Andrew Sullivan on President Obama's Support For Marriage Equality

Andrew Sullivan, whose Newsweek article "The First Gay President" is getting a lot of attention as much for its text as its cover image, appeared on The Chris Matthews Show on Sunday and offered an emotional account of what Obama's announcement meant to him.

Said Sullivan:

It's hugely important and to tell you the truth, I didn't realize how important it would be until it happened. Beforehand, I was kind of steeled. I was like, 'I don't care, he's going to disappoint us again.' And then I sat down and watched our president tell me that I am his equal, that I'm no longer outside, I'm fully part of this family and to hear the president who is in some ways a father figure speak to that, the tears came down like with many people in our families, to be included.

I never understood the power of a president's words until that day, really. I thought, all that matters is the states and the Congress and the Defense of Marriage Act and I had all this in my head and suddenly this man saying, 'I'm with you, I get it, you're like me, I'm like you, there is nothing between us, we are the same people and we are equal human beings and I want to treat you the way you treat me.' That -- that was overwhelming. That's all I can say. I was at a loss for words.

(source)