NOTE: This story has been updated from an earlier posting.

During an interview with MTV, President Obama told viewers that when it comes to same-sex marriage, it would be up to future generations of Americans to implement meaningful reform.

When asked if he would use his second term as a platform to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, the president demurred, saying he viewed it as an issue for the states to decide. But what President Obama DIDN’T make clear was he meant individual state DOMA laws and NOT the Federal Defense of Marriage Act.

Obama stated:

First of all, I’ve been very clear about my belief that same-sex couple have to be treated before the eyes of the law the same way as heterosexual couples. I think that’s the right thing to do. It’s based on my personal experience, seeing loving couples who are committed to each other, raising kids and are just outstanding people,” he told Sway. “And I was supportive of civil unions, but they taught me, if you’re using different words, if you’re somehow singling them out, they don’t feel true equality. “But what I’ve also said is, historically, marriages have been defined at the state level. And there’s a conversation going on … there’s some states that are still having the debate. And I think for us to try to legislate federally into this is probably the wrong way to go,” Obama continued. “The courts are going to be examining these issues. I’ve stood up and said I’m opposed to the so-called Defense of Marriage Act … I’ve said that’s wrong, [and] there are a couple of cases that are working their way through the courts, and my expectation is that Defense of Marriage Act will be overturned. But, ultimately, I believe that if we have that conversation at the state level, the evolution that’s taking place in this country will get us to a place where we are going to be recognizing everybody fairly.”

Regardless though is this the correct way to handle it? There are many instances of the Federal Government watching out for the civil rights of its citizens including the 1964 Civil Rights Act and its involvement with Loving vs. Virginia and state anti-inter-racial marriage laws.

Is President Obama stopping short of being our “fierce advocate” once again.

Watch the video below.

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