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New York is Battleground for Same-Sex Marriage; Supporter, Opponent Debates New York's Same-Sex Marriage Bill; Aspen Annual Food and Wine Classic Happening this Weekend; Ron Paul Wins New Orleans Republican Straw Poll; Flight Attendant Allegedly Stole Identity

Aired June 18, 2011 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: An apparent airline security breach. This man has been charged with identity thief and forgery. He was working as a flight attendant, the FBI is investigating.

The battle for same-sex marriage in New York State. A crucial vote on the issue is expected next week. I'm going to talk to both sides here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALICIA SALZER, SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE: I think we're sending a loud and clear message about whether our families and our life and our choice and who we are and our love is legitimate or not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And look at that. Violence escalates in Sudan, including this bombing near a United Nations compound from earlier this week. Hello everyone. I'm Don Lemon in New York, the news starts right now.

I want to check some of the day's headlines, the defense witness in the trial of Casey Anthony says, someone had put duct tape on her daughter Caylee after her body had decomposed. It's a key counter point since the prosecution says, Anthony used duct tape to suffocate Caylee after drugging her. Other witness, a forensic pathologist speculated the duct tape may have been used to keep the jaw together perhaps as the body was moved. Testimony resumes on Monday.

Congresswoman Gabby Giffords is back home in Tucson, Arizona for the first time since she was shot back in January. Giffords and her husband astronaut Mark Kelly arrived on Friday and are spending the weekend with family. Giffords was shot in the head during a meet and greet with constituents in a supermarket parking lot in January. She was released from a Houston rehabilitation hospital this week and will continue her out patience treatment in Houston. And here's what Kelly said, he said, we have been dreaming of this trip for some time. Gabby misses Tucson very much and her doctors have said that returning to her hometown could play an important role in her recovery. And of course we wish her the very best.

President Barack Obama hit the links today with House Speaker John Boehner. Eighteen holes of golf with Vice President Joe Biden and Ohio Governor John Kasich along for the ride. We're told the president and the speakers, Speaker Boehner teamed up to win the match, two dollars each. No word on any potential political deals out of that.

A wildfire has burned more than a half a million acres so far in Eastern Arizona and just look at the flames there. But today, crews have the wallow fire under control, enough control to allow many evacuees to start returning to their homes. Right now the fire is about 38 percent contained.

Senator John McCain today surveyed the damage in his home state. Another wildfire known as the monument fire is burning in the Southern part of Arizona. That one is only 15 percent contained.

OK. So, check out the severe weather that hit Colorado's Eastern plains. Look. You know, it made for some real slow going Friday on Highway 71 in Elbert County. The road was covered with two inches of hail. There were a few funnel clouds spotted earlier, but no damage reported.

It's a passionate picture shared around the world via social media. And today, the two lovebirds are speaking out about their romance amid riot police. This photograph shows a young couple kissing as chaos rage all around Vancouver Lose Hockey's Stanley Cup Final. The photo quickly went viral. The CBC track down the couple turns out, they didn't fall to the ground in a moment of passion. Rather on this video, you can see, they had been knocked down by police after getting pushed around by the rioters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXANDRA THOMAS, KISSING WITH BOYFRIEND AT VANCOUVER RIOT: They weren't reasoning with people, they were doing their jobs. And so we started...

SCOTT JONES, ALEXANDRA'S BOYFRIEND: And we tried to run away, but we couldn't.

THOMAS: I tripped up, I'm not sure, I was starting to get really frightened because I had never experienced anything like that before and it's really scary, you know, when you find yourself caught up in a situation that's that scary. I went upset. I fell down and I didn't really know exactly what was happening, I was upset and...

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: And then you were comforting her?

JONES: Yes. So, I went back and they were beating us with the shields, like kind of trying to get us to move. I don't know why, we weren't being aggressive towards them or anything like that, but eventually they passed over us, and that's when we were on the ground. She was a bit hysterical afterwards obviously, and I was just trying to calm her down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right. So, here's what you should know. Alex Thomas and Scott Jones actually haven't been dating that long. Jones moved to Canada from Australia six months ago, he is working as a bartender and doing standup comedy but they will be forever linked on social media and through that picture.

