By saying Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press that he is "absolutely comfortable" with equal rights for partners in same-sex marriages and that love is at the root of all marriages "whether they're marriages of lesbians or gay men or heterosexuals," Vice President Biden has set off speculation about whether the Obama administration may soon fully endorse same-sex marriage.
The president has not publicly gone that far. After the Meet the Press appearance, Biden's staff told reporters that the vice president was not signalling any shift in the administration's position or any split with Obama.
"The vice president was saying what the president has said previously — that committed and loving same-sex couples deserve the same rights and protections enjoyed by all Americans and that we oppose any effort to roll back those rights," a Biden spokesperson told Politico.
Video and a transcript of Biden's comments are posted here.
As you can see, when asked if the administration would come out in support of same-sex marriage during a second term, Biden says "I can't speak to that. I don't know the answer to that." And at another point he says, "the president sets the policy."
Update at 11:55 a.m. ET. Education Secretary Expresses Support:
Education Secretary Arne Duncan said on MSNBC's Morning Joe today that he supports legalizing same-sex marriages.
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