Obama Endorses Gay Marriage Legalization in Illinois

Spokesman says president would support measure if he was still a state lawmaker

A spokesman for President Barack Obama on Sunday said the president endorses a proposal by the Illinois legislature to legalize gay marriage. In an interview with Reuters, White House spokesman Shin Inouye said Obama, a former state senator in Illinois, would be one of the lawmakers supporting a measure to give gay couples the right to marry if he were still an elected member of the body. “It’s wrong to prevent couples who are in loving, committed relationships and want to marry, from doing so,” Inouye said. “Were the president still in the Illinois State Legislature, he would support this measure that would treat all Illinois couples equally.” It is unusual to hear presidents weigh in on state matters, but Obama is the first sitting U.S. president to come out in support of marriage equality. The Democratically-controlled state governing body is expected to take up the measure in the New Year. If it passes, Illinois would become the tenth state to approve same-sex marriage. (Reuters)

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