In David Axelrod's new book, Believer: My Forty Years in Politics, he describes President Obama's flip-flopping in his stance on gay marriage.
Axelrod, a former political strategist to Obama, writes that when Obama stated his opposition to same-sex marriage in 2008, he may have been lying for political gain. Obama apparently told Axelrod, "I'm just not very good at bullshitting," after a 2008 campaign event when he spoke against gay marriage.
According to Axelrod, Obama supported same-sex marriage during his first presidential campaign, but Axelrod advised him not to reveal his stance, because "opposition to gay marriage was particularly strong in the black church." Axelrod adds that Obama was uncomfortable with the political "compromise," and he "routinely stumbled over the question when it came up in debates or interviews."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Time notes that when he ran for state senate in 1996, Obama said he wanted to legalize same-sex marriage, but in 2008, he said that "marriage is the union between a man and a woman" in his opinion "as a Christian."
During Obama's second presidential campaign, he announced his support for gay marriage, saying he had "evolved."
-
Trump reignites Jan. 6 furor by awarding military honors to killed rioterIN THE SPOTLIGHT With military funeral honors for Ashli Babbitt, the president makes good on campaign promises designed to animate his political base while relitigating history
-
'Is it OK to be happy when the world is falling apart?'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Will online age checks doom internet freedom?Today's Big Question Or do they protect children from harm?
-
Trump crypto token launch earns family billionsSpeed Read The World Liberty Financial token is now the Trump family's 'most valuable asset'
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revoltSpeed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich throwerSpeed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodusSpeed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official saysSpeed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judgesSpeed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policingSpeed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa CookSpeed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
