Could Barbara Bush Hurt Obama?

Writer LZ Granderson welcomes Barbara Bush's support for marriage equality, but he thinks the former First Daughter's words are going to make current President Barack Obama's stance seem out of touch.

Granderson wrote that Bush's 22-second public service announcement is just one of many similar statements that have come from prominent Republicans (like former Vice President Dick Cheney, former First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain) since Obama took office.

However, he wrote on CNN, Republicans could use marriage equality as a contentious issue for the 2012 presidential election.

"It's a brilliant scenario for conservatives because once again the Republican Party is positioned to dictate the national conversation on a matter of importance," he wrote. "If the 112th Congress is unable to tout an improved economy or jobs within the next 10 to 12 months, a presidential candidate may be able to resurrect the gay marriage debate to help fuel a run at the White House. This is why in 1996, Illinois State Senate candidate Obama said, "I favor legalizing same-sex marriages," but the 2008 presidential candidate Obama uttered no such words. In fact, despite all the good he has done, the best Obama can say about the all-important marriage equality debate is his opinion is evolving."

Read his full op-ed at CNN.com