Steve Schmidt, who was a top aide in the McCain campaign, is delivering a speech today to Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights organization, to lobby Republicans to support same-sex marriage. According to Schmidt:

"There is a sound conservative argument to be made for same-sex marriage. I believe conservatives, more than liberals, insist that rights come with responsibilities. No other exercise of one's liberty comes with greater responsibilities than marriage."

"It cannot be argued that marriage between people of the same sex is un American or threatens the rights of others. On the contrary, it seems to me that denying two consenting adults of the same sex the right to form a lawful union that is protected and respected by the state denies them two of the most basic natural rights affirmed in the preamble of our Declaration of Independence — liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Schmidt compared same-sex marriage rights to the fight for civil rights and women's rights. I'm really impressed by his ability to adopt a point of view that is extremely frowned upon by his own party. His arguments are very logical, and seem so simple and obvious, but clearly it's going to take years more of persuasive arguments by a lot more people like Schmidt in order to pry open the minds of most Republicans.