The National Organization for Marriage, which is opposing the ballot measure which would let Washington recognize same-sex marriage, posted a video on its blog that suggests President Obama was hiding his support for such unions for several months.

It's a clip of Gov. Chris Gregoire telling a group that when Obama visited Washington state in February right after she'd signed the bill that's behind Referendum 74, the president whispered in her ear to thank her for that and said "history will be on our side."

Note the use of the first person plural.

It wasn't until May that Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage, saying up until then only that his position was "evolving." Gregoire's remarks suggest the evolution was complete months before, NOM contends, wondering if other politicians also were receiving "secret support" from the president to change marriage laws.

So where does this video come from?

Read the rest of this item inside the blog.

The governor's office said the clip on the NOM blog is a portion of Gregoire's speech on Sept. 29 at a pro Ref. 74 event in Olympia, at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, put on by the Seattle Men's and Women's Choruses. Gregoire was introduced by Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, one of the prime movers of the legislation, and gives what's essentially a "get out there and work to get Ref. 74 passed" speech.

 

The whole video is here:

So is it a smoking gun of a conspiracy to push a gay agenda? Only if you believe politicians never wait to announce their position on an issue until they think the time is right. (Or in this case until they have to. Remember that Obama made his public announcement in support of gay marriage two days after Vice President Joe Biden saying he was "absolutely comfortable" with that change on a Sunday morning news show, signaling that the expected change in policy was coming but possibly speeding it up a bit.)

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