OK. So, we put out trust in them every time we set foot on an airplane. But one of the flight attendants for American Eagle Airlines wasn't who he said he was. That's according to prosecutors and the airline as well. Police arrested Jophan Porter at Miami International Airport on Friday. They say he used another man's identity to sneak his way into that flight attendant job. How did that happened? Our own Alison Kosik is following the story for us. Alison, what do we know about what happened here? How did he do all of this?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's really disturbing when you think about it. And this is the guy that apparently had a lot to hide, Don, we learned in court this morning, he was in Miami in court, that when he was confronted at the airport, Jophan Porter refused to say who he was, why he allegedly stole someone's ID and why he got a job as a flight attendant for American Eagle. They only learned who he was when the FBI tinker printed him. Now, we know he came to the U.S. from Guyana, but his status at this point is unclear. Porter had been charged with six counts of identity theft and three counts of forgery in Miami among other charges. He's being held on a million dollars bond. And now, when he was arrested at the airport on Friday, he had multiple forms of phony I.D.'s on him including driver's licenses and the passport, and really makes you wonder, what the heck is he up to?

LEMON: There are already plans in the worse to deport him, correct?

KOSIK: Yes, that's right. That's right. And we have not yet confirmed that he was indeed illegal, but that is what we heard from immigration officials. And, really, you know, a big mystery is, you know, how is he able to become a flight attendant? The airline put out a statement saying that they're actively involved in this investigation but they aren't answering our questions about the details of his employment. We also talk to the TSA, a spokesperson says, airline flight crews are vetted against terrorist screening watch lists and actually it's up to the airline to verify a potential employee's identity and legal status. And although he was employed by the airline, he still needed to go through TSA screenings before he boarded these flights and he reportedly flew several trips as a flight attendant trainee before he was busted on Friday.

LEMON: Oh, man. As someone who has to fly a lot, it doesn't sit well with the whole lot me and you and a whole lot of other people. All right. Get to the bottom of this. Thank you very much, Alison Kosik, good to meet you finally in person and instead of in television.

OK, folks at home, listen to this. Sudanese airplanes dropped bombs near a United Nations camp as Southern Sudan prepares for its independence next month. That report is next.

And could New York become the nation's sixth state to legalize same- sex marriage. There is a very contentious debate going on here, and we'll tell you where the bill stands and also have a debate on this heated issue, it comes from a vote on Monday, standing by just hours away. And many of you have been asking for information on social media, you can reach out to me on twitter, I have been tweeting all week, all day from here in New York. Thanks for tweeting me back. You can check us out on Facebook as well. CNN.com/Don and on Foursquare.com/DonLemonCNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Want to check some international headlines right now. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says, a brutal crackdown in Syria won't stop the transition to democracy, that message was an Op-ed written by Clinton in an Arabic language newspaper. It came one day after the government met more protests with new violence.

On the situation on the border with Turkey grew more troubling today. The Syrian military moved into a town near the border and shelled the surrounding mountains. More than 10,000 Syrians have sought refuge in the area to avoid the violence.

Violence is escalating in Sudan ahead of Southern Sudan's independence next month.

Pretty frightening, but look at this. This is video from earlier this week, Sudanese warplanes dropped several bombs near United Nations camp. The people in Southern Sudan voted to become an independent country effective July 9th but border disputes have caused a mass exodus. At least 100,000 people have fled areas where northern troops have taken control. To Libya now. Libya's complaining about another target chosen by NATO. The government says, an air strike Friday hit a university in Tripoli. NATO denies the charge. Its latest update says, the only Tripoli targets on Friday were military vehicle storage facilities. The alliance has admitted to accidentally striking the rebel forces on Thursday. Inmates including a child. We'll tell you about that story in just a moment.

We go to this story. Former Congressman Anthony Weiner, in trouble. Heckled during his resignation speech over his sexting scandal. Have Americans always been so intolerant of scandal? Wait until you see the headlines on how it was explained here in New York as well. We're going to ask our human behavior expert Dr. Wendy Walsh about all of that, next. Hello, Wendy. We'll see you soon but before we get to Wendy, this.

