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CNN Live At Daybreak

Gay Marriage Debate in New Hampshire

Aired February 18, 2004 - 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: And gay marriage is also a hot topic of debate in New Hampshire. State lawmakers are considering a bill that says their state should not recognize gay marriages, even those approved by other states.
Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier, better known as the WOKQ Waking Crew in Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire, on the phone live with us.

Good morning.

MARK ERICSON, WOKQ WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Morning, Carol.

DANIELLE CARRIER, WOKQ WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So tell us about the loophole that some lawmakers want to close up in New Hampshire.

ERICSON: Well, Carol, this actually has been going on for quite some time. And this actually is not the first time that this sort of bill has come before the legislature in the state of New Hampshire. It has been defeated in the past, most recently in the year 2000.

And what they are saying is that there is -- there is a loophole in New Hampshire that says the state must recognize civil unions from another state. It's become a big issue now because, as you know, Vermont recognizes civil unions. And starting in May, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will also begin recognizing civil unions. So here New Hampshire sits sort of as a civil union sandwich in between those two states.

COSTELLO: Yes, I was just going to say and New Hampshire is smack-dab in the middle of those two states. Some of the testimony in the Senate interesting. There were many, many people in the chambers. It actually had to be moved, didn't it?

ERICSON: It had to be moved into the Representatives chambers because they were planning on using a standard size hearing room at the State House and they had to go across the street because a little more than 500 people turned out, plus there were some people outside. They handed out some sheets of paper with guidelines as to how they wanted everyone to act. There was no interrupting, no yelling and they did not allow any signs inside the Representatives chambers. And it was all quite orderly, all things considered. COSTELLO: Well some colorful comments, though, I mean. Let's see, this comment was said by a former lawmaker. He said "God created the first marriage in Adam and Eve. If he wanted marriage to be any other way he would have made Adam and Steve."

(LAUGHTER)

CARRIER: Well, there is that viewpoint, yes.

COSTELLO: Yes, and then on the other side, New Hampshire just elected an Episcopal gay bishop, the first in the country, so it's kind of ironic that this kind of argument is taking place in the Senate.

ERICSON: Well, and Rev. Gene Robinson was actually on hand yesterday in Concord. And his take on all of this was that Britney Spears and her 55-hour Las Vegas quickie wedding has done more to damage marriage than any gay or lesbian couple has ever done.

COSTELLO: So what do you think the outcome will be? What's the feeling amongst the populace out there?

ERICSON: Well the supporters of the bill to ban the loophole outnumbered the detractors.

CARRIER: Yes, they outnumbered them three to one. Though New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson has said he supports this bill and the concept of the one man-one woman marriage, he supports that fully.

ERICSON: And he is sticking to his guns on that.

COSTELLO: Well we'll continue to follow it and find out what the outcome will be. Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier from WOKQ waking up with us on DAYBREAK. We appreciate it.

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 February 18, 2004 - 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: And gay marriage is also a hot topic of debate in New Hampshire. State lawmakers are considering a bill that says their state should not recognize gay marriages, even those approved by other states.
Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier, better known as the WOKQ Waking Crew in Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire, on the phone live with us.

Good morning.

MARK ERICSON, WOKQ WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Morning, Carol.

DANIELLE CARRIER, WOKQ WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH AND MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So tell us about the loophole that some lawmakers want to close up in New Hampshire.

ERICSON: Well, Carol, this actually has been going on for quite some time. And this actually is not the first time that this sort of bill has come before the legislature in the state of New Hampshire. It has been defeated in the past, most recently in the year 2000.

And what they are saying is that there is -- there is a loophole in New Hampshire that says the state must recognize civil unions from another state. It's become a big issue now because, as you know, Vermont recognizes civil unions. And starting in May, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will also begin recognizing civil unions. So here New Hampshire sits sort of as a civil union sandwich in between those two states.

COSTELLO: Yes, I was just going to say and New Hampshire is smack-dab in the middle of those two states. Some of the testimony in the Senate interesting. There were many, many people in the chambers. It actually had to be moved, didn't it?

ERICSON: It had to be moved into the Representatives chambers because they were planning on using a standard size hearing room at the State House and they had to go across the street because a little more than 500 people turned out, plus there were some people outside. They handed out some sheets of paper with guidelines as to how they wanted everyone to act. There was no interrupting, no yelling and they did not allow any signs inside the Representatives chambers. And it was all quite orderly, all things considered. COSTELLO: Well some colorful comments, though, I mean. Let's see, this comment was said by a former lawmaker. He said "God created the first marriage in Adam and Eve. If he wanted marriage to be any other way he would have made Adam and Steve."

(LAUGHTER)

CARRIER: Well, there is that viewpoint, yes.

COSTELLO: Yes, and then on the other side, New Hampshire just elected an Episcopal gay bishop, the first in the country, so it's kind of ironic that this kind of argument is taking place in the Senate.

ERICSON: Well, and Rev. Gene Robinson was actually on hand yesterday in Concord. And his take on all of this was that Britney Spears and her 55-hour Las Vegas quickie wedding has done more to damage marriage than any gay or lesbian couple has ever done.

COSTELLO: So what do you think the outcome will be? What's the feeling amongst the populace out there?

ERICSON: Well the supporters of the bill to ban the loophole outnumbered the detractors.

CARRIER: Yes, they outnumbered them three to one. Though New Hampshire Governor Craig Benson has said he supports this bill and the concept of the one man-one woman marriage, he supports that fully.

ERICSON: And he is sticking to his guns on that.

COSTELLO: Well we'll continue to follow it and find out what the outcome will be. Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier from WOKQ waking up with us on DAYBREAK. We appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com