Obama Voters Decisive on California Gay Marriage Ban

Confusing times for supporters of gay marriage in California. Considering it was overwhelming support from the black and Latino vote that helped Propostion 8 pass on Tuesday, how are the gay marriage proponents going to label Obama supporters homophobes and bigots?

California's black and Latino voters, who turned out in droves for Barack Obama, provided key support for a state ban on same-sex marriage. Christian, married and older voters also helped give the measure the winning edge, according to exit polls for The Associated Press.

Proposition 8 overturns a May California Supreme Court decision legalizing gay nuptials and rewrites the state constitution to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Exit poll data showed seven in 10 black voters and more than half of Latino voters backed the ballot initiative, while whites and Asians were split.

Though blacks and Latinos combined make up less than one-third of California's electorate, their opposition to same-sex marriage appeared to tip the balance. Both groups decisively backed Obama regardless of their position on the initiative.

Of course, now that the people have spoken, those who did not get their way are rushing to court to thwart the will of the people.

Mr. Sulu is not happy.

Actor George Takei and longtime partner Brad Altman were the first to receive a marriage license in West Hollywood when a court cleared the way for gay marriage earlier this year. Best known for his role as Mr. Sulu on "Star Trek," Takei on Wednesday was disappointed but philosophical about California voters' decision to yank that right by passing a constitutional amendment restricting marriage to heterosexual couples.

"There are going to be heartbreaks, setbacks and sacrifices to be made," he said, "but we will soldier on."

The passage of Proposition 8 stirred anger, protests, lawsuits and a deep sense of loss among gays in California. At least three legal challenges were filed by Wednesday night and others were being prepared, ban opponents said.

Question: If a ballot amendment that passes can be overturned, can McCain supporters overturn the vote for Obama?

More here.

"What the exit polls say is that religion trumps party affiliation when it comes to social issues," said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll. The exit poll was done by Edison Media Research.

It also trumped racial identification. While Obama publicly backed the "No on Prop. 8" effort, African American voters had no trouble voting overwhelmingly for the man who will be the nation's first black president and then voting 70 percent in favor of Prop. 8, exit polls showed.

It was a grim evening Tuesday in San Francisco for supporters of same-sex marriage, who saw Prop. 8 move into the lead minutes after the polls closed and stay ahead all night. Except in the Bay Area and a smattering of other counties, the measure was approved in three-fourths of the state's 58 counties, including Democratic strongholds such as Los Angeles and Sacramento counties.