You know, when it comes down to it, I should say, what kids learn at home is just as important as what they learn in school. That was true in the case of Chris Gardner, whose bestselling book was made into a hit movie. Our Christine Romans has his story in tonight's edition of "Smart is the New Rich".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL SMITH, ACTOR: Don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You'll recognize him perhaps as played by Will Smith in the movie "The Pursuit of Happiness."

SMITH: You've got a dream, you got to protect it.

ROMANS: It was based on his bestselling book of the same name. But even after the Hollywood ending, Chris Gardner did not rest on his laurels. Every day, he's hoping to pass on what he's learned.

CHRIS GARDNER, AUTHOR, "START WHERE YOU ARE": You know what? I learned so much about money from my mom who often said, son, I have done so much with so little for so long that I could do anything with nothing. And it wasn't just -- it wasn't just something catchy that she said, I got to see her do it.

ROMANS: And that also means learning to manage expectations.

GARDNER: I think one of the most important things that I have taught both of my children about money is that more money, more problems. Just because you do acquire money does not mean that you're not going to have problems elsewhere in your life.

ROMANS: According to a recent survey about the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 42 percent of people polled say they learned the most about personal finance from their parents.

GARDNER: I think right now, again, after the dinner table conversation of how was school today? A very good place to start is, let's talk about money, let's talk about what we're going to do to try to save money. Let's talk about the stock market. How is that affecting our retirement plans?

ROMANS: Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY WEINER (D-NY), RESIGNED FROM CONGRESS: Unfortunately, the distraction that I have created has made that impossible. So today I'm announcing my resignation from Congress.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Yes, bye, bye pervert.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Beyond pervert, Anthony Weiner has also been called a political pariah. And critics say, the campaign he's donated to should return his money. This week, the New York congressman resigned in disgrace, but many of his supporters still point out that his sexting wasn't illegal and didn't affect his job. OK, so when did Americans grow so intolerant of scandal?

To talk about it, our human behavior expert Dr. Wendy Walsh joins us. So, Wendy, my first question to you is, do you remember Gerry Studds, he was a Massachusetts congressman who slept with several under-aged pages and then he went on to serve 13 more years in office, that was in the 1980s. And then there are presidents Kennedy and Clinton with their out of marriage activities. So what has changed here? What make this is situation different?

DR. WENDY WALSH, PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, I'll tell you what's changed, we are seeing a massive rise of women. You know, the 1980s was the time when the workforce nearly doubled, not because we grew in population, but because so many women went into the workforce. Now because the recession, we have more than 50 percent of the workforce being women. So what that means is that women are now lawmakers who can be his, you know, his judge and jury, they are journalists and they can be sort of his comp, if you will. So, I think that we are now seeing women's opinion, because, you know, we have been talking about this Weiner thing for two weeks. And there tends to be a gender divide, a lot of men believed that sexting isn't cheating, women certainly believe it, it is because it's a relationship, there's another human at the other end. So, I think that the amount of women around Anthony Weiner did not exist during other congressman's discretion.

LEMON: And of course, as a political -- I want to show this. And of course, the tabloids here are having a field day with this and it's hard to escape this. This one is tame compared to some. We're going to talk about. I'll show you another. And that one says, hide the Weiner. And this one says, Weiner, I'll stick it out. And it's stunning and as I said that's tame.

WALSH: It's under his name, it's just unfortunate, and it makes the story that much more interesting to people because of his name.

LEMON: Yes. Moving on now, Wendy. You're Canadian, did you know that your people can write as well? I thought it was these peaceful people that went crazy after the Canucks loss of the Stanley Cup this week, and I'm thinking the mob mentality must have come into play. Quite honestly, I think you don't usually see Canadians behaving this way, do you? Well, they did back in the '90s too when they lost to the Rangers (ph) I think.

WALSH: That's true. You know, I like to think that an angry Canadian is an oxymoron, isn't it? And we mostly take our angry and turn out great comedians and country singers. But I do think that this is, you know, testosterone working categorically through sports. It's alcohol and drug use. And, you know, it's this mob mentality. That there's a diffusion of responsibility when there's a group whose being violent. You kind of look to each other for the queues of what's socially acceptable. And remember what kids say to their parents, but mom, everybody's doing it. So, that's what's their little brain say, everybody is rioting. So, it's OK then.

