What is Obama Risking by Backing Gay Unions?

May 11, 2012 from Al Jazeera English

Barack Obama is now the first sitting US president to back same-sex marriage. But will he pay a political price in November's presidential elections for coming out with his support of gay unions? Al Jazeera's Inside Story has the following report, with guests Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage, William Robinson of the Coalition to Protect All North Carolina Families, and Adam Serwer of Mother Jones Magazine.

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Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex and/or gender identity. Legal recognition of same-sex marriage or the possibility to perform a same-sex marriage is sometimes referred to as marriage equality or equal marriage, particularly by suppor... Explore this topic

Brian S. Brown

Brian S. Brown is an American activist and president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), a non-profit advocacy organization that works to prevent or overturn the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. Explore this topic

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II (/bəˈrɑːk huːˈseɪn oʊˈbɑːmə/; born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama served as a U.S. Senator representing the state of Illinois from January 2005 to Novemb... Explore this topic

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state in Southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west, Virginia to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 10th most populous of the 50 ... Explore this topic

National Organization for Marriage

The National Organization for Marriage is an American non-profit political organization established in 2007 to work against legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States. It was formed in 2007 specifically to pass California Proposition 8 prohibiting same-sex marriage... Explore this topic

US President

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces. Article II of the U.S. Constituti... Explore this topic

Mother Jones

Mother Jones is a politically left-wing American magazine, featuring investigative and breaking news reporting on politics, the environment, human rights, and culture. Monika Bauerlein and Clara Jeffery serve as co-editors. Madeleine Buckingham has served as Chief Executive Of... Explore this topic

Al Jazeera English

Al Jazeera English is an international 24-hour English-language news and current affairs TV channel headquartered in Doha, Qatar. It is the sister channel of the Arabic-language Al Jazeera. The station broadcasts news features and analysis, documentaries, live debates, current... Explore this topic

Inside Story

Inside Story is a daily news programme broadcast by Al Jazeera English. Presented by an anchor from Al Jazeera's studios in Doha who is joined by guests from around the globe, the programme provides analysis and commentary on recent news stories. It is modeled after Mā Warā’ a... Explore this topic

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Same-sex marriage

Brian S. Brown

Barack Obama

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