The Respect for Marriage Coalition, of which GLAD is a member, has launched an unprecedented national advertising campaign today featuring prominent bipartisan leaders – including President Obama, Former Vice President Dick Cheney, Former First Lady Laura Bush, and Former Secretary of Defense Colin Powell – speaking out in support of marriage for gay and lesbian Americans.

The national television, print, and online advertising campaign shares “#Time4Marriage” branding, which is intended to let the public know how to become a part of the discussion online and join the bipartisan majority of Americans who support marriage for all committed couples.

This is the first time in history that LGBT advocacy organizations across America have come together to fund a national ad buy. Against the backdrop of President Obama’s historic comments about marriage rights in his inaugural address, freedom to marry legislation pending in a number of states, and two landmark marriage cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Coalition is working to grow support for marriage rights for same-sex couples across the nation.

The national television ad featuring past and present Administration officials’ statements in support of the freedom to marry is titled “Leadership,” and it will begin airing today on cable, and during  networks’ Sunday shows over the coming weeks.

The results of a national voter survey released today by GLAD and the Center for American Progress show an increase in public opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, as a clear case of discrimination and support for equal treatment for legally married same-sex couples under federal law—even if the individual polled is generally opposed to marriage equality.

Download the polling memo here

View an infographic on the poll results here

The poll, conducted by Goodwin Simon Strategic Research and Voter Consumer Research, and released in advance of the Windsor and Perry arguments before the Supreme Court next month, finds that:

Americans believe DOMA is discrimination, plain and simple. Sixty-two percent of registered voters agreed that “it is discrimination for the federal government to deny marriage protections and benefits to legally married same-sex couples.”

People can oppose Section 3 of DOMA while not necessarily supporting same-sex marriage. A number of Americans believe that DOMA is bad policy and that same-sex couples deserve equal treatment from the federal government, even if they don’t believe that their state should extend the rights of marriage to those couples.

Notably, support for the repeal of DOMA is now stronger among people of color than it is among whites. Sixty-five percentof black people and 61 percent of Hispanic people said that they opposed Section 3 of DOMA, compared to a still high 57 percent of white people. This is a marked reversal from years prior, when polls found black and Hispanic support for the repeal of DOMA to be lower than white support.

Americans in strong majorities believe that same-sex couples should not be denied the federal benefits and protections of marriage. More than 70 percent of respondents believe that all couples should have hospital visitation rights, survivor benefits if a spouse is killed in the line of duty, and family and medical leave.

“With each passing day, more and more Americans are learning how DOMA denies important marital protections and heaps disrespect on married same-sex couples across the country – and they’re saying, ‘Enough is enough.’ It’s not surprising that a majority of this country now believes that loving, committed couples in legal marriages should be treated fairly under federal law. It’s time for our laws to catch up with where public opinion is on abolishing DOMA,” said Mary Bonauto, Civil Rights Project Director for Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.

The Supreme Court has set the dates it will hear oral argument in cases challenging the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8.

The Court will hear argument in Hollingsworth v. Perry – the California marriage or “Prop 8” case on March 26. The Court will hear argument in U.S. v. Windsor, challenging Section 3 of DOMA, on March 27.

For more information, visit www.scotusblog.

The United States Supreme Court has released the briefing schedule for U.S. v. Windsor, the case the Court will hear this term challenging the constitutionality of Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.  Briefs on the jurisdictional question are due February 20.  Briefs on the merits are due February 22.

Update: No news from the Supreme Court today on DOMA, Prop 8 or other LGBT-related matters.  The next day we are likely to hear something is Friday, December 7.