The issue can't wait, and even if it could, it won't.
From HuffPo:
An unexpected surge in support to place same-sex marriage on the Democratic Party platform at the August convention has energized LGBT advocates and complicated an already delicate situation facing President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign.
In the past month, almost half of all Democratic senators, several of Obama's national campaign co-chairs, the House Minority Leader and the chairman of the Democratic convention, among others, have said they support adding marriage equality to the platform. Were this the position that the president held, such proclamations would not be a problem. But Obama says he is still publicly “evolving” on marriage equality. And the wave of support to make it a component of his convention has both surprised aides and set off a private push to keep emotions and expectations in check.
Yeah... Evolve Already.
For many in the LGBT activist community, skepticism on this front is justified. The president’s evolution -- already in contradiction to the support he expressed for marriage equality as a state senator -- would confound even Darwin at this juncture. But not everyone is willing to rule out convention-floor or election surprises on the marriage equality front.
“I find it impossible to believe that this presidential election will be completed without Barack Obama coming out strongly for marriage equality and Mitt Romney coming out strongly against it,” said Hilary Rosen, a longtime party strategist who is deeply involved in LGBT causes. “I think it would be hard for him to not take a position."
Greg Sargent of the Washington Post had this to report:
I checked in with Richard Socarides, a prominent gay rights advocate, for comment on this, and he was adamant: The gay community, an important Dem constituency, will settle for nothing less than an unequivocal expression of support for full marriage equality.
“There is no reason for delay,” Socarides told me. “This is an issue that everybody knew would come before the platform committee at least since last June, when we passed marriage equality in New York. The Democratic Party needs to stand for full equality for LGBT Americans. There shouldn’t be any issue or discussion over whether the Democratic party supports full equality.”
“Either you’re for full equality or you’re not,” he added. “Any Democrat who thinks we can finesse this as a party this year is delusional.”
There is no avoiding the issue any longer states all over the country have legalized gay marriage, now
it is time for the President to stand up for civil rights.