Prominent political figures who support same-sex marriage

President Obama endorsed same-sex marriage Wednesday, making him the latest — and most prominent — U.S. politician to call for gay nuptials. Here are a few other prominent political figures who have supported gay marriage.

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Barack Obama, U.S. president

"I think same-sex couples should be able to get married," Obama told Robin Roberts in an ABC News interview on May 9. The declaration followed intensifying pressure from gay campaign donors and Vice President Biden's weekend comments that Biden is ''absolutely comfortable'' with gay marriage.

Carolyn Kaster / AP

Vice President Joe Biden

The vice president famously gave his support to gay marriage before the president did, saying on Meet the Press: “I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly, I don't see much of a distinction -- beyond that." Obama made his endorsement three days after.

Charles Dharapak / AP

Andrew M. Cuomo, New York governor

Cuomo (D) became a hero to the gay rights movement after his successful effort to get same-sex marriage through New York's legislature in 2011.

Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images

Dick Cheney, former vice president

Cheney (R) declared his support for gay marriage in 2009 and lobbied Maryland Republicans in February to support same-sex marriage. His second daughter, Mary, is a lesbian.

Richard Drew / AP

Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City

Bloomberg (I) called Obama's decision Wednesday ''a major turning point for civil rights.''

Karly Domb Sadof / AP

Chris Gregoire, governor of Washington state

On Feb. 13, when Gregoire (D) signed same-sex marriage into law in Washington, she said: "I ask all Washingtonians to look into your hearts and ask yourselves: Isn't it time? . . . We in this state stand proud for equality."

Chris Joseph Taylor / Getty Images

Martin O'Malley, Maryland governor

O'Malley (D) helped push a bill to allow same-sex marriage through the Maryland legislature this year.

Patrick Semansky / AP

Arne Duncan, U.S. secretary of education

Duncan, when asked Monday on MSNBC's “Morning Joe” whether he thinks gays should be able to marry, answered: "Yes, I do."

Jay LaPrete / AP

Cory Booker, mayor of Newark

"Marriage equality is not a choice. It is a legal right,'' Booker (D) said on Jan. 24.

Mel Evans / AP

Jimmy Carter, former U.S. president

Carter supports legalizing gay marriage, but told the Huffington Post in March that each place of worship should be able to decide if they want to perform gay marriages. "Jesus never said a word about homosexuality,'' Carter was quoted as saying. "In all of his teachings about multiple things -- he never said that gay people should be condemned.''

Paul J. Richards / AFP

Bill Clinton, former U.S. president

Clinton campaigned to stop North Carolina from banning gay marriage, "What it will change is North Carolina's ability to keep good businesses, attract new jobs, and attract and keep talented entrepreneurs," Clinton said in an automated call earlier this week. "If it passes, your ability to keep those businesses, get those jobs, and get those talented entrepreneurs will be weakened."

Michael Norris / Amarillo Globe-News / AP

DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Democratic National Committee chair and Florida congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz has said gay marriage is "the civil rights issue of our generation." She says the idea that the president came out in support of same-sex marriage because it would be a good move for him politically illustrates the progress the LGBT community has achieved.

Charles Dharapak / AP

Rahm Emanuel, mayor of Chicago and former Obama chief of staff

Emanuel backed pending legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in Illinois. "I'll push for it because it is consistent with the values base, and the practical values base, that I think is right as a city, as a state and as a country," said Emanuel, who supported gay marriage during the campaign.

Daniel Acker / BLOOMBERG

Laura Bush, former first lady

Bush publicly broke with her husband on abortion and gay marriage in a 2009 interview with Larry King. Not only did she support same-sex marriage, when asked if it will become the law of the land, she replied: "Yeah, that will come, I think.''

Spencer Platt / GETTY IMAGES

Caroline Kennedy, co-chair, Obama's reelection campaign

John F. Kennedy's only surviving child on May 7 presented "Profile in Courage" awards to the three ex-Iowa judges who were voted out of office in 2010 following their decision to legalize same-sex marriage. The judges, Kennedy said, "put their lives and careers on the line to protect the fundamental civil rights of Americans who wish to marry the person they love.''

Stephan Savoia / AP

Antonio Villaraigosa, Los Angeles mayor

Moments after Obama's announcement on Wednesday afternoon, Villaraigosa tweeted: "We stand w/Pres. Obama -- love doesn't have a color, love doesn't care if you're gay or straight. Love doesn't discriminate."

David McNew / GETTY IMAGES

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.)

In 2011, the Florida congresswoman became the first Republican to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act, a proposed bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act prohibiting same-sex marriage. "I'm a pro-life, gay rights advocate so I manage to upset many folks at any given time," she told the Miami Herald.

Sarah L. Voisin / THE WASHINGTON POST

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