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A decade ago, then-Vice President Joe Biden shocked the political world and preempted his boss by suddenly declaring his support for gay marriage on national television. But not everyone was surprised.
A small group had attended a private fundraiser with Biden weeks earlier in Los Angeles, where he disclosed not only his approval but his firm conclusion about a positive future for same-sex marriage.
He predicted, Things are changing so rapidly, it’s going to become a political liability in the near term for someone to say, I oppose gay marriage.'“
„Mark my words. And my job our job is to keep this momentum rolling to the inevitable.
The day that Biden envisioned may have arrived. He plans on Tuesday to sign legislation, passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress, to protect gay unions even if the Supreme Court should revisit its ruling supporting a nationwide right of same-sex couples to marry.
Biden’s signature will burnish his legacy as a champion of equality at a time when the LGBTQ community is anxious to safeguard legal changes from a backlash on the right that has used incendiary rhetoric, particularly against transgender people.
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The politics were far different a decade ago, when gay rights activists were frustrated with President Barack Obama. He had made some changes, such as eliminating the don’t ask, don’t tell rule that prevented gay people from serving openly in the military, but stopped short of embracing marriage equality.
As Obama’s vice president, Biden shared the same stance. So there was some tension in April 2012 when Biden attended the fundraiser at the Los Angeles home of a married gay couple and their children.
Chad Griffin, an activist who had also helped organize the event, decided to ask Biden about it.
