Did Joe Biden just admit he forced Obama’s hand on equal marriage?
Vice President Joe Biden has said he “didn’t have a problem” endorsing same-sex marriage while Barack Obama was still officially opposed.
The gaffe-prone Democrat famously forced Barack Obama’s hand on same-sex marriage by backing it himself on Meet the Press in May 2012, while the President was still officially ‘evolving’ on the issue.
A book last year claimed that “chaos erupted inside the West Wing” after news of Biden’s comments – and within days Obama had also come out in favour of same-sex marriage.
Despite remaining tight-lipped on the incident in the past, the VP addressed it at a Freedom to Marry rally last week.
Recounting his first experience of seeing two men kiss, he said: “I turned and looked at my dad, just looked at him. And I’ll never forget what he said. He said, Joey, they love each other. It’s simple.
“That’s what this has been all about from the beginning. It’s never been that complicated for me because of the parents who raised me.
“That’s why I didn’t have any problem… I had some political problems, but I didn’t have any problem.”
He added: “I didn’t have any problem with the President, directly and honestly answering that question on ‘Meet the Press’ that you showed. It’s always been a simple proposition.”
Lightning struck again when the VP backed an executive order banning anti-LGBT workplace discrimination last year, when the President had already rebuffed calls for executive action.
Mr Biden got his way on that occasion as well, with Obama reversing his position again and signing an order just two months later.
The Democrat is rumoured to be mulling a run for President himself – and plans to make an announcement one way or another next month.
