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WH using gay marriage to divide the country?

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    GOP senator accuses Obama of using issue to distract from his record

  • Duration 5:11
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New allegations this morning that President Obama is trying to divide the country with his support.

Of gay marriage a top Republican.

Says that the White House is using smoke and mirrors to distract voters from the real issue of the election which he believes is the economy here's John -- President Obama brought this issue up because he wants to.

-- he can't run on his record let's put it that way and so he's trying to raise.

Do this it issues up to solve solidify his base.

Had to divide the country and that isn't what we should be focusing on now we should be focusing on jobs and the economy.

Dynamic here's -- powers Thomas the Daily Beast and a Fox News contributor.

And Rich Lowry editor of the national review also up Fox News contributor and morning -- -- -- my thanks for being here today.

At usually start with you and I mean this this is definitely the conservatives take on this that you know it it's really all about just sort of a dives to get away from the glaring big issue the -- Yes while the problem without as I don't think that this was.

Planned I think it was something that ended up happening because.

-- as the vice president got out ahead of the White House and an Obama had to come out I also don't think it necessarily is a Nat winner for Obama politically that the heat heat it helps -- in certain ways in terms of fund -- for example.

Maybe with a young voters but it puts him in apparel and other states in an.

You know battleground states and I think that.

It wasn't something that was necessarily -- so the idea that that this was some grand plan that Obama -- I'm gonna distract everybody by talking about gay marriage I just don't think the facts bear that out.

I need rich how long you go to a really interesting piece on as they and -- first of all you -- you think he did this mostly.

Based on conviction personal conviction on this issue.

Yeah I think what cornyn says is the politically shrewd thing to say because anyone who's perceived as the aggressor in the cultural war is usually in the wrong places trying to.

To put a paint President Obama in that spot.

And also any time the president says anything that have to do with the economy no matter why he's saying or what he is what it is Republicans should say look he's afraid to talk about the economy is correct it's all that's very -- but I don't think it's accurate.

President Obama supported gay marriage in 1996.

When it was yen -- a fringe issue he must've been the only one on the planet.

He shifted to oppose came -- at the same time it was becoming more mainstream so -- he was deceptive.

About this issue.

For years he's obviously supported it for years I think finally he was just too embarrassed by this obvious charade of opposing it.

And saying is evolving which everyone took to mean look he's gonna support it finally tells what you really believes after the election when he doesn't have to run for office again in his life.

So he he.

Basically -- right Joseph Biden changed the president and being honest and frank about this issue.

-- -- Yeah I am I don't disagreement that -- I think people have long felt that he definitely does.

Support gay marriage and that he was for political reasons had had shifted his position and saying that.

He didn't support it because it does -- with some apparel elect orally especially among.

White voters and ends in certain states where he already has a problem he -- has an album with white Catholic voters for example so.

This doesn't particularly help him.

And which is why I think you probably wasn't gonna actually come -- citizens -- Israel -- mention was just mention one other very important that -- energy set the first.

-- president right.

The card can according to Newsweek magazine -- as Clinton is culture black president get a shared game is and I have a finger to say about it and yet exactly.

You know I just six us away from the election right -- and with with this.

A statement by the president really not having any teeth -- actually changing anything he himself said you know -- should be a state issue the states have decided -- and -- him.

Basically -- over the weekend that he thinks that this is an issue that people -- cold differently on and they actually vote.

They say there in favor of it but then when it comes to voting in their states they have printing in many cases that they're not.

Inevitably.

This whole conversation does it go away.

And get back to what is most on American's minds and we're all pretty selfish when it comes the economy how much how I do -- and -- as president doing it you know like.

And will overwhelmingly be about the economy and that's just the public wants the conversation be about that I think you asked people.

They're gonna vote on gay marriages under 1% -- I do think it hurts him at the margins especially in some of these swing states like Ohio we're only about 35% of people say they support it.

And you're right.

It always under -- was actually on the ballot gay marriage where it is and and media.

The polls so it's it's -- that it's it's -- net losses the president but a small one and it's going to be big debate.

How on -- -- go quickly to get before this issue goes away.

I don't think it'll completely go -- I think the media is obsessed with that so we'll stay in the discussion I just -- experts though I don't think in terms of your average voter it's going to rank I think anybody -- our.

-- on this issue was are you voting for Obama.

It cares to rest thanks so much good to CF thank you --

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