LEMON: So, we have to do it, too. Yes.

WALSH: Exactly.

LEMON: I want to go in a second here. That's not the only scene of violence act. Because I want you to look at this. This is outside the trial of Casey Anthony. Look at this real quick, Wendy. This is the one that stuck out, the piece of video that stuck out to me this week. Not even the riot. It looks like a man putting a boy in a head lock. Our affiliate WKNG reports, apparently some people cut in line to get a seat in the courtroom. Wendy, what in the world?

(LAUGHTER)

WALSH: You know, I don't often say WTF, but, Don, really, what I mean to say is that, we have become this media obsessed country. And people are obsessed about huge media stories that get a lot of attention. They want to go and see this up-close, and, yes, the violence is so uncalled for. So uncalled for. But -- yes, shocking to me.

LEMON: Yes. Dr. Wendy, appreciate your perspective especially in the court room.

WALSH: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: Thank you so much.

You know, New York could be on the verge of becoming the largest state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage. A heated debate on whether that should happen is straight ahead. You don't want to miss it.

But first, the front man for one of the loudest and most famous rock bands is on a mission to help young people preserve their hearing. In today's "Human Factor." Our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us what prompted this action by Paul Stanley of KISS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): To rock 'n roll all night. And party every day. That's always been Paul Stanley's dream.

PAUL STANLEY, GUITARIST/LEAD SINGER, KISS: If somebody had told me at 58, 59, I would be running around on stage without a shirt, you know, and in tights and high heels, I would have said, you know, what drug are you taking? Come on and love me

GUPTA: But the road to rock stardom as the front man for KISS was difficult. Few people know it, but Stanley was born with a condition that should have steered him away from music.

STANLEY: I had a physical deformity called a microtia.

GUPTA: One of Stanley's inner ears, the ear canals which conveys sound to the brain never developed. Figuring out the direction of sound was particularly challenging and he was also born with an under developed outer ear.

STANLEY: It was horrible, I have to say that childhood was not fun.

GUPTA (on-camera): You decided to grow your hair. I mean, and that's become such a signature look of you and the band. Was that in part because of wanting to hide your ears? STANLEY: Absolutely.

GUPTA: You grew your hair to do that?

STANLEY: Absolutely.

GUPTA (voice-over): Strength and a bit of defiance got Stanley to the taunting.

STANLEY: Something told me inside that I could do music. And interestingly being deaf in one ear was not something I saw as a hardship or something that was a hindrance at all.

GUPTA: But eventually, offstage, hearing loss did become a hindrance. So, Stanley had surgery.

STANLEY: Basically, you take a power drill and aim into the head.

GUPTA: The surgery was successful, but it does not equal self- acceptance, that Stanley learned over time and by working with kids.

(on camera) You may talk to kids who have microtia. So they're -- right now, they're like Mr. Stanley, I'm the one getting teased on the play ground, I'm not the rock star.

STANLEY: And how cool it is for them to hear somebody say I was there and look what I did? You can get through this, and you'll find out how much something means to you by how hard you're willing to work to overcome it.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: I want to check your headlines. Right now, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is back home in Tucson, Arizona for the first time since she was shot in January. Giffords and her husband, Astronaut Mark Kelly arrived Friday spending the weekend with family. Giffords was shot in the head during a meeting with constituents in January. She was released from a hospital, a Houston rehabilitation hospital this week and will continue her outpatient treatment in Houston.

OK. Well, Kelly said, we have been dreaming of this trip for some time, Gabby misses Tucson very much and her doctors have said that returning to her hometown could play an important role in her recovery.

They say a lot of business gets done on the golf course and this is a powerful foursome that you're looking at, two of them right there, that's President Obama as he teed off this morning with House Speaker John Boehner. Eighteen holes of golf with Vice President Joe Biden and Ohio's Republican Governor John Kasich. They're wearing shorts, there you go. See, folks you don't normally see in shorts. Those four rounded out the group. The teams went bipartisan were told, the president and the speaker teamed up to win $2 each. It was a friendly wager there, no word on any major political deals. If that happens we'll tell you about it.

