Little Backlash as Gay Marriage Spreads

And younger generation is much more likely to support gay marriage: poll

(NEWSER) - Nearly two-thirds of Americans support same-sex unions, though not necessarily marriage, a new CBS News /New York Times poll finds. While 38% of respondents said gay couples should be allowed to marry, another 24% said they should be granted legal rights via civil unions, for a grand total of 62% who back same-sex unions. Some 33% said same-sex couples should not be legally recognized at all. More»

He has Obama to thank: Washington Post

(NEWSER) - President Obama has done for Mitt Romney what Romney hasn't been able to do for himself: get evangelicals to rally behind the Republican candidate, reports the Washington Post . The president's public backing of gay marriage has fired up Christian conservatives, and pastors in swing states have Sunday sermons ready to roll against same-sex marriage. Activist groups also plan a barrage of media campaigns in those same states. More»

Says it's clear to him now after his own evolution on the issue

(NEWSER) - President Obama stepped into the fray over gay marriage in a big way today, telling ABC News flatly that he thinks it should be legal. Here's the big quote from the interview with Robin Roberts, which will air on the evening news:

• "I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or Marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

Amendment to state's constitution passes

(NEWSER) - North Carolina will make a ban on gay marriage part of its state constitution. Voters tonight approved a measure that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, reports AP . The state already has a law against gay marriage, but legislators wanted to make sure it couldn't get struck down by judges, notes the New York Times . North Carolina will be the 31st state to adopt such an amendment and the last one in the South to do so, adds the Raleigh News & Observer . Incomplete results had the measure up by about 60% to 40%. More»

Amendment would also ban other types of unions

(NEWSER) - North Carolina heads to the polls today, and the ballot issue getting the most attention is the state’s proposed ban on gay marriage . Though same-sex marriage has gotten some high-level support in the past few days, supporters of the amendment have been marching and running ads of their own urging voters to vote in favor of the ban, the AP reports, and experts think it will pass. Prior to today, more than 500,000 voters had cast their ballots—more than during the 2008 primary—and both sides are claiming that as a good sign. More»