Obama on gay marriage: 'Right thing to do'

[Tx4obama]

NEW YORK (AP) -- President Barack Obama on Monday defended his view that gay couples should have the right to marry, saying that the country has never gone wrong when it "expanded rights and responsibilities to everybody."

"That doesn't weaken families. That strengthens families," he told gay and lesbian supporters and others at a fundraiser hosted by singer Ricky Martin and the LGBT Leadership Council. "It's the right thing to do."

The remarks were his first to such an audience since he announced his personal support for same-sex marriage last week. They came on a day that Obama was making a targeted appeal to three core voting blocs - women, young people, and gays and lesbians. He gave a commencement address to Barnard College, a women's college, and taped an interview on "The View," a popular day-time talk show aimed at women.

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"At root, so much of this has to do with a belief that not only are we all in this together but all of us are equal in terms of dignity and in terms of respect, and everybody deserves a shot," he told about 200 supporters at the fundraising event.

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More here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-05-14-18-17-09

[phleshdef]

1. He seems to feel quite vindicated since voicing his support for marriage equality.