Prosecutors say a man who used someone else's identity to get a job as a flight attendant for American Eagle Airlines. Police arrested Jophan Porter at Miami International Airport. Affiliate WSVN reports that he was carrying several forms of fake identification. Immigration authorities plan to deport him but a spokesman wouldn't say where he's from or what his residency status is. American Eagle says, this doesn't involve any customer information.

OK, get ready, this one is going to be a hot topic, it has been, it's going to heat up even more, especially within the next coming 24 hours or so. New York soon may become the most populous state in the nation to allow same-sex marriage. The vote could happen in a matter of days. As I just said, supporters say, they're closer than ever to making this happen. But opponents insist that they are not giving up. CNN's Mary Snow has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Leslie Miller and Alicia Salzer, both doctors and mothers of two children are hoping lawmakers in Albany will give them something they have never had, a legal marriage.

SALZER: And I think we're sending a loud and clear message about whether our families and our life and our choice and who we are and our love is legitimate or not and kids are watching.

SNOW (voice-over): Behind the personal stories, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo is leading an intense political push to legalize same-sex marriage.

A big supporter is New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, an Independent, who reached out trying to sway lawmakers.

MIKE BLOOMBERG, (I), MAYOR, NEW YORK CITY: My name is Mike and I'm calling on behalf of New Yorkers United for Marriage.

SNOW: Catholic New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan is trying to sway lawmakers to oppose the bill. He compares it to communist nations dictating things like family size.

"Last time I consulted an atlas," he writes, "It is clear we're living in New York, in the United States of America, not in China or North Korea."

Athletes are also weighing in. Former New York Giants football player, David Tyree, has joined the fight against same-sex marriage.

DAVID TYREE, FORMER NEW YORK GIANTS FOOTBALL PLAYER: If this does come forth, this will be the beginning of our country sliding toward, you know -- it's a strong word -- but anarchy.

SNOW: John Aubrey (ph) of the New York Rangers, who is heterosexual, is a vocal supporter and visited the state capitol to lobby for it.

Unlike three previous attempts in New York to legalize same-sex marriage, the campaign is closer than it's ever been. It's getting a significant amount of money from an unexpected source, Republicans and conservatives.

Among the groups fighting to pass the bill, the Human Rights Campaign.

BRIAN ELLNER, HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN: And we have been able to raise a lot of money for Republicans. Look, I think, in some ways it's a sea change, but we're also seeing it nationally. And we saw it again on repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

SNOW: The bills fate rests with Republican state Senators, who are also being targeted heavily by opponents.

Brian Brown, of the National Organization for Marriage, says Republicans who support it will face consequences next election. The group is pledging $1 million to finance primary challenges.

BRIAN BROWN, NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE: Right now, there's only two Republicans who have said they are going to vote to redefine marriage. We are definitely going to be involved in those races. I think they are making a tragic mistake. And they need to be held accountable by the voters.

SNOW (on camera): The New York State Senate could vote on this bill Monday. That's the last day of the legislative session. One of the things stalling it is that some Republicans are concerned about protections for religious institutions and organizations against the potential of lawsuits if this bill becomes law.

Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DON LEMON, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: All right, Mary, thank you very much.

I'm sure you have heard some discussion about this, but not one like you're going to hear coming up. We're going to debate this issue with both sides. It's going to be a very authentic debate and no holds barred. New York State Democrat Daniel O'Donnell is in a same-sex relationship, co-sponsor of that bill. And Brian Brown is the president of the National Association for Marriage. They're going to join me after a very quick break. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SHOUTING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Look at that. This is one of those -- New York -- maybe the rest of the country, maybe the rest of the world. New York is the new battleground in the national debate over same-sex marriage.

As we're talking about this topic, tweet me some stuff because I'm going to ask our guests and you may give me some information I need.

Supporters say they are close to passing the law, possibly just one more vote in the State Senate would push it over the top as soon as next week. But opponents really are not giving up.

I want to talk about this with two key players in this debate. Daniel O'Donnell is a key sponsor of the bill in the New York Assembly, where the bill passed earlier this week. I don't think he'll mind us saying, Rosie O'Donnell's brother. Brian Brown is against the bill. You saw him in Mary Snow's report just before the break. He's part of the National Organization for Marriage.

