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>> i think two things. one, certainly dollars are a bonus, i'm sure part of the calculation. let's not underestimate the courage that it takes to do this at this point in time. on the day after black voters in north carolina, a swing state that the president absolutely wants to and needs to win, overwhelmingly support an amendment -- >> wouldn't it be more courageous the day before as you asked ben? >> i'm not talking about the timing. he did it. he is risking, i don't think he is risking african-american voters not going. >> i don't know that they are going to vote for mitt romney but could s...

He was going to do this before the convention. it became part of the national conversation throughout the week and thought this was the right time to step up and do it. >> but ben, i still have questions. we know, everybody has been talking about this vote in north carolina which happened on tuesday. why didn't the president come out before that vote and sort of you know, give america, give north carolina voters a reason to not vote in support of amendment one and to really perhaps hand a brass ring to the gay rights community in north carolina? >> he's taken a stand against those sorts of div...

Malia's friends parents and hearing from service members who could fight and die but not get married and he thought it was important for him personally to take the next step. >> thanks, ben. i want to open this to the panel. we'll keep you there and keep asking you questions. folk, this is i think it is a line in the sand for american history and having the first american president come out in support of marriage equality. it has not been lost on the white house that this is obviously a political opportunity as well. there is a new ad out by team obama criticizing mitt romney for his position ...

50/50. that's not going to stop that people under 40 support it by two thirds so. the arc of history is pretty clear here. it's not going to suddenly people 30-year-olds are not going to suddenly say i was wrong about that. i don't want gay people to get married. >> i agree with that. i think the short-term political question is how close the election is going to be otherwise. i think that's when it starts to matter. as curt said, the long term vectors among the youth population are clear. where it could matter is if the race is very close in swing states and among conservative -- socially con...