Bill Clinton: I was wrong. I was hung up on the word. Gay marriage is a good thing. [video]
”I do. I am no longer opposed to that. I think if people want to make commitments that last a lifetime, they ought to be able to do it. I have long-favored the right of gay couples to adopt children.
”I think what made me change my mind was — I looked at one day — I said, ‘Look at all this stuff you’re for: I’ve always believed that — I’ve never supported all these moves, the moves of a few years ago to ban gay couples from adoption. ‘Cause there are all these kids out there looking for a home. And the standard in all adoption cases is: What is the best interest of the child? And there are plenty of cases where the best interest of the child is to let the gay couple take them and give them a loving home.’
”So, I said — you know, I realize that I was over 60 years old. I grew up in a different time, and I was hung up about the word. I had all these gay friends. I had all these gay couple friends, and I was hung up about it. And I decided I was wrong. That if — that our society has an interest coherence and strength, and commitment, and mutually enforcing loyalties, then if gay couples want to call their union ‘marriage,’ and a state agrees — and several have now. Or a religious body will sanction it — and I don’t think the state should be able to stop a religious body from sanctioning it. I don’t think the rest of us should get in the way of that. I think it’s a good thing, not a bad thing.”
Former President Bill Clinton responding to CNN new anchor Anderson Cooper about his recent change of mind on gay marriage. President Clinton and his wife, Hillary Clinton (who serves as the current US Secretary of State) have both stated in the past that marriage is between a man and a woman in their opinion, as has current President Barack Obama. Both presidents say now that they support full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, while Secretary Clinton has said in the past she supports repealing Section 3 which denies equal Federal marriage benefits to any same-sex couple whether they are legally married by a state or not. (CNN)
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