[Texdolley]

By Meghan Keneally: 03:54 GMT, 14 May 2012



In a gutsy move, Newsweek has released the cover of their next issue, on the cover of which they depict President Obama with
a rainbow halo and the title of 'The First Gay President'.

The news-magazine, which hits stands today, is using the shock factor of labeling the straight, married, father-of-two President
to draw attention to itself.

Tina Brown, who edits the magazine and its sister website The Daily Beast, is known for her love of controversial covers to help
boost public interest and sales.

After Time magazine went with a cover shot of a young blonde mother breastfeeding her 3-year-old boy, Ms Brown is said to have
taken it in stride, saying 'let the games begin!'

The article accompanying the cover was written by the news magazine's regular blogger, Andrew Sullivan, who is an openly gay
self-titled conservative political pundit.

There was little doubt that Newsweek would be covering the President's historic announcement that he supports same-sex marriage
after he had a sit-down television interview confirming what many already believed to be the case.

This was, however, the first time that a sitting President had done so, and the magazine asserts that such a move was a calculated
one that had been thoroughly planned.

President Obama's announcement came several days after Vice President Joe Biden said that he was 'absolutely comfortable with the
fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and men and women marrying are entitled to the same exact rights, all the civil
rights, all the civil liberties.'

On the day of the President's interview, Mr Biden is said to have had a private meeting in the Oval Office in which he apologised for his
overstep.