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Despite Obama's endorsement of gay marriage, public opinion shifts little on issue
• WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's endorsement of gay marriage did little to shift the nation's views on the subject, with a new poll finding that the public remains evenly split on the issue. • Even so, an Associated Press-GfK survey released Friday found that the president fired up his core supporters -- at least for now -- with his support of gay marriage. More young people, liberals and Democrats say they strongly approve of Obama's handling of same-sex marriage than said they did before he disclosed his new position last month. • The poll found that 42 percent of Americans oppose gay marriage, 40 percent support it and 15 percent are neutral. Last August, the country was similarly divided over whether same-sex couples should be allowed to be legally married in their state, with 45 percent opposing, 42 percent favoring and 10 percent neutral. • The country's divisions -- and conflictions -- are clear in the voices of Americans. • "Marriage is a marriage, and it's between a man and a woman," said John Von Sneidern, a 76-year-old Republican from Fairfield, Conn., before pausing. "But on the other side of that, there are a lot of gay couples who are responsible and dedicated to each other and deserve a lot of the benefits of marriage." • ___
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