Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Talk of CNN: Gay Bishop
Aired June 09, 2003 - 05:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well some Episcopalian leaders say the election of a gay bishop will widen the church's division over homosexuality. Over the weekend, New Hampshire Episcopalians elected the Reverend V. Gene Robinson as the state's new bishop. Robinson's election must still be confirmed at the church's national convention next month. The bishop-elect says he plans to be a good bishop, not a gay bishop.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. GENE ROBINSON, BISHOP-ELECT: My nomination and my election is problematic for lots of people around and lots of nasty comments come your way, so it's not an easy thing to say yes to. We always talk about the people who will leave because of this, think of the people who will come because of this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Of course the controversy over the gay bishop is the buzz of the Granite State this morning. Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier, better known as the WOKQ Waking Crew in Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire, on the phone right now -- hello.
MARK ERICSON, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Good morning.
COSTELLO: We haven't talked to you in a long time, welcome back.
ERICSON: Well thank you very much, it's nice to be back.
COSTELLO: Yes, tell us more about this gay bishop. He was married and he has children, is that right?
ERICSON: Yes, he was married. He does have children. He now lives with a male life partner. And this is actually a worldwide first, as far as anyone can tell, that Episcopalians have elected an openly gay man as their next bishop.
COSTELLO: Tell us about his congregation now, the people who come to listen to him every Sunday, a lot of people?
ERICSON: It's a lot of people. And those who voted in this election over this past weekend, they say sexual orientation was not a factor. They are -- they are looking towards Reverend Robinson to be a good bishop, a strong bishop and sexual orientation, they say, does not enter into the equation.
COSTELLO: Within the Episcopalian community in New Hampshire, though, obviously he has a lot of support.
ERICSON: He's got a great deal of support, obviously, or the election would not have gone this way. And as you indicated, Carol, the selection still has to be confirmed next month by the Episcopalian National General Convention. That's usually a rubberstamp. If that doesn't go as a rubberstamp this time, then things could get a little interesting.
COSTELLO: Things could get a little interesting. Do you think it will go his way?
ERICSON: Well it's tough to say. This is something that happens out of state. Obviously in state here in New Hampshire he has the support that he needs. There was a -- there was a choice of three different people that were, if you will, running for bishop, if that's the proper term to use, and obviously he won the election. And the election -- and the voters, rather, were made up of lay people in the church, just church members, as well as members of the clergy.
COSTELLO: Well we'll see if this makes a split in the national Episcopalian community.
Mark Ericson, Danielle Carrier. We didn't hear from Danielle, but hello to you, and thanks for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 9, 2003 - 05:46 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well some Episcopalian leaders say the election of a gay bishop will widen the church's division over homosexuality. Over the weekend, New Hampshire Episcopalians elected the Reverend V. Gene Robinson as the state's new bishop. Robinson's election must still be confirmed at the church's national convention next month. The bishop-elect says he plans to be a good bishop, not a gay bishop.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. GENE ROBINSON, BISHOP-ELECT: My nomination and my election is problematic for lots of people around and lots of nasty comments come your way, so it's not an easy thing to say yes to. We always talk about the people who will leave because of this, think of the people who will come because of this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Of course the controversy over the gay bishop is the buzz of the Granite State this morning. Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier, better known as the WOKQ Waking Crew in Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire, on the phone right now -- hello.
MARK ERICSON, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Good morning.
COSTELLO: We haven't talked to you in a long time, welcome back.
ERICSON: Well thank you very much, it's nice to be back.
COSTELLO: Yes, tell us more about this gay bishop. He was married and he has children, is that right?
ERICSON: Yes, he was married. He does have children. He now lives with a male life partner. And this is actually a worldwide first, as far as anyone can tell, that Episcopalians have elected an openly gay man as their next bishop.
COSTELLO: Tell us about his congregation now, the people who come to listen to him every Sunday, a lot of people?
ERICSON: It's a lot of people. And those who voted in this election over this past weekend, they say sexual orientation was not a factor. They are -- they are looking towards Reverend Robinson to be a good bishop, a strong bishop and sexual orientation, they say, does not enter into the equation.
COSTELLO: Within the Episcopalian community in New Hampshire, though, obviously he has a lot of support.
ERICSON: He's got a great deal of support, obviously, or the election would not have gone this way. And as you indicated, Carol, the selection still has to be confirmed next month by the Episcopalian National General Convention. That's usually a rubberstamp. If that doesn't go as a rubberstamp this time, then things could get a little interesting.
COSTELLO: Things could get a little interesting. Do you think it will go his way?
ERICSON: Well it's tough to say. This is something that happens out of state. Obviously in state here in New Hampshire he has the support that he needs. There was a -- there was a choice of three different people that were, if you will, running for bishop, if that's the proper term to use, and obviously he won the election. And the election -- and the voters, rather, were made up of lay people in the church, just church members, as well as members of the clergy.
COSTELLO: Well we'll see if this makes a split in the national Episcopalian community.
Mark Ericson, Danielle Carrier. We didn't hear from Danielle, but hello to you, and thanks for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
