Vice President Joe Biden: Marriage Equality Is Inevitable

What a moment this week when, in front of a bursting room at the U.S. Department of Interior, President Obama signed legislation that authorizes the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers. The room was filled with scores of activists, politicians, and former members of the U.S. military discharged for being gay.

One of those in the crowd was Lt. Dan Choi, who in many respects became one of the leading public faces advocating for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal this year. Arrested at The White House in nonviolent acts of civil disobedience, challenging the President and Democrats on cable news, and even flying out to Las Vegas in July 2010, where Lt. Choi confronted Sen. Harry Reid at a conference. Choi gave Sen. Reid his West Point ring back then, and said that he didn't want it back until "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was extinct.

This week, Lt. Choi got his ring back from Sen. Reid. And as the ring was delivered, Lt. Choi tweeted one of the best one-liners of the year: "The next time I get a ring from a man, I expect it will be for full, equal, American marriage."

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" down. Defense of Marriage Act, next.

Indeed, it didn't take long for folks to start pivoting from an awesome victory on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," to wondering when the Obama White House and Congress will start to push for repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. Advocate reporter (and soon to be one of the leaders at Equality Matters, the new LGBT media shop from Media Matters) Kerry Eleveld spoke with President Obama in a sweeping interview this week that revealed yet again that President Obama is getting closer and closer to supporting marriage equality. During the interview, Obama confirmed that today, he's all for civil unions, but not quite there on same-sex marriage. But his position, he says, is constantly evolving.

Then, during a news conference a few hours after signing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal, ABC journalist Jake Tapper asked Obama about marriage equality, and why if we can expect gays and lesbians to soon fight for their country and put their lives on the line for this country openly, shouldn't we also recognize the dignity of same-sex relationships and legalize same-sex marriage.

Obama's response: "I struggle with this. I have friends, I have people who work for me, who are in powerful, strong, long-lasting gay or lesbian unions. And they are extraordinary people, and this is something that means a lot to them and they care deeply about."

Argh. It's kind of like that kid trying to get into a swimming pool, but instead of just jumping in, he puts one toe in, and immediately pulls it out. But nonetheless, it's clear Obama is heading in the right direction.

Then, this morning on Good Morning America, Vice President Joe Biden was asked a question about marriage equality. And his answer? It only confirms what many of us have been saying for years: it's not a question of if, it's a question of when.

“I think the country's evolving.  And I think there's an inevitability for a national consensus on gay marriage," Biden said. He then compared the issue of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to marriage equality, saying that the pendulum swung on the issue of opening up the military, to the point where clear majorities saw ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as the right thing to do. Marriage equality, Biden said, is heading in a very similar direction.

That sentiment certainly echoes what Freedom to Marry pointed out earlier this year. In their top 10 list of marriage equality moments from 2010 (which is an excellent read), their number one moment confirms exactly what Vice President Biden hinted at this morning. And it's that 2010 marked the first time where a majority of Americans expressed support for marriage equality.

"2010 was the first year that polls showed a majority of Americans in support of the freedom to marry! The milestone was further proof that as more gay and lesbian people talk to their friends, family, and coworkers about why marriage matters, people around the country are realizing that there is no good reason to continue state-sponsored discrimination against loving and committed couples," Freedom to Marry said.

Hear that? It's the swooshing sound of the pendulum heading our way.

Check out the video of Biden on Good Morning America below. The issue of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and marriage equality comes up about the 5:30 mark.

Photo credit: The White House