On Sunday's broadcast of “The Chris Matthews Show” blogger and marriage equality advocate Andrew Sullivan teared up while talking about the president's support of gay marriage and what the moment means to him:
Chris Matthews, host: Andrew, you have advocated for this for many years, you yourself married your partner, Aaron. You’ve written a cover story on this for Newsweek. How important is this?
Andrew Sullivan: It’s hugely important and to tell you the truth, I didn’t realize how important it would be until it happened. Beforehand, I was kind of steeled. I was like, ‘I don’t care, he’s going to disappoint us again.’ And then I sat down and watched our president tell me that I am his equal, that I’m no longer outside, I’m fully part of this family and to hear the president who is in some ways a father figure speak to that, the tears came down like with many people in our families, to be included.
I never understood the power of a president’s words until that day, really. I thought, all that matters is the states and the Congress and the Defense of Marriage Act and I had all this in my head. Suddenly this man saying, ‘I’m with you, I get it, you’re like me, I’m like you, there is nothing between us, we are the same people and we are equal human beings and I want to treat you the way you treat me.’ That was overwhelming. That’s all I can say. I was at a loss for words.
Watch the full clip here.
Sullivan penned the latest Newsweek cover story, which calls Obama "the first gay president."