"But now [Ellen DeGeneres] is on the cover of the current issue of O magazine, exclusive real estate usually inhabited by Ms. Winfrey alone. She's a pitchwoman not only for American Express but also for Cover Girl makeup, a heartland product if ever there was one.

"Come January, she'll join the other judges on 'American Idol,' the highest-rated prime-time television program in America, one that Middle American moms, dads and kids watch together. . . .

"Several gay and lesbian leaders speculated that Ms. DeGeneres's good fortune was a harbinger of where same-sex marriage is headed, and said it exemplified the way issues involving gays and lesbians often play out. Culture leads politics, and support for familiar, respected individuals precedes support for a larger, more abstract idea."

--Frank Bruni, New York Times