Santorum Leads Charge Against Obama on Gay Marriage

Conservative leaders wasted no time in slamming President Barack Obama on Wednesday for saying gay marriage should be legalized.

Former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum led the way in condemning Obama’s stance, which the president iterated in an interview to be broadcast on Thursday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

"The announcement today by President Obama should come as no surprise to the American public. President Obama has consistently fought against protecting the institution of marriage from radical social engineering at both the state and federal level,” the former Pennsylvania senator said.

“The President recently opposed the North Carolina constitutional amendment and, of course, he refused to defend President Clinton's Defense of Marriage Act before the U.S. Supreme court. The charade is now over, no doubt an attempt to galvanize his core hard left supporters in advance of the November election.

“Thankfully the American public, when it has had an opportunity to consider the real world consequences of such a fundamental change to our society, has consistently voted for maintaining one man one woman marriage — the basic building block of our society,” added Santorum.

“I will continue to fight to make sure that the cultural elites don't further undermine the institution that gives the best opportunity for healthy, happy children and a just and prosperous society."

Other conservatives joined the backlash to Obama’s position within minutes of ABC releasing a portion of the interview with Robin Roberts.

Ralph Reed, the chairman of Faith & Freedom Coalition, called the president’s position “an unanticipated gift” to Romney’s campaign, while Maggie Gallagher of the National Organization for Marriage called it “a huge mistake.”

“President Obama is choosing the money over the voters the day after 61 percent of North Carolinians in a key swing state demonstrated they oppose gay marriage,” said Gallagher.

“We now have clear choice between Romney and Obama, and we look forward to demonstrating in November that it’s a bad idea for a national candidate to support gay marriage. Marriage is a winning issue for the GOP.”

Gallagher said that Obama was right to state openly what his real beliefs are in an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts. “Morally this is good,” she said. “Because lying to the American people is always wrong. President Obama has come clean that he is for gay marriage.

Reed said, "Four years ago Barack Obama promised if elected not to raise taxes on those making less than $250,000, pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term---and made clear his support for traditional marriage. All those promises are now broken.”

“At a time of high unemployment and severe economic distress, President Obama chose the week he launched his re-election campaign to flip-flop on same-sex marriage.

“Combined with his administration’s opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act, it reveals a president who is tone-deaf and out-of-touch with the time-honored values of millions of Americans,” added Reed.

“This is an unanticipated gift to the Romney campaign. It is certain to fuel a record turnout of voters of faith to the polls this November."