When Joe Biden said Sunday that he is "comfortable" with same-sex marriage, the White House was quick to tamp down on his comments, insisting that the Obama administration is "still evolving" on marriage equality.

But Biden's remarks indicate a personal conviction that may be out of step with the Obama campaign's official position.

"I am vice president of the United States of America," he said. "The president sets the policy. I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying another are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil rights, all the civil liberties. And quite frankly, I don't see much of a distinction -- beyond that."

Gay rights activists were frustrated at Team Obama's reaction to Biden's comments, and called on Obama to join the vice president in his support for marriage equality.