New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn married her longtime partner, lawyer Kim Catullo, on Saturday. The 300-person guest list read like a Who’s Who of New York politics, with the likes of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, and New York’s two senators, Kirsten E. Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer, in attendance.

Ms. Quinn and Ms. Catullo, who were both extremely active in the state’s marriage equality legislation a year ago, wed at the Highline Stages, an event space in the Meatpacking District. Both brides walked down the aisle on the arms of their fathers, Ms. Quinn in a stunning sleeveless gown featuring a beaded waistband by Carolina Herrera while Ms. Catullo donned a custom cream-colored suit by Ralph Lauren.

New York’s former chief judge, Judith S. Kaye, who in 2006 wrote an impassioned dissent to a court ruling rejecting the right of same-sex couples to marry, officiated. When she pronounced, “In accordance with the laws of the State of New York, and the authority that has been vested in me by the people of the State of New York, I pronounce you completely, absolutely and permanently married,” the crowd stood up and burst into applause.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a buffet dinner of spring pea risotto, roast chicken and grilled swordfish. The decadent cake was five tiers layered in chocolate chip and chocolate custard, cover with white chocolate butter cream icing. At the end of the night, the infamous Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, which offers whimsical flavorings such as Mexican Affo'gay'to and Bea Arthur, pulled up to offer guests their delicious confections.

The high-profile political wedding was one of the most prominent same-sex marriages to date, and comes just shy of a year before the mayoral election, of which it’s being whispered that Ms. Quinn will likely win, making her both the first female and the first openly gay New York City mayor.

Mr. Schumer, speaking to reporters, who were penned behind a police barricade, said that the country was “moving fast” on the issue of same-sex marriage, adding, “It’s not a question of if but when—everywhere.”

File it under “any attention is good attention.” Eldest daughter of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, teen mother and reality TV star Bristol Palin has claimed that Glee’s alleged homosexual propaganda poisoned First Children Sasha and Malia Obama’s minds, and has stirred the public into a frenzy.

“Sometimes dads should lead their family in the right ways of thinking. In this case, it would’ve been nice if the President would’ve been an actual leader and helped shape their thoughts instead of merely reflecting what many teenagers think after one too many episodes of Glee,” Palin wrote in a blog post.

Her claim that they manipulated President Barack Obama into pledging his support for marriage equality prompted some death threats, according to Politico and another Palin blog post.

“People claim they’re just trying to protect the right of two people to love each other – a right I don’t contest, by the way – and then spew the worst words imaginable at someone they disagree with,” Palin wrote. "If the agenda is love, why do you hate so intensely?”

Palin shared an example of the wrath she brought upon herself.

"You all, including your son, deserve a slow, painful and miserable death," one commenter wrote. "Your backwards thinking is so sad because the world is moving forward and you will certainly be left behind. May death be upon you.”

The bad press about her pontifications has left Palin completely baffled.

“You see arguments like that all the time in political magazines,” she writes. “It’s not a big deal, and the people who make arguments like that don’t stir up much controversy.”

Even as Palin decries the negative vibes, she remains focused on her “career” as a conversation piece.

“When real pundits write blog posts, they don’t pop up in Us Weekly… but mine do,” she wrote. “And I’m glad.  Why?  Because pop culture needs a little bit of debate.”

Today marks eight years since Massachusetts became the first state to successfully pass a marriage equality bill, allowing same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples. Since that celebratory day on May 17, 2004, 18,462 same-sex couples have said “I do.”

The law was made as result to the ruling of Goodridge v. Department of Public Health, which deemed marriage discrimination to same-sex couples unconstitutional in the state, after seven couples successfully argued their case.

The historical ruling on November 18, 2003 followed, saying that the state may not “deny the protections, benefits and obligations conferred by civil marriage to two individuals of the same sex who wish to marry,” giving the Massachusetts Legislature 180 days to take action deemed appropriate.

Governor Mitt Romney (irony!) ordered town clerks to begin issuing marriage licenses on May 17, 2004.

Massachusetts normally has a three-day waiting period before issuing marriage licenses, but many couples obtained waivers of the waiting period in order to be wed on May 17. Among these were the seven couples who were party to the lawsuit that led to the legalization of same-sex marriage.

In the eight years since, eight other states, plus the District of Columbia, have followed suit, while Rhode Island and New Mexico have begun recognizing marriages of LGBT couples performed out of state and multiple others are currently pushing legislation or placing it on November’s ballot.

“That all this has occurred in less than a decade speaks to the power of the honest conversation that is taking place across America as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender residents come out to their friends, family, and neighbors,” says MassEquality Executive Director Kara Suffredini, Esq.

“In the eight years that same-sex couples have been marrying in Massachusetts, we have learned that our communities are safer, happier, and healthier when all families are respected, supported and celebrated. As time goes on and even larger majorities of Americans come to support marriage equality, we look forward to the day when all Americans can enjoy the freedom to marry.”

When President Obama announced his support for marriage equality, we cheered. And then, almost immediately the topic of votes came into play—has the president just caused himself to lose the votes in the conservative states?

Those swing states, which were Ohio, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Missouri and Montana in the last presidential election, played a key role in getting Obama elected, with four of the six voting for the democratic candidate. But they’re also notorious for their conservativeness, and one proclamation on a topic that so many are passionate about, whether for or against, can be risky.

Pew released a poll earlier this week that found the majority of Americans (52 percent) say Obama’s statement will not affect their opinion of him, and crucially, among independents, 60 percent say it doesn’t affect their opinion. According to the Washington Post, which investigated in the 15 swing states for this upcoming election, those numbers are almost identical, with 51 percent saying it didn’t affect their opinion, 27 percent say less favorably and 19 percent say more favorably.

America’s growing support for marriage equality will clearly play a key role in this presidential election, and we’re hoping the numbers work in our favor.

Photo: peoples-press.org