Obama campaign hits Romney on gay marriage -- even though both are against it

The chief strategist for President Obama’s re-election campaign says “there’s a very clear distinction in this race” on the issue of gay marriage — despite the fact that Obama and presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney both agree it shouldn’t be legal.

In a conference call with reporters on Monday, Obama campaign adviser David Axelrod was asked to respond to Vice President Joe Biden’s remarks on Sunday that he is “comfortable” with gay marriage.

Axelrod said it’s not a sign that the Obama administration’s stance on gay marriage is changing, claiming the remarks are “entirely consistent with the president’s position.”

He went on to hit Romney for his past statements on gay marriage.

“There couldn’t be a starker contrast on this issue than with Gov. Romney, who has funded efforts to roll back marriage laws in California and other places, who believes that we need a constitutional amendment banning the rights of gay couples to marry and would take us backward not forward,” Axelrod said.

He added: “There’s a very clear distinction in this race.”

The Romney campaign did not immediately return a request for comment from The Daily Caller about the Obama administration’s stance on gay marriage Monday.

Critics, however, point out that Obama’s position on the issue can be confusing.

While Obama is against gay marriage, he says he’s for civil unions. But Obama ambiguously also claims his views on marriage are “evolving,” suggesting that he’ll eventually come out for gay marriage.

On Monday, Axelrod said the Obama administration’s position on gays is that “couples who are married — whether they are gay or heterosexual couples — are entitled to the very same rights and very same liberties.”

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