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A GOP lawmaker said today that President Obama's rollout of his announcement supporting gay marriage reminded her of an Abbott & Costello act.
"I think that the way they have handled this, with the bumbling, and Vice President Biden, and then -- it's like an Abbott and Costello hit, "Who's On First?," Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said on ABC's This Week. "And I don't think it was unexpected. I think what we're waiting to see is if the Democrat Party is going to make this a part of their platform."
Obama announced his shift in position on gay marriage on Wednesday, following Vice President Biden's near endorsement of allowing same-sex couples to legally marry in an interview last Sunday. The next day, Education Secretary Arne Duncan also affirmed his support of same-sex marriage.
While the Republican Party strongly opposes same-sex marriage, the GOP response to Obama's shift on the issue has been rather muted. Former senator Rick Santorum has been perhaps the most outspoken on the matter and said that Obama's shift could be a powerful weapon on the campaign trail for Romney.
But a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll conducted on Thursday, following the president's announcement underscored that gay marriage isn't close to the most important concern for most voters. The poll showed 51%-45% approve of Obama's position, but 60% said it would not have any bearing on how they'll vote in November.
Blackburn said that she expects Romney will keep the focus on the economy and jobs.
"Those are the issues that are first and foremost in front of people," Blackburn said.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who appeared on CNN's State of the Union, said that Obama might be trying to fire up his liberal base.
"He can't run on his record," Cornyn said. "And so he's trying to raise divisive issues to solidify his base and to divide the country, and that isn't what we should be focusing on now."
Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said it was "a matter of conscience." He added that he didn't think it would affect Obama at the polls in November.
"I don't think he's going to lose votes that he otherwise hadn't lost," Durbin said. "I'm not sure the evangelicals were going to lean towards President Obama, anyway."
