WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama said Wednesday he was pleased with the outcome of a “contentious and emotional” legislative battle in New York that ended with the state passing a gay marriage law.
But just days after New York became the latest — and largest — US state to legalize same-sex marriage, the US leader said he was “not going to make news” by expressing his views on whether the time had come for a nationwide policy allowing matrimony between homosexuals.
“What I have seen happen over the last several years, and what happened in New York last week, I think was a good thing,” Obama told a White House press conference.
“It was contentious and emotional, but ultimately they made a decision to recognize civil marriages. I think that’s exactly how things should work,” Obama said, defending his record on civil rights for gay Americans which some activist in that community have said has not gone far enough.
“This administration under my direction has consistently said we cannot discriminate as a country on the basis of people of different sexual orientation,” the president said.
“We have done more in the two-and-a-half years that I have been in here than the previous 43 presidents,” said Obama, rattling off some gays rights achievements made during his administration, including “making sure gay and lesbian partners can visit each other in hospitals, and making sure federal benefits can be provided to same-sex couples — across the board.
“We have made sure that that is a central principle of this administration, because I think it’s a central principle of America,” Obama said.
“We said that we could not defend, the federal government poking its nose into what states are doing is putting the thumb on the scale against same sex couples.”
Pressed on the point however of whether he would support a federal policy allowing same-sex marriage, Obama demurred.
“I am not going to make news on that today,” he told a reporter. “Good try, though.”
Later, at a White House reception for activists from the lesbian, gay and trans-sexual community, Obama noted that he had ended the policy of discriminating against gays serving openly in the military.
And he said his welcome stood up to vigorous scrutiny.
“I have delivered on what I promised. Now, that doesn’t mean our work is done,” he said.
“There are going to be times where you’re still frustrated with me. I know there are going to be times where you’re still frustrated at the pace of change. I understand that. I know I can count on you to let me know.”
New York’s landmark bill gay marriage bill was passed last week following months of wrangling in the state between supporters and opponents, who objected largely on religious grounds.
The passage made New York the sixth and largest US state where gay couples can legally wed, following the path of Iowa, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont.
A March poll found that 53 percent of Americans are in favor of allowing gay marriage.
Other US states, like California, offer same-sex civil unions, but not marriage rights. That means the parties have some, but not all legal rights married couples have.