Congresswoman Clarke Weighs In on Obama's Same-Sex Marriage Stance

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke (D), U.S. Representative for New York's 11th congressional district, said she was proud that President Barack Obama had come out in favor for same-sex marriage. 

"I'm proud that President Obama has taken his lead in putting this issue to rest," Clarke told Ditmas Park Patch. "It also sends a signal to those who would be discriminatory or would want to do harm through bullying or other means, those days should be behind us." 

While this is a monumental moment for the LGBT community, Clarke noted that this might not impact Obama's re-election campaign in the way some think.

"All polling indicates the Nation is 50/50, both Democrat and Republican, in being in favor and against LGBT rights," she said. "I don't know that this will be the determining factor at the end of the day, the economy may [be]." 

"People who were going to vote against President Obama were against him anyway," Clarke continued, adding that this was a positive move for those who already supported Obama.

Clarke also noted that she did not question Obama's motives for coming out in favor of same-sex marriage, as some have. 

"I just find it interesting that people would call it opportunistic," she said. "He's the President of the United States, everything he says is going to be dissected. Whatever comes out of his mouths will be characterized by those who oppose him as opportunistic." 

"It's a good signal to the Nation that clearly there's a generation of young people where this won't be an issue for debate. They're not hung up on it as the generation before them and that's a visionary move on his part."