Quote Originally Posted by tommy View Post
As a general matter, it could be the realization that among white voters, support for gay marriage already exceeds the President's own support levels.

In NC, I wouldn't think it would be a matter of energizing his base. A major component of his NC base is black voters, who as a whole are strongly anti-gay marriage.

Perhaps his taking this position is an attempt to place Romney on the horns of a dilemma: if he reacts very strongly, in harsh terms, against Obama's position, he risks alienating white suburban and college educated voters, who will be critical in important states like Pennsylvania and Virginia and a few others. On the other hand, if he does not condemn Obama and gay marriage in strong terms, social conservatives, who he needs to come out and come out in big numbers for him to have any chance at all, have yet another reason to not believe in him as a "true conservative," and sit it out.
In just one day yesterday (after voicing his support of same sex marriage), it was reported he received nearly $1 million in donations. I think that was the main reason he came out and said it. Money for his campaign. The timing is odd and I do agree that Biden being a knuckle head hurt the timing aspect. Politically I don't think it can help him all that much but I do think it can hurt him. The high majority of the "gay" community was going to vote for Obama anyways. Those who are opposed to same sex marriage yet still on the fence of which candidate to support may very well be turned away from Obama now.