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that prompts a change in perspective. not wanting to somehow explain to your child why somebody should be treated differently when it comes to the eyes of the law. you've got joe biden, arnie duncan coming out for gay marriage. did all of this force the president's hand. >> it's sort of sped up the timeline, but they insist that the president had already made up his mind on this issue a couple of months ago, after as you pointed out, in that sound bite we just heard talking to family members and friends and that the president was planning on going public with this at some point befor...

>> he was a wonderful, wonderful man to know and to work for. and, of course, president bush this year, too. >> that would be bush 43. >> i will to the best of my ability. >> the president's whose election olson successfully defended before the supreme court in 2000. a memory that wasn't lost on chad griffin. >> i knew i was in foreign territory. but i saw enough in that office to know just how republican, you know, of a world that ted olson comes from. and my world could not be more different than that. >> also on display was olson's extraordinary legal track record. with 44 supreme court vic...

Rumsfeld. after all, olson is a conservative legal icon. of course, one of the first things you see when you walk through the door in this office is -- a picture of ronald reagan. >> he was a wonderful, wonderful man to know and to work for. and, of course, president bush is here, too. >> reporter: that would be bush 43. >> and i will to the best of my ability -- >> reporter: the president whose election olson successfully defended before the supreme court in 2000. a memory that wasn't lost on chad griffin. >> i knew i was in foreign territory. but i saw enough in that office to know just how ...

That first uneasy call to olson. >> much to my surprise, it was an issue he clearly thought a lot about, but the moment i hung up the phone, i realized that there was a chance i was talking to someone who overnight could become the most important, significant advocate for marriage equality that this movement has ever seen. >> we talked for awhile on the telephone and then he said can i come and talk to you in your office in washington, d.c.? >> reporter: olson took the meeting, although they kept it a secret. here you are with donald rums feld. >> the first thing you see is a picture of ronald...