'Evolution' or a plain old flip-flop?

Last week, Barack Obama became the first sitting president to announce support for same-sex marriage. During a not-so-impromptu interview with ABC News, Obama told Americans why, at this point in his presidency, he believed it was important for same-sex couples to be able to get married.

On the previous Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” Vice President Joe Biden had declared his support for same-sex unions, setting off a media frenzy as to whether or not the president would follow suit.

Pundits and pollsters are champing at the bit. Social issues are back in the campaign spotlight. Mitt Romney, a Mormon who believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, has so far made only very passive responses to the president’s announcement.

Obama has labeled Governor Romney a flip-flopper on social issues. However, when talking about his own sudden change in opinion on gay marriage, he labels it “evolution.”

Back in 2004, when Obama was running for the Senate in Illinois, he stated, “I’m a Christian. I do believe that tradition and my religious beliefs say that marriage is something sanctified between a man and a woman.” Then, in 2008, on the presidential campaign trail, he reiterated that belief. However, now facing an increasingly tough re-election, the night before George Clooney’s $40,000-a-ticket fundraiser, the president had “evolved,” and now supported gay marriage.

Did he make his announcement for political advantage? Of course. It was a welcome distraction from the economy and high unemployment. But I think, politically speaking, he stepped on his own toes by not taking into consideration the impact his position will have on the swing states — the “must wins” for him in November.

Polls over the past decade show a huge shift of people who support same-sex marriage. According to a recent Gallup poll, 50 percent of Americans now support it, while 48 percent opposed it. Other polls show an even larger majority.