WASHINGTON — The Respect for Marriage Coalition on Wednesday launched a national advertising campaign featuring prominent bipartisan leaders – including President Barack Obama, Former Vice President Dick Cheney, Former First Lady Laura Bush, and Former Secretary of State Colin Powell – speaking out in support of marriage for gay and lesbian Americans.

The national television, print, and online advertising campaign is intended to spark discussion and build bipartisan support among voters in support of marriage equality.

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Full-page print versions of the ad featuring the same officials will begin running in major national newspapers – including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post – over the coming days, and online ads will appear across top online news sites.

The Coalition said it plans to spend more than $1 million to keep the ads running over the coming weeks.

The Respect for Marriage Coalition is a partnership of more than 80 civil rights, faith, health, labor, business, legal, LGBT, student, and women’s organizations working together to end the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grow support for the freedom to marry.

The Coalition is co-chaired by Freedom to Marry and the Human Rights Campaign.

Tags: Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Dick Cheney, Freedom to Marry, Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Laura Bush, Marriage Equality, Respect for Marriage Coalition

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