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President Barack Obama endorsed the right of same-sex couples to marry on Wednesday, a landmark pronouncement made in light of mounting pressure from gay rights advocates.

Obama became the first U.S. president to back the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry, a reversal from views expressed during the 2008 campaign, when he said he opposed same-sex marriage but favored civil unions as an alternative.

Obama told ABC News that, after reflection, he had “concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”

Same-sex couples won the right to marry on Monday.

Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a measure legalizing gay marriage in a ceremony in Olympia on Monday. It made Washington the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriage.

A tearful Gregoire announced: “We’re here to make history here in the great state of Washington..This is a very proud day…A day that we did what was right, what was just, what was fair.”

(via seattlepi.com)

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Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, said she supports gay marriage legislation in the Senate — giving proponents the 25 votes needed for passage.

The state House already has enough lawmakers in support of the measure to approve it. Gov. Chris Gregoire backs the bill, as well.

Haugen issued announced her support immediately after a two-hour legislative hearing in Olympia about the bill.

(via Seattle Times)