Obama: Gay Marriage Bans 'Probably' Unconstitutional

It looks like President Obama's views on gay marriage are continuing to "evolve." When he first expressed his support for gay marriage last May, Obama also said he thought it was a state issue (a position he's since reaffirmed). Now, however, the president is saying bans on gay marriage "probably" are unconstitutional, notes New York magazine in a look at George Stephanopoulos' interview with the president on Good Morning America. While acknowledging he still thinks gay marriage is a state issue, Obama added, "what I also believe is that the core principle that people don’t get discriminated against—that’s one of our core values. And it’s in our constitution. It’s in the, you know, 14th Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause."

Obama also said in the interview that America does not face an immediate debt crisis, Mediaite adds. "Look, balancing the budget in part depends on how fast you grow," he said. "In fact, for the next 10 years, it’s gonna be in a sustainable place." The president expressed hope he could find enough like-minded Republicans to get a deal done, but says he won't make compromises that mean heavy cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security. "If that’s the position, then we’re probably not gonna be able to get a deal," he said. The full transcript of the interview is available at ABC News. (More President Obama stories.)