Again, listen, Mr. Brown, we have already said you're against it. If you're against it and you're one vote away, you have Republicans who are supporting this new bill, are you worried? Are you nervous about it?

BROWN: Well, obviously, it's crunch time right now. Again, in 2009, we heard from the lead sponsor, Tom Duane, that the votes were there, and the bill ended up being defeated, 38-4. So the notion that this is a done deal is wrong.

What we're doing right now is, there are thousands of calls going in to Senators. The legislature should not be deciding something as important as the future of marriage. The voters of New York should have the same ability as 31 other state. Every single state that this has been put to a vote, the voters directly have all said, no, we know what marriage is, we know it's unique and special, and we do not want it redefined. The voters --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: OK, but listen to this though. You say the voter will decide. But 58 percent -- this is a recent poll here. 58 percent of New Yorkers support same-sex marriage, while more than one-quarter of voters say the measure, along with extending rent regulation laws -- it's a big deal here in New York -- is one of their top-two priorities. 58 percent. Are you sure you want to take to it the voters?

BROWN: Absolutely sure. We saw polls just like this in California and in Maine, polls that were worded in a very biased way. I have absolutely no double that if the voters of New York had a free and fair vote and they could vote on the issue of marriage, they would vote to protect it.

LEMON: OK. All right.

Let's go -- let's give Daniel O'Donnell a chance to talk here.

Daniel, what do you think? It's going to be Gay Pride in New York new weekend. On Sunday is the big parade. Do you think people will be celebrating then? REP. DANIEL O'DONNELL, (D), NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY: Absolutely. I am confident that, with the governor's leadership, we're going to get this done. No one ever asked me in 2009 whether or not it would have passed, but I would have told you it wasn't going to pass. This time it is going to pass and I'm proudly part of the process that's expanding the rights of New Yorkers.

LEMON: So listen, there is one Senator here, State Senator who is on the fence. I think it's Greg Ball, a Republican State Senator who's on the fence. But all of these talks and negotiations with the governor here, we're hearing that it may just sort of be a cover, because if one person is the one who decides and they won't get support in an upcoming election, so they're trying to get maybe more than 32, maybe 35 or 36 or more, and that is the negotiation tactic going on.

What do you think about that Mr. O'Donnell? Is that true?

And then I'll be asking you as well, Mr. Brown.

Go ahead.

O'DONNELL: I know Greg Ball very well. Greg Ball is my colleague in the New York State Assembly. There's nothing Greg Ball likes more than attention about Greg Ball. Whether or not he's actually seriously considering this issue, I don't know. I've never spoken to him.

I can assure you I have spoken to many Senators and the truth is that the vast majority of New Yorkers want this resolved. No one has ever been able to make case that my ability to get a license from my state has any impact on anyone else. And finally, we're on the precipice of that happening. So whether it's Mr. Ball or one of the other Senators, I don't really care. We only need one and we're going to get one.

LEMON: Brian Brown, same question?

BROWN: I don't think that they're close to getting another Senator, necessarily. And I think that to say that redefining marriage won't affect anyone -- but, Danny O'Donnell, you're absolutely false. If we can look at the consequences of same-sex marriage, we don't have to guess at them. When you're shutting down Catholic Charity's adoption agency in Massachusetts --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Wait, wait, wait. Hang on. Hang on.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: I know what you're saying.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Hang on. Let me just say about that because -- (CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Hang on.

O'DONNELL: -- to do with this bill. It's about licenses issued by the state. It has nothing to do with adoption agencies.

LEMON: Hang on. Mr. -- Daniel, let me talk to Mr. Brown about that.

Because there are many people, especially legal experts, who say that is a red herring. That religious institutions and adoption agencies won't be shutting down and they're already going against the state's law as it is.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: So why are you saying that when people, legal experts say it's a red herring?

BROWN: There was a letter just published by three of the greatest legal scholars of our time, Mary Anne Glendon, at Harvard; Robbie George, at Trenton, and a number of other folks who actually support same-sex marriage. None of them deny that there are major unintended conflicts of same-sex marriage. And in Illinois, we heard this same arguments. It's not going to affect anyone other than the couples getting married. Wrong. In Illinois right now, there are three lawsuits because the Catholic Church, its adoption agencies are being told they have to shut down if they will not adopt children to same- sex couples. It's as simple as that.

