Lost amid the day's Supreme Court oral arguments on California's Proposition 8 is a simple question: How did a gay marriage ban pass in one of the most liberal states in the country just four years ago?
The answer is both fascinating and complex, and reveals just how much the Golden State (and the country) has evolved on the issue since the 2008 election.
Let's start with the basics. Statewide, Prop. 8 was approved — the "yes" vote was in favor of eliminating same-sex marriage — 52.3 percent to 47.7 percent. That number is even more remarkable when you consider that President Barack Obama won California with 61.1 percent of the vote on the same day. (Worth noting: Then candidate Obama opposed same-sex marriage.)