Obama Campaign Opposes MN Anti-Gay Amndment

For the second time this year, the Obama-Biden 2012 campaign has come out swinging in opposition to a state-based initiative to prohibit marriage equality rights from same-sex couples, even though same-sex marriage is already banned by statute in that state. The first time this happened was in North Carolina, which faces an anti-gay ballot measure on May 8, 2012.

Today, the Obama campaign also came out against Minnesota's anti-gay marriage amendment. The Minnesota Star-Tribune reports:

Obama for America's Minnesota communications director, Kristin Sosanie, said in a news release that "while the President does not weigh in on every single ballot measure in every state, the record is clear that the President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples. That's what the Minnesota ballot initiative would do -- it would single out and discriminate against committed gay and lesbian couples."

These statements are very useful to show that the opposition to amending a state constitution in order to expressly discriminate against a selected group of citizens is a mainstream position.

What will be more interesting to see is if the Obama-Biden campaign comes out against the marriage referenda in Washington and Maryland which if they are defeated will actually lead to the enactment of marriage equality. (I think this is possible.)

It will also be interesting to see if the Obama-Biden campaign comes out in favor of the ballot measure in Maine which affirmatively legalizes marriage equality if passed. (I wouldn't hold me breath!)