extension of what America is supposed to be.”

He made the statement at a star-studded fund-raising event at actor George Clooney’s home in Los Angeles Thursday night. According to an official White House transcript, he said, to applause, “Obviously yesterday we made some news,” then added, “but the truth is it was a logical extension of what America is supposed to be.”

He continued, “It grew directly out of this difference in visions: Are we a country that includes everybody and gives everybody a shot and treats everybody fairly, and is that going to make us stronger? Are we welcoming to immigrants? Are we welcoming to people who aren’t like us? Does that make us stronger? I believe it does.”

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Obama was greeted by activists grateful for his marriage endorsement in Los Angeles and in an earlier stop in Seattle. Among those holding signs in L.A. were Dan Fatou of GetEqual, who told the Los Angeles Times, “We thank him for his support of equal rights in marriage, but we need him to do more.” In Seattle, they included a mother holding an infant and a sign that read, “Thank You! Mr. President for standing up for my Mommys.”

LGBT leaders in Washington State said they thought the president’s statement would be helpful to those fighting repeal of the state’s recently enacted marriage equality law. “When you have the president of the United States come out in favor of your issue, it’s hard not to be energized,” state representative Jim Moeller, who is gay, told The Columbian.

http://www.advocate.com/politics/marriage-equality/2012/05/11/obama-says-marriage-equality-part-what-america-supposed-be