Steve Adkins, president of the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber:
What do we preach? We preach to everyone that we’re all equal. I don’t care what side of the aisle you are politically. This is an equality issue. To have the leader of the free world come out and support that we're all equal under the law and should respect our relationships, it’s a milestone day.
Even though it's not legally binding, it sets a tone. People look up to the leaders of their country, their elected officials.
We’re a long way till having this as law. You’ve got to have champions, and champions who can affect large groups of people.
Michael Albetta of Fort Lauderdale, past president of Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus:
Today is a terrific day. I’m wonderful. It will bring them out more. They’ve always been questioning why’s he’s walking that line, that very thin line. He always said he was for domestic partnerships and that marriage was for a man and a woman.
He’s a political strategist. He got his polls back. He knew when to move.
Yes, he did throw gas on the fire for the religious right. He incited them. But he’s also going to bring out the youth vote, the LGBT vote more. Now the Log Cabin Republicans will say this is the guy we need.
The polls came back to say it’s OK to say you’re with same-sex marriage. It’s OK to say you're in line with the majority.
Ron Mills of Fort Lauderdale, former president of Dolphin Democrats, campaign director for the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus:
Easier for the young people and the independents. And for the LGBT people, but we were going to get 80 percent anyway.
Up until today, I was comfortable with his and Mrs. Obama’s position that they had close friends and staff members that are in monogamous relationships, and he’s comfortable with the states having the rights.
I thought it was going to happen after the election.
It’s risky, but when has he not taken a risk? Everything that he’s done has been risky. History will say he’s a man of courage
I’ve had conversations with him so I know he’s comfortable
Miriam 'Mimi' Planas, co-chair of Log Cabin Republicans of Miami:
For the LGBT community, for him to say that, that he supports gay marriage, it’s hysterical.
I tend to believe more that this is about exciting his base than being truthful and honest. Truth be told, he’s been losing many the LGBT community who’ve been unhappy with him. Seeing what happened in North Carolina yesterday, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for him rev up his base. I hate to say that, I wish it wasn't true, but what can I tell you? You just have to look at the facts.
C.J. Ortuño, executive director of SAVE Dade in Miami:
The biggest impact the announcement has today on younger voters is the conversation will now be had at kitchen tables around the country, inside the households. moms and dads, brothers and sisters, grandparents living with their children, folks who’ve never talked about this before will have the conversation.
That conversation is more powerful than the combined power of all the LGBT activists in this country.
Anthony Verdugo, executive director of the Christian Family Coalition in Miami:
He had already tacitly endorsed homosexual so-called marriage when he instructed his Justice Department to stop defending DOMA, and he opposed North Carolina’s Amendment 1.
I think there are minority constituents, Hispanics and African Americans, who will take notice of this. It will be up to the Republican Party to remind minority voters of the president's position. That’s what they did in 2004 with the Bush reelection.
The Bush reelection team went to African Americans and said these issues were on the ballot. That generated almost 20 percent support for President Bush from African-American voters
Obviously the voters will have to decide for themselves.
On a personal level, I have struggled to find areas of common ground with the president, on the economy, foreign policy and social issues, and I don’t find any.
In a close race anything makes a difference.
The president has done this at a time when 61 percent of North Carolina voters voted to define and respect marriage as one man, one woman. I'm not surprised by the statement, I’m surprised by the timing.
