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CNN Live Today
Massachusetts Constitutional Ban on Gay Marriage?
Aired February 11, 2004 - 11:32 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: We want to look more at the issue now of gay marriage.
Frank Phillips covers Beacon Hill for "The Boston Globe," and he also is in Boston. He's going to tell us more about gay marriage and the politics of what is taking place in Boston.
Frank good morning.
FRANK PHILLIPS, "THE BOSTON GLOBE": Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: Let's talk about this compromise that's on the table. Civil unions worked for Vermont. But didn't the state Supreme Court address that very issue and say, sorry, that's just not going to cut it here in Massachusetts?
PHILLIPS: That's indeed what happened in November. The court said that civil unions are separate but equal, and is discriminatory under the Massachusetts state constitution. And they said that the state Department of Public Health must issue licenses to gay couples.
KAGAN: What about the time gap? David Mattingly was just pointing this out that these marriages would start being allowed in May. The constitutional amendment if it passes wouldn't take place until 2006. What do you do with those people in the middle who get married? You're just suddenly unmarried?
PHILLIPS: It was a little hard to hear your question. But I understand that there's a lot of -- people are very upset about the possibility of legal chaos, and the gay rights advocates are saying that if this amendment that's been proposed to put them back into civil unions goes through that the state is, in effect, forcing them to divorce.
But on the other hand, the opponents of gay marriage say we cannot go ahead with these marriages, it's not correct, until the people have spoken on the issue.
So, it's a lot of chaos up here. No one really knows how it's going to be resolved.
KAGAN: I want to get your perspective on the political picture in Massachusetts right now. We expect within the hour to hear from the governor, Mitt Romney. Where does he stand on the issue?
PHILLIPS: Well, it's evolving as we speak, I think. He has been against civil unions. He's been for domestic partnership benefit in the past when he ran for governor. He said that. He's been against civil unions. And now there's been a compromise on the table to have a DOMA -- A Defense of Marriage Act -- defining marriage as a man and woman -- between a man and a woman and also providing civil unions.
He may, I suspect, be a little more amenable now. It's suddenly become the middle ground in Massachusetts politics to provide civil unions. Three months ago, it was rather a radical idea up here on Beacon Hill.
KAGAN: It's amazing how quickly it can change. Also, this should play out on the national front. John Kerry, the senator, the junior senator from Massachusetts, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, how might he get caught up in this controversy?
PHILLIPS: Obviously, he's said he's against gay marriage, but for civil unions. This compromise, which is proposed by one of his closest allies, the Senate president, seems to a lot of people a way of protecting John Kerry's political backside here as he goes out into the presidential campaign.
And the Republicans obviously are lying in wait to exploit this issue with the public out beyond Massachusetts, which is apparently by polls, very much against gay marriage.
KAGAN: Frank Phillips with "The Boston Globe," thanks for your perspective, for your local insight...
PHILLIPS: It was a pleasure.
KAGAN: ... from Beacon Hill. I appreciate that so much.
PHILLIPS: Sure.
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 11, 2004 - 11:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to look more at the issue now of gay marriage.
Frank Phillips covers Beacon Hill for "The Boston Globe," and he also is in Boston. He's going to tell us more about gay marriage and the politics of what is taking place in Boston.
Frank good morning.
FRANK PHILLIPS, "THE BOSTON GLOBE": Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: Let's talk about this compromise that's on the table. Civil unions worked for Vermont. But didn't the state Supreme Court address that very issue and say, sorry, that's just not going to cut it here in Massachusetts?
PHILLIPS: That's indeed what happened in November. The court said that civil unions are separate but equal, and is discriminatory under the Massachusetts state constitution. And they said that the state Department of Public Health must issue licenses to gay couples.
KAGAN: What about the time gap? David Mattingly was just pointing this out that these marriages would start being allowed in May. The constitutional amendment if it passes wouldn't take place until 2006. What do you do with those people in the middle who get married? You're just suddenly unmarried?
PHILLIPS: It was a little hard to hear your question. But I understand that there's a lot of -- people are very upset about the possibility of legal chaos, and the gay rights advocates are saying that if this amendment that's been proposed to put them back into civil unions goes through that the state is, in effect, forcing them to divorce.
But on the other hand, the opponents of gay marriage say we cannot go ahead with these marriages, it's not correct, until the people have spoken on the issue.
So, it's a lot of chaos up here. No one really knows how it's going to be resolved.
KAGAN: I want to get your perspective on the political picture in Massachusetts right now. We expect within the hour to hear from the governor, Mitt Romney. Where does he stand on the issue?
PHILLIPS: Well, it's evolving as we speak, I think. He has been against civil unions. He's been for domestic partnership benefit in the past when he ran for governor. He said that. He's been against civil unions. And now there's been a compromise on the table to have a DOMA -- A Defense of Marriage Act -- defining marriage as a man and woman -- between a man and a woman and also providing civil unions.
He may, I suspect, be a little more amenable now. It's suddenly become the middle ground in Massachusetts politics to provide civil unions. Three months ago, it was rather a radical idea up here on Beacon Hill.
KAGAN: It's amazing how quickly it can change. Also, this should play out on the national front. John Kerry, the senator, the junior senator from Massachusetts, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, how might he get caught up in this controversy?
PHILLIPS: Obviously, he's said he's against gay marriage, but for civil unions. This compromise, which is proposed by one of his closest allies, the Senate president, seems to a lot of people a way of protecting John Kerry's political backside here as he goes out into the presidential campaign.
And the Republicans obviously are lying in wait to exploit this issue with the public out beyond Massachusetts, which is apparently by polls, very much against gay marriage.
KAGAN: Frank Phillips with "The Boston Globe," thanks for your perspective, for your local insight...
PHILLIPS: It was a pleasure.
KAGAN: ... from Beacon Hill. I appreciate that so much.
PHILLIPS: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
