It was going to happen anyway, it was only a matter of "when?". The real question is why now?

People aren't too likely to change their votes on this issue, the rabid anti-gays will still vote Republican, and the pro-gays or indifferents on both sides will not change either. Republican gays (and there are just as many as there are Democratic ones) will not switch parties over this, and neither will fundamentalist blacks. But it may be the issue that makes someone with misgivings about a candidate, or unenthusiastic about his, go out and vote, or make it a point to sit this one out. And independents will add it to their calculation. Obama has made that calculation and he has determined this is the optimum moment to make that move. The Romney campaign just tripped over its own dick.

The timing of Biden's announcement was not a fluke, and it certainly was not a gaffe, it was carefully planned to set the scene so Obama's announcement would have maximum effect.

A few days ago, a high-level, openly gay Romney advisor was forced to quit by the fundowacko bigots. The Romney campaign (which is not anti-gay, but is terrified of losing the support of their religious fanatic allies) made only token efforts to keep him aboard.

Now contrast the timing of that news with this "dramatic announcement". Although Romney and his top staff may not be homophobes, they certainly come off that way now. And they certainly betray the craven fear they have of the knuckle-dragging, banjo- plucking, evangelical bigots they seem determined to please no matter how much they have to grovel to them. Well, it seems the GOP are going to find out now there is a political price you have to pay for obsequious brown-nosing.

If the Romney campaign had any balls, they would have told the bigots to stuff it and vigorously defended their man (who I understand was highly respected by everyone in Washington, left and right). It would have come across as a bold and courageous move, AND it would have highlighted Obama's shameful fence-straddling on the issue; it would have made Romney come across as a man of political courage, stature and principle. I guess there's no danger of that happening now.

It was only a minor skirmish, and it may have little effect on the final outcome, but Obama came out of it looking like a statesman, and Romney emerged as just another empty suit.