Illinois is about to take up the gay marriage debate, and the President is using a pretty great strategy for trying to convince lawmakers to take up the cause: passive-aggression. See, before Barack Obama was a two-term sitting President, he was a member of the Illinois' state Senate. And now that he's become the only President since Eisenhower to win 51% of the vote twice, his words carry a certain amount of political weight. 

"As he has said, his personal view is that it's wrong to prevent couples who are in loving, committed relationships, and want to marry, from doing so. Were the President still in the Illinois State Legislature, he would support this measure that would treat all Illinois couples equally," spokesman Shin Inouye told the Chicago Sun-Times. 'If Barack Obama was still a Senator...' It's the favored strategy of teenage girls, roommates and moms everywhere. The President is not leaving passive-aggressive sticky notes on their doors telling them to do the dishes, but he might as well be doing that. 

Another strategy he could go for is slipping these pictures (via the AP) of these happy couples in Maine who finally got the right to marry Friday at midnight under legislator's office doors. The scene, by all accounts, was festive: 

But for now the strategy he's using should work. 

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at connorbsimpson at gmail dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.