Why this is still a Federal Issue

Both presidential candidates have been shying away from the issue. The safe response for anyone running for national office tend to be "I'm not for redefining marriage. I think this should be left to the states to decide."

Here's the problem:
States confer about 400 rights/responsibilities to a couple when a marriage occurs. The other 1,139 rights/responsibilities can only be granted on a Federal level. These rights include immigration for bi-national couples, social security for surviving spouses, and protection from testifying against a spouse in Federal court. So even the couples married in California, Massachusetts, or soon Connecticut still only get about 26% of the rights that both my parents (married many years) and 24-hour-marriage Vegas couples enjoy. So yes, I'm grateful to these 3 states, but the playing field isn't level yet.

source: Religious Tolerance. Org