Gay Weddings Begin in Washington, D.C.; What's the National and State Outlook?

Same-sex weddings began taking place this week in Washington, D.C., the latest jurisdiction to legalize gay marriages. The District of Columbia has an unusual governance, being a city with no state government, but with oversight from Congress.

What is happening in the states, and how do they interact with federal policy (and federal politics) on this controversial topic?

In the video above, The Commonwealth Club of California hosted a February 17, 2010, panel discussion with people on different sides of the gay marriage debate. Panelists included Molly McKay, media director, Marriage Equality USA; Jennifer Morse, president and founder, Ruth Institute at the National Organization for Marriage; Therese Stewart, chief deputy city attorney, San Francisco, and attorney for the plaintiffs in current court case challenging Prop. 8; Kevin Snider, chief counsel, Pacific Justice Institute; and Doug Sovern, broadcast journalist, "Sovern Nation" on KCBS, who served as moderator for the event.