LEMON: I'll let you have the last word, Daniel. But there were lawsuits, too, when they overturned desegregation and all of those things. And if it had been put to a vote -- let me ask you --

Producers, I'm going to need a little bit longer for this.

So let's figure out -- Brian Brown, this same thing, if you had taken that to a vote to the people, then we wouldn't have equality among races and even gender here, as well. Do you know that?

BROWN: You're comparing apples and oranges. Laws against interracial marriages were about keeping the races apart. Marriage is about bringing the genders together. And that's why African-Americans have some of the highest opposition to same-sex marriage. Somewhere around about 70 percent of African-Americans in California voted against same-sex marriage. And frankly, I work with a lot of African-American leaders. I think they're tired of the civil rights movement being hijacked in the effort to redefine marriage. It's simply wrong.

LEMON: So you don't look at this as a civil rights issue, right?

BROWN: It's not a civil rights issue to try to redefine our most fundamental and most basic institutions. No.

LEMON: OK.

All right, Daniel, go ahead. I'm sorry I cut you off there.

O'DONNELL: Well, the Supreme Court has ruled that marriage is one of our fundamental rights. In the end, this is not a question about anything other than equality. The state issues licenses. And they issue licenses to people and they're called marriage licenses. I'm not seeking a marriage in a church. I'm not seeking a pew in a synagogue. I'm not seeking anything from any religion.

The cases that they have constantly referenced are not cases under the marriage law. There isn't marriage in Illinois. And so if, in fact, people want to change the human rights laws or the discrimination laws, they should make proposals in legislative bodies to do that. Me getting a license has no impact on that, and they know that.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Hang on. Hang on. Hang on.

Daniel, finish, and then Brian -- it's going to have to be quickly because I'm going way over here.

BROWN: OK.

LEMON: Wrap up your point, Daniel.

O'DONNELL: They know that and there's no impact.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: OK, Brian, go ahead.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Brian, go ahead. It's the last word.

(CROSSTALK)

BROWN: -- impact. I encourage people to go and read the letter on our web site at nationformarriage.org. This is an impact. There's a huge impact on religious liberty.

And, look, this isn't a question of expanding marriage. This is a question of fundamentally redefining marriage and saying that people like me and our organizations are the functional equivalent of pagans.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: OK, listen, we've got to go.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: We've got to go.

I'm sorry, Brian and I'm not cutting you off for any other reason except for time.

So Brian and Daniel, we can continue this conversation for a very long time. But I appreciate you both coming on. Thank you so much.

I hope our viewers learn from this. It's going to be a really huge issue coming up on Monday. They're going to vote on it.

And when we come right back, we'll take you to beautiful Aspen, Colorado, for the Food and Wine Festival with one of the world's most top chefs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right, beautiful scenery, mountain air, great food and drink. What's not to like? What could be better than to be at the 29th Annual Aspen Food and Wine Classic this weekend in Colorado? Three days of cooking, wine tasting and expert discussions featuring famous chefs.

Boy, that looked good. I don't want to see him. I want to see that food again. No, I'm kidding.

Daniel Boulud, he's the owner, chef of 10 award-winning restaurants from New York, Palm Beach to Las Vegas, even Beijing. He's smiling there because he's in a great place. His restaurant, Daniel, has been named one of the 10 best restaurants in the world.

Thanks for joining us Chef Boulud. Good to see you.

How's the festival going? What are the highlights so far?

DANIEL BOULUD, CHEF: Hello, Don. It's been a fantastic, the weekend. Of course, the highlight was today, we did the lunch for the (INAUDIBLE) Foundation at the Zero (ph) Hotel. There's been an amazing cooking class, wine tastings, conversation, panels. It's really one of the best food and wine in the world, for sure.

LEMON: What are the hot topics? What are people talking about there besides just great food, yum, as we're looking at it on our screen?

BOULUD: Well, a lot goes about food, of course, but it goes about the industry in general and often -- and a panel will be a person from the west coast, a person from the east coast, south, north, so we get a view from the entire country. And I think that's what's amazing here.

LEMON: OK, what are the big trends in dining right now? There's always something new.

