NEXT AMERICA

Cardenas: Gay Stance May Inspire Conservatives

Updated: May 14, 2012 | 9:52 a.m.
May 14, 2012 | 8:35 a.m.

More social conservatives could rally behind Mitt Romney, now that President Obama says he supports same-sex marriage. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Obama’s embrace of same-sex marriage may galvanize social conservatives' support of Mitt Romney, Al Cardenas says.

Another guest on the show, California’s Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who performed gay marriages when he was mayor of San Francisco, praised the president for his “courage” in changing positions, though he said he did not know what the political impact will be.

Newsom said he thinks it will be dramatically different than 2004 when Republicans were able to rally support by talking about gay marriage. “I don’t know that there is another issue that has moved this fast in such a short period of time,” he said. “In the last 24 months, this has moved 10 points. So it is a much safer time than 2004.”

Newsom acknowledged, though, that the champions of traditional marriage have triumphed every time a state has put the issue on the ballot. “That’s always the case,” he said. “When you subject the rights of a minority to the whims of the majority, every single time the minority loses.”

Also on the show, GOP National Chairman Reince Priebus said he agrees with Romney that there should be a constitutional amendment to enshrine traditional marriage as the only constitutionally accepted option. And he praised Romney as “a gracious, caring person” who will make sure that gays are treated with “dignity and respect.”

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