Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Social Conservatives Frustrated By Gay Marriage
Aired February 15, 2004 - 16:35 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.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Well social conservatives do not believe that gay marriage is made in heaven, except as a political issue. Polls show that same-sex marriage is unpopular, 38 states have passed laws refusing to recognize it, and President Bush's leading Democratic opponent, John Kerry, is from the state where the highest court has upheld gay marriage. So do Republicans own this issue? CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider joins us. So what do you think Bill?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Neither side owns this issue. The fact is Bush could end up taking the same position as John Kerry which is for equal rights for gay couples but against gay marriage. The White House is reported to favor Constitutional Amendment that would prohibit states from recognizing gay marriages but allow them to recognize gay civil unions. That distinction mirrors the public's view.
Americans want to tolerate gay rights and the give gay couples equal rights but they're unwilling to express approval of homosexuality. And to most Americans gay marriage means an approval. A Constitutional Amendment is something Americans don't take lightly. And even though most Americans disapprove of gay marriage, they're split down the middle over a Constitutional Amendment.
Now interestingly Wisconsin is a state that has an openly gay Congresswoman. One of only three openly gay members of Congress. And that is exactly where the campaign is headed this Tuesday. For Howard Dean, everything likely hinges on Wisconsin.
(Begin Video Clip)
HOWARD DEAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is a big deal, the Wisconsin primary. This is the chance to turn around a campaign that's been managed by the media and the folks inside the beltway.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: Same is true for John Edwards.
(Begin Video Clip)
JOHN EDWARDS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want the people of Wisconsin to prove on Tuesday that you are as independent minded as the rest of the country think you are.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: Why are these guys looking to Wisconsin to save their campaigns, ask the governor?
(Begin Video Clip)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because we pride ourselves here that we are independent.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: Wisconsin is always had a taste for outsiders and mavericks. It is a tradition that goes back a century to the state's progressive leader Robert Lofelet (ph).
(Begin Video Clip)
HOWARD DEAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Wisconsin elected Bob Lofelet to the Senate, and elected him Governor. I think Wisconsin is interested in the kind of candidate that is willing to stand up against Washington interest groups and Washington insider groups.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: It is a tradition that brings together politicians as diverse as the late Senator Joe McCarthy and currant Senator Russ Feingold (ph) who lead the fight to change the campaign finance law.
(Begin Video Clip)
JERRY MAST, PROF. POLITICAL SCIENCE CARTHAGE COLLEGE: I think that what Wisconsin looks for in candidates is politicians who are willing to step outside the expected patterns of behavior.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: Wisconsin's presidential primary has a long history of favoring outsiders. Like John Kennedy, who first rose to prominence by beating Hubert Humphrey in the 1960 Democratic primary? In 1964 Democrats were shocked when George Wallace took his racial backlash message outside the south and won one-third of the Wisconsin primary vote.
In 1968, the prospect of losing the Wisconsin primary to Eugene McCarthy lead Lyndon Johnson to drop out of the race. In 1976, Jimmy Carter's narrow victory in Wisconsin clinched the nomination for the former Georgia governor. Get the picture? Wisconsin gives outsiders hope. This year, Howard Dean and John Edwards are running as outsiders. John Kerry's the insider.
(Begin Video Clip)
JOHN KERRY, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not picking one state to focus on or one state to concentration on. I think you have to run for president as a national campaign.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: The big surprise is it seems to be working in Wisconsin.
(Begin Video Clip)
MAST: Although one might expect Dean or Edwards to do very well here, the numbers don't suggest that's the likely outcome.
SCHNEIDER: Kerry wins Wisconsin on Tuesday, the implication will be clear. Democrats are looking for someone with knowledge and experience to stand up to President Bush. Outsiders are out, even in Wisconsin. Kelli.
ARENA: All right. Lets get back to the gay marriage issue. There have been some social conservatives who said the president has abandoned his conservative base by trying to walk a fine line on this whole gay marriage issue. Do up think that that will have any repercussions come November?
SCHNEIDER: I think conservatives will be quietly frustrated and critical in a subdued manner. Because they say you know what we really want, is a Constitution Amendment that would ban not just gay marriage but gay civil unions.
And the president does not seem prepared to do that. Because it would make him to appear harsh and intolerable. It would destroy image or at least wear away his image of a compassionate conservative. He doesn't want to do that. He wants to walk the fine line just as John Kerry does. So yes-social conservatives will be frustrated but you know what they realize the best deal they are going to keep is from this president.
ARENA: All right, senior political analyst Bill Schneider. Thank you.