BOULUD: Well, I don't know what really is new right now. I mean, of course, there was the trend of the food (INAUDIBLE) and all that. I just opened a Mediterranean restaurant in New York doing Mediterranean cuisine. It's quite nice. It's called Boulud (ph). And, otherwise, I think the food trend is garden to table, it's farm to table. It's definitely chefs becoming farmers and farmers who are getting closer to chefs.

LEMON: Amazing. I am such a foodie. I'm really jealous that I'm not there.

Let's talk about obesity real quickly. Huge problem in our country. Here's what --

(CROSSTALK)

BOULUD: Yes.

LEMON: -- Gail Simmons, of TV's "Top Chef" has to say about it. Then I would like to get your thoughts on it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GAIL SIMMONS, TOP CHEF JUDGE: We don't preach junk food. We don't preach ridiculous portions. The obesity problem is due to the fact that people are not getting access to fresh food. And because of that, it is cheaper to eat junk food, fast food, canned food, preserved food than it is to eat an apple.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Chef, what do you think is causing the obesity problem in the U.S.?

BOULUD: Well, I think, first and foremost, I mean, it's the food has to be natural. The food has to be healthy. It's important to look local as well and to really watch the proportion of food you eat every day because, after all, you don't need to eat so much food sometimes. It's a question of being a little more attentive to a diet, which is not a diet, really, but it's a way of life.

LEMON: Daniel Boulud, Chef Daniel Boulud, I think you're exactly right. I'm a big foodie and people ask me how I eat all the time. I don't eat everything on my plate, small portions, and you've got to move --

(LAUGHTER)

-- instead of jumping in a car. You get on a bicycle and walk, and you can eat whatever you want.

BOULUD: And definitely don't forget to eat French when you look at your diet.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Oui, oui. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it.

We'll be right back, everybody.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Hotels in the U.S. throw away 800 million bars of soap every year. This week's "CNN Hero," Derreck Kayongo, collects some of that soap, recycles it and sends it to impoverished communities worldwide.

(CNN HEROES)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Mitt Romney extended his lead in the polls after appearing in CNN's first New Hampshire debate among the GOP hopefuls. But Romney isn't fairing as well at a major Republican leadership conference going on this weekend right now in New Orleans.

You're in New Orleans, Pete, I'm jealous.

That's where we find CNN's political producer, Pete Hamby.

Tell us all about today's straw poll.

PETE HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Hey, Don. Ron Paul won the straw poll today. But he wins every straw poll. He's got these devoted supporters that show up and seem to help him in every straw poll. He was followed by Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor, and Michele Bachmann, who did well in this week's debate.

The big surprise was Jon Huntsman. he did not even show up at the Republican leadership conference here in New Orleans but managed to pull out a second-place win. It is also surprising, because he is perceived as a moderate in the Republican field. He has broken with party orthodoxy on climate change and same-sex civil unions. But he managed to pull a second-place finish. I asked his political team if they paid supporters to come out and cast ballots. They would not comment on "internal strategy."

(LAUGHTER)

You know, these straw polls can be easily gamed. But it is good news for Jon Huntsman.

(CROSSTALK)

HAMBY: He is ready to announce officially his campaign on Tuesday.

LEMON: You did the air quotes there. So we know what that means.

Listen, this is what I am hearing. Another Republican, who wasn't in the straw poll, made a big splash at this conference. Tell us about that.

HAMBY: That's right. Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, just gave a barn-burner of a speech in there, unapologetically conservative. He attacked President Obama. This is a message consistent with the message that got him elected to a third term as governor of Texas last year, small government, keep your hands out of Texas. And Rick Perry has said recently that he is seriously considering returning for president.

LEMON: Yes.

HAMBY: He is expected to figure that out in the next couple weeks. So he made an impression here today, Don.

LEMON: That's great.

Hey, Pete, enjoy New Orleans. Don't eat too much. Don't drink too much and be safe.

HAMBY: Thank you.

LEMON: I wish I was there.

Thank you, sir.

Listen, I will see you back here in an hour at 7:00 p.m. eastern.

In the meantime, I will turn it over to "The Situation Room" with Mr. Wolf Blitzer, that begins right now. Thanks for watching.