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Defining Marriage: Democrats Criticize Bush on Same-Sex Marriage Ban

Aired February 25, 2004 - 11:07   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And now the debate over gay marriage. Many Democrats are criticizing President Bush today after he endorsed a constitutional ban against same-sex marriage. Senator Edward Kennedy accused Mr. Bush of trying to write discrimination into the Constitution. The debate, turns out, is dividing Republicans as well. The endorsement is energizing the president's conservative base but seems to be alienating others.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARILYN MUSGRAVE (R), COLORADO: I think it will actually encourage his base to know for sure that our president stands for the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. I think the things that are political are a rogue mayor in San Francisco suddenly reinterpreting the Constitution in that state and defying California law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK GUERRIERO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LOB CABIN REPUBLICANS: At a certain point, we have to match our party loyalty with integrity. This was a dramatically bad step for the president. He might get a little bump in the poll for a few days, but we all remember in 1992 when Pat Buchanan declared a cultural war on the country and it led to the defeat of the first President Bush. This is not the way to win elections, it's the way to divide the American family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Republican leaders are predicting it will be tough to get an amendment through Congress. The marriage amendment and other news from the Bush White House today from CNN's Kathleen Koch.

Kathleen, good morning.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

The White House today continues to defend the president's announcement yesterday. Scott McClellan insisting that this is a long-held belief of the president's. However, back in 2000, George Bush, the candidate, said that this was a matter better left to the state. And McClellan this morning would not explain that change of heart, only insisting that events are dictating the need for action. Now President Bush was forced by activist judges and local officials to protect the sanctity of the institution of marriage. But many, including gay rights activists, see politics at work in this decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CANDACE GINGRICH, HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN: They say that timing is everything, and I think in an electoral year it's magnified even more. Just a few weeks ago in the "Washington Post," a Republican official was quoted saying that the president was bringing this issue up now because he wanted to start his campaign off on a fresh, new issue. I think, to me, it's clear, that the president is attempting to change the Constitution because it's an attempt to change people's attention on the falling poll numbers, on the deficit, on the lack of jobs that have been produced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: In his announcement yesterday, President Bush did leave the door open to civil unions. That was something, though, that as governor of Texas he had opposed.

President Bush did meet both yesterday afternoon and this morning at the White House with congressional leaders. A congressional source tells me they spent about a quarter of the time this morning talking about this issue. And Republican congressional leaders are saying only that they will be deliberative on this, that they will look at all of their options before proceeding, so this is far from a done deal. Of course the measure would have to pass the House and the Senate by a two-thirds majority and then pass -- among the 50 states be approved by three-quarters before it could become a law. So quite a long ways to go yet on this one -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kathleen Koch at the White House. Kathleen, thank you for that.

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




Marriage Ban>


Aired February 25, 2004 - 11:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And now the debate over gay marriage. Many Democrats are criticizing President Bush today after he endorsed a constitutional ban against same-sex marriage. Senator Edward Kennedy accused Mr. Bush of trying to write discrimination into the Constitution. The debate, turns out, is dividing Republicans as well. The endorsement is energizing the president's conservative base but seems to be alienating others.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MARILYN MUSGRAVE (R), COLORADO: I think it will actually encourage his base to know for sure that our president stands for the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman. I think the things that are political are a rogue mayor in San Francisco suddenly reinterpreting the Constitution in that state and defying California law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICK GUERRIERO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LOB CABIN REPUBLICANS: At a certain point, we have to match our party loyalty with integrity. This was a dramatically bad step for the president. He might get a little bump in the poll for a few days, but we all remember in 1992 when Pat Buchanan declared a cultural war on the country and it led to the defeat of the first President Bush. This is not the way to win elections, it's the way to divide the American family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Republican leaders are predicting it will be tough to get an amendment through Congress. The marriage amendment and other news from the Bush White House today from CNN's Kathleen Koch.

Kathleen, good morning.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

The White House today continues to defend the president's announcement yesterday. Scott McClellan insisting that this is a long-held belief of the president's. However, back in 2000, George Bush, the candidate, said that this was a matter better left to the state. And McClellan this morning would not explain that change of heart, only insisting that events are dictating the need for action. Now President Bush was forced by activist judges and local officials to protect the sanctity of the institution of marriage. But many, including gay rights activists, see politics at work in this decision.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CANDACE GINGRICH, HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN: They say that timing is everything, and I think in an electoral year it's magnified even more. Just a few weeks ago in the "Washington Post," a Republican official was quoted saying that the president was bringing this issue up now because he wanted to start his campaign off on a fresh, new issue. I think, to me, it's clear, that the president is attempting to change the Constitution because it's an attempt to change people's attention on the falling poll numbers, on the deficit, on the lack of jobs that have been produced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: In his announcement yesterday, President Bush did leave the door open to civil unions. That was something, though, that as governor of Texas he had opposed.

President Bush did meet both yesterday afternoon and this morning at the White House with congressional leaders. A congressional source tells me they spent about a quarter of the time this morning talking about this issue. And Republican congressional leaders are saying only that they will be deliberative on this, that they will look at all of their options before proceeding, so this is far from a done deal. Of course the measure would have to pass the House and the Senate by a two-thirds majority and then pass -- among the 50 states be approved by three-quarters before it could become a law. So quite a long ways to go yet on this one -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kathleen Koch at the White House. Kathleen, thank you for that.

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




Marriage Ban>