SCHNEIDER: 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 15, 2004 - 16:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: Well social conservatives do not believe that gay marriage is made in heaven, except as a political issue. Polls show that same-sex marriage is unpopular, 38 states have passed laws refusing to recognize it, and President Bush's leading Democratic opponent, John Kerry, is from the state where the highest court has upheld gay marriage. So do Republicans own this issue? CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider joins us. So what do you think Bill?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Neither side owns this issue. The fact is Bush could end up taking the same position as John Kerry which is for equal rights for gay couples but against gay marriage. The White House is reported to favor Constitutional Amendment that would prohibit states from recognizing gay marriages but allow them to recognize gay civil unions. That distinction mirrors the public's view.
Americans want to tolerate gay rights and the give gay couples equal rights but they're unwilling to express approval of homosexuality. And to most Americans gay marriage means an approval. A Constitutional Amendment is something Americans don't take lightly. And even though most Americans disapprove of gay marriage, they're split down the middle over a Constitutional Amendment.
Now interestingly Wisconsin is a state that has an openly gay Congresswoman. One of only three openly gay members of Congress. And that is exactly where the campaign is headed this Tuesday. For Howard Dean, everything likely hinges on Wisconsin.
(Begin Video Clip)
HOWARD DEAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is a big deal, the Wisconsin primary. This is the chance to turn around a campaign that's been managed by the media and the folks inside the beltway.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: Same is true for John Edwards.
(Begin Video Clip)
JOHN EDWARDS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want the people of Wisconsin to prove on Tuesday that you are as independent minded as the rest of the country think you are.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: Why are these guys looking to Wisconsin to save their campaigns, ask the governor?
(Begin Video Clip)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because we pride ourselves here that we are independent.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: Wisconsin is always had a taste for outsiders and mavericks. It is a tradition that goes back a century to the state's progressive leader Robert Lofelet (ph).
(Begin Video Clip)
HOWARD DEAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Wisconsin elected Bob Lofelet to the Senate, and elected him Governor. I think Wisconsin is interested in the kind of candidate that is willing to stand up against Washington interest groups and Washington insider groups.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: It is a tradition that brings together politicians as diverse as the late Senator Joe McCarthy and currant Senator Russ Feingold (ph) who lead the fight to change the campaign finance law.
(Begin Video Clip)
JERRY MAST, PROF. POLITICAL SCIENCE CARTHAGE COLLEGE: I think that what Wisconsin looks for in candidates is politicians who are willing to step outside the expected patterns of behavior.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: Wisconsin's presidential primary has a long history of favoring outsiders. Like John Kennedy, who first rose to prominence by beating Hubert Humphrey in the 1960 Democratic primary? In 1964 Democrats were shocked when George Wallace took his racial backlash message outside the south and won one-third of the Wisconsin primary vote.
In 1968, the prospect of losing the Wisconsin primary to Eugene McCarthy lead Lyndon Johnson to drop out of the race. In 1976, Jimmy Carter's narrow victory in Wisconsin clinched the nomination for the former Georgia governor. Get the picture? Wisconsin gives outsiders hope. This year, Howard Dean and John Edwards are running as outsiders. John Kerry's the insider.
(Begin Video Clip)
JOHN KERRY, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not picking one state to focus on or one state to concentration on. I think you have to run for president as a national campaign.
(End Video Clip)
SCHNEIDER: The big surprise is it seems to be working in Wisconsin.
(Begin Video Clip)
MAST: Although one might expect Dean or Edwards to do very well here, the numbers don't suggest that's the likely outcome.
SCHNEIDER: Kerry wins Wisconsin on Tuesday, the implication will be clear. Democrats are looking for someone with knowledge and experience to stand up to President Bush. Outsiders are out, even in Wisconsin. Kelli.
ARENA: All right. Lets get back to the gay marriage issue. There have been some social conservatives who said the president has abandoned his conservative base by trying to walk a fine line on this whole gay marriage issue. Do up think that that will have any repercussions come November?
SCHNEIDER: I think conservatives will be quietly frustrated and critical in a subdued manner. Because they say you know what we really want, is a Constitution Amendment that would ban not just gay marriage but gay civil unions.
And the president does not seem prepared to do that. Because it would make him to appear harsh and intolerable. It would destroy image or at least wear away his image of a compassionate conservative. He doesn't want to do that. He wants to walk the fine line just as John Kerry does. So yes-social conservatives will be frustrated but you know what they realize the best deal they are going to keep is from this president.
ARENA: All right, senior political analyst Bill Schneider. Thank you.
SCHNEIDER: 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
