Obama, backing gay vows, on fundraising tour

SEATTLE -- President Barack Obama wasted little time casting Republican rival Mitt Romney as "backwards on equality" Thursday, eager to transform his historic embrace of same-sex marriage into donor enthusiasm and grassroots vigor.

Just one day after announcing his support of the top gay rights issue, Obama was attending a lavish West Coast fundraiser hosted by actor George Clooney in Los Angeles' Studio City area, the heart of celebrity gay marriage activism. At the same time, his campaign rolled out a Web video claiming Romney would roll back some rights for same-sex couples.

White House spokesman Jay Carney brushed aside questions about the timing of the attack on Romney, saying that Obama and Romney had differed on issues of gay rights even before the president declared his support for same-sex marriage.

"Gov. Romney is for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would enshrine discrimination into our founding legal document," Carney said. "The president thinks that's wrong. So their positions were starkly different before yesterday."

In Seattle, where he was attending two fundraisers, Obama witnessed the support firsthand as his motorcade passed a woman holding an infant and a sign that said: "Thank you! Mr. President for standing up for my mommys!"

He drew big cheers from supporters at Seattle's historic Paramount Theater when he said his vision for a better America applies to everyone, "no matter what you look like, no matter what your last name, no matter who you love."

Without referring directly to marriage, Obama expanded on the theme of same-sex equality.

"We are moving forward to a country where every American is treated with dignity and with respect and here in Washington you'll have the chance to make your voice heard on the issue of making sure that everybody, regardless of sexual orientation, is treated fairly," Obama said. "You'll have a chance to weigh in on this. We are a nation that treats people fairly."

Washington state has passed a law approving same-sex marriage, but opponents in Washington are gathering signatures for a ballot initiative to overturn the law and declare marriage as union of man and woman.

The campaign was not shying away from the issue even though aides conceded it held some political risk for the president. Just hours after Obama voiced his support for gay marriage in an ABC interview, the campaign emailed a clip of the interview and a personal statement from the president to its vast list of supporters, drawing attention to his stance.

Obama told Hollywood donors last night that his decision to support same-sex marriage is a logical extension of where he believes America ought to be.

He also that the issue illustrates the difference in visions for the country between himself and Republicans.

Obama addressed about 150 top-dollar supporters last night at Clooney's Tudor-style canyon home in the Studio City area of Los Angeles. The president's remarks about his gay marriage stance were brief and oblique, without ever mentioning the word marriage.