CNN posted a video (below) showing President Obama's 'evolving' stance on Same-Sex marriage over the years - from his time as an Illinois State Senator to his comments at an LGBT fundraiser in New York last week. I myself feel that it isn't the best example of an 'evolution' in thinking. It comes across more like a fairly in-depth look at how a skilled politician navigates a touchy subject in front of different types of groups.
As I've said before - I think Obama has no problem with Same-Sex Marriage and probably never really has. However, I believe he recognized - as a politician - that it wasn't politically helpful to support legalizing Same-Sex marriage until a majority of the public supported it. Now, as recent polls have shown, a slim majority of Americans now support legalizing Same-Sex marriage. I believe as that majority grows, President Obama's statements of support for equal rights will begin to more specifically focus on marriage equality.
Also, as the polls continue to shift towards marriage equality, I'd expect to see more and more Conservative lawmakers come out in support of 'Civil Unions' as a way to show they're in agreement with most Americans but not support 'Marriage' so the Christian Conservatives are sufficiently satisfied. Obama will probably talk about how Civil Unions are a 'separate but equal' falsehood, and tie in segregation as an example of how that concept doesn't work in the U.S. Democrats will turn that into an attack on Republicans for being 'out of touch' with most Americans on the issue.
In the end, I believe President Obama is being quite the skilled politician when it comes to this issue. LGBT rights organizations and the President's staff all talk about how his administration has presided over the largest extension of rights to Gay Americans than any President in history. I would point out that it was only possible because the people have become more accepting of Same-Sex relationships in general - and that his ability to extend those rights hasn't been a political liability. Does that make Obama the "fierce advocate" he claims to be to the LGBT community? Or, does that make him a politician that was in the right place at the right time to do what most Americans thought should be done anyway?
Watch the video and you decide.
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