President Barack Obama just dropped a bomb on the American public today.  After much debate for years on how Mr. President would and should address the issue, even after endorsing "civil unions" during his Presidency, he said today he personally endorses the legalization of same sex marriage.

His interview clip inside...

In an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts, which will air in full tomorrow (Thursday) on "Good Morning America," President Obama finally spoke with conviction about the hot button issue of same-sex marriage.  While approximately 30 states have laws that actually outlaw same-sex marriage, Obama has taken his pro-civil union stance one step further to endorse the legalization of same-sex marriage.

"I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together; when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that 'don't ask, don't tell' is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I've just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married," Obama told Roberts in an interview to appear on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday.

The President mentioned Sasha & Malia's role in forming his opinion.  After sitting around the dinner table with his young daughters, and hearing them speak about their school friends who have same-sex parents, it was a normal occurrence for them that was part of their everyday life.  It was easy to see that the same sex opposition was possibly even generational:

"It's interesting, some of this is also generational," the president continued. "You know when I go to college campuses, sometimes I talk to college Republicans who think that I have terrible policies on the economy, on foreign policy, but are very clear that when it comes to same-sex equality or, you know, sexual orientation, that they believe in equality. They are much more comfortable with it. You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we're talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn't dawn on them that somehow their friends' parents would be treated differently. It doesn't make sense to them and, frankly, that's the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective."

And on whether First Lady Michelle Obama and faith were instrumental in his decision:

"This is something that, you know, we've talked about over the years and she, you know, she feels the same way, she feels the same way that I do. And that is that, in the end the values that I care most deeply about and she cares most deeply about is how we treat other people and, you know, I, you know, we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it's also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated. And I think that's what we try to impart to our kids and that's what motivates me as president and I figure the most consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I'll be as a as a dad and a husband and, hopefully, the better I'll be as president."

So...what are your thoughts?  Do you agree with the President?  Will this affect his re-election come this November from either direction?

SPEAK ON IT!