United States President Barack Obama has opposed gay marriage back in 2008 when he was running for president but according to a book published by his former strategist, Obama has misled the public on his views on the subject because it might hurt him politically.

David Axelrod said political advisers instructed Obama to oppose gay marriage because of religious reasons. It was only in 2010 that the president revealed his support for gay marriage, saying his position in the issue was evolving.

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Obama's new revelation came a few months before the Supreme Court was set to resolve the issue at the time.

The book by Axelrod entitled "Believer: My Forty Years in Politics" relayed how Obama admitted that he was not good at "bullshitting," in reference to his opposition to gay marriage. Axelrod wrote that Obama only said he supported civil unions instead of gay marriages for his own political gains.

"Opposition to gay marriage was particularly strong in the black church, and as he ran for higher office, he grudgingly accepted the counsel of more pragmatic folks like me, and modified his position to support civil unions rather than marriage, which he would term a 'sacred union,'" said Axelrod.

Axelrod's book was released iFebruary 10 this year. White House spokesman Josh Earnest has not commented on the statements of Axelrod but he pointed out that Obama's support regarding gays and lesbians getting married is clear.

Tagsgay marriage, misled public, political advisers, political gain, Presidential elections 2008, David Axelrod, President Barack Obama