You Tube Debate on Gay Marriage Between Dem Presidential Hopefuls

[Transcript snip via CNN. Debate was last night.]

COOPER: Our next question is on a topic that got a lot of response
from YouTube viewers. Let's watch.

QUESTION: Hi. My name is Mary.

QUESTION: And my name is Jen.

QUESTION: And we're from Brooklyn, New York.

If you were elected president of the United States, would you allow us
to be married to each other?

COOPER: Congressman Kucinich?

KUCINICH: Mary and Jen, the answer to your question is yes. And let me
tell you why.

Because if our Constitution really means what it says, that all are
created equal, if it really means what it says, that there should be
equality of opportunity before the law, then our brothers and sisters
who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender should have the
same rights accorded to them as anyone else, and that includes the
ability to have a civil marriage ceremony.

Yes, I support you. And welcome to a better and a new America under a
President Kucinich administration.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Dodd, you supported the Defense of Marriage Act.
What's your position?

DODD: I've made the case, Anderson, that -- my wife and I have two
young daughters, age 5 and 2.

I'd simply ask the audience to ask themselves the question that Jackie
and I have asked: How would I want my two daughters treated if they
grew up and had a different sexual orientation than their parents?

Good jobs, equal opportunity, to be able to retire, to visit each
other, to be with each other, as other people do.

So I feel very strongly, if you ask yourself the question, "How would
you like your children treated if they had a different sexual
orientation than their parents?," the answer is yes. They ought to
have that ability in civil unions.

I don't go so far as to call for marriage. I believe marriage is
between a man and a woman.

But my state of Connecticut, the state of New Hampshire, have endorsed
civil unions. I strongly support that. But I don't go so far as
marriage.

COOPER: Governor Richardson?

RICHARDSON: Well, I would say to the two young women, I would level
with you -- I would do what is achievable.

What I think is achievable is full civil unions with full marriage
rights. I would also press for you a hate crimes act in the Congress.
I would eliminate "don't ask/don't tell" in the military.

(APPLAUSE)

If we're going to have in our military men and women that die for this
country, we shouldn't give them a lecture on their sexual orientation

I would push for domestic partnership laws, nondiscrimination in
insurance and housing.

I would also send a very strong message that, in my administration, I
will not tolerate any discrimination on the basis of race, gender, or
sexual orientation.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: This next question is for Senator Edwards.

QUESTION: I'm Reverend Reggie Longcrier. I'm the pastor of Exodus
Mission and Outreach Church in Hickory, North Carolina.

Senator Edwards said his opposition to gay marriage is influenced by
his Southern Baptist background. Most Americans agree it was wrong and
unconstitutional to use religion to justify slavery, segregation, and
denying women the right to vote.

So why is it still acceptable to use religion to deny gay American
their full and equal rights?

(APPLAUSE)

EDWARDS: I think Reverend Longcrier asks a very important question,
which is whether fundamentally -- whether it's right for any of our
faith beliefs to be imposed on the American people when we're
president of the United States. I do not believe that's right.

I feel enormous personal conflict about this issue. I want to end
discrimination. I want to do some of the things that I just heard Bill
Richardson talking about -- standing up for equal rights, substantive
rights, civil unions, the thing that Chris Dodd just talked about. But
I think that's something everybody on this stage will commit
themselves to as president of the United States.

But I personally have been on a journey on this issue. I feel enormous
conflict about it. As I think a lot of people know, Elizabeth spoke --
my wife Elizabeth spoke out a few weeks ago, and she actually supports
gay marriage. I do not. But this is a very, very difficult issue for
me. And I recognize and have enormous respect for people who have a
different view of it.

COOPER: I should also point out that the reverend is actually in the
audience tonight. Where is he? Right over here.

Reverend, do you feel he answered your question?

(APPLAUSE)

QUESTION: This question was just a catalyst that promoted some other
things that wrapped around that particular question, especially when
it comes to fair housing practices. Also...

COOPER: Do you think he answered the question, though?

QUESTION: Not like I would like to have heard it...

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: What did you not hear?

QUESTION: I didn't quite get -- some people were moving around, and I
didn't quite get all of his answer. I just heard...

COOPER: All right, there's 30 seconds more. Why is it OK to quite
religious beliefs when talking about why you don't support something?
That's essentially what's his question.

EDWARDS: It's not. I mean, I've been asked a personal question which
is, I think, what Reverend Longcrier is raising, and that personal
question is, do I believe and do I personally support gay marriage?

The honest answer to that is I don't. But I think it is absolutely
wrong, as president of the United States, for me to have used that
faith basis as a basis for denying anybody their rights, and I will
not do that when I'm president of the United States.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Obama, the laws banning interracial marriage in the
United States were ruled unconstitutional in 1967. What is the
difference between a ban on interracial marriage and a ban on gay
marriage?

OBAMA: Well, I think that it is important to pick up on something that
was said earlier by both Dennis and by Bill, and that is that we've
got to make sure that everybody is equal under the law. And the civil
unions that I proposed would be equivalent in terms of making sure
that all the rights that are conferred by the state are equal for
same-sex couples as well as for heterosexual couples.

Now, with respect to marriage, it's my belief that it's up to the
individual denominations to make a decision as to whether they want to
recognize marriage or not. But in terms of, you know, the rights of
people to transfer property, to have hospital visitation, all those
critical civil rights that are conferred by our government, those
should be equal.