WASHINGTON — Most Americans suspect that President Obama was motivated by politics, not policy, when he declared his support for same-sex marriage, according to a new poll released on Monday, suggesting that the unplanned way it was announced shaped public attitudes.
Sixty-seven percent of those surveyed by The New York Times and CBS News since the announcement said they thought that Mr. Obama had made it “mostly for political reasons,” while 24 percent said it was “mostly because he thinks it is right.” Independents were more likely to attribute it to politics, with nearly half of Democrats agreeing.
The results reinforce the concerns of White House aides and Democratic strategists who worried that the sequence of events leading up to the announcement last week made it look calculated rather than principled.
Mr. Obama, who had said since late 2010 that his position on the issue was “evolving,” finally proclaimed his support for same-sex marriage only after Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. did so first in a television interview.
“If Biden hadn’t said something, I don’t think he would have said anything either,” Larry Gannon, 48, a graphic artist from Norwalk, Calif. and an independent, said in a follow-up interview.
Holly Wright, 67, an independent from Smithfield, Va., who works in the food industry, said she believed that Mr. Obama had concluded that more Americans approved of same-sex marriage. “He believes it will help him win the election,” she said. “In other words, say what the majority of the people want to hear.”
The survey results made it clear that the president was wading into a divisive area of American life, one that may not top the nation’s priority list but still has the potential to hurt him at the margins in elections in November. About 4 in 10, or 38 percent, of Americans support same-sex marriage, while 24 percent favor civil unions short of formal marriage. Thirty-three percent oppose any form of legal recognition. When civil unions are eliminated as an option, opposition to same-sex marriage rises to 51 percent, compared with 42 percent support.
The poll showed that relatively few voters consider same-sex marriage their top issue amid continued economic uncertainty, and more than half said it would make no difference in their choice for president. But among those who said Mr. Obama’s position would influence their vote, more said they would be less likely to vote for him as a result; in a close race, even a small shift in swing states could be costly.
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The subtle wits of American lreedas fly high and low – why? – that is because the past stands too deeply engrained in them and they want to live with it for their moments of excellence – Sarah Palin the excellent lady continues to give a plus to Obama on his creative charge and in that sense, she is indirectly doing good service for America. Republicans should be happy to learn this Truth that has brought America to the state of Light for Obama to pick on it.One thing good about American Democracy is it is “truly participating” and lasting with lessons for others to follow in modernity to tap blue horizons of life.Those blue horizons just do not end in economics that has many minds to tap the financial barometer of the country self educative in working of its affluent class and ordinary class both domestically and internationally relating to perfection with budgeting of money in economic plans that have been existing and are in the process to move charismatically with a tide over where bipartisan element also comes into play well integrated to test the mettle of the top leader of the country who has to stand over the continuous democratic element evolving of the country both in economic as well as inherently in spiritual terms for the good of the people at large mixing with the culture of exchange that has humanity behind it to survive?? By nature, the present President of America has that element in him – I should not be saying this but I am being inherently made to convey this as comment of exception for America and for Obama whose whole (Obama and his better half) stand as an extension through the ex Presidential candidate’s Charisma Of the Secretary Hillary Clinton that President Obama’s Charisma has selflessly absorbed for function in the cabinet gracefully for America and the world.That shows the humbleness of President Obama and maturity of Hillary Clinton of acceptance without a feeling of high and low of ego regarded as exceptional in Divinity.I was not supposed to make this comment and I have done so to urge the Republicans to accept their Light within of consensus through individual projections under control as Obama’s gesture of bipartisanship that will come to address.In short, this comment is all about health and health care where economics alone does not come into the picture with a rigorous analysis on it but should also extend as leverage to the person in play (Obama) who is also selflessly poised with corrections on it over the infra structure of it that he has proposed for approval as ego of his working element as the executive public ally chosen as the President that had appealed to the public at large voting even putting behind able lreedas like McCain?George W Bush was the last to steer America into the Light over the past of America and that stands as the subtle truth even today as on date with Bill Clinton the ex President of America giving support through his excellent independent caliber for Obama ultimately to head the show of America that was time bound of its reality that sees no barriers and to which he accepted well in his individual capacity as the free lance ex President of America. I have to stop here because it basically conveys the essence of this communication for Obama today that he is today to execute for America and the world at large?? – I do not see ego hassles when I am on my draft of communications because they flow spontaneously through me in my absolute “switch off” capacity from the lower realms of life as a being of life for the Being that I am for life.I thank all for bearing with me or rejecting me at the mind levels because that is how I am poised for all life to relish me as food.