Insisting that marriage should be between a man and a woman, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Wednesday urged fellow Republicans to take a “deep breath” and deal with the “human side” of gay marriage laws that have been gaining support around the nation.
“I think this is a very complicated human problem and Republicans need to take a deep breath and understand we need to deal with the human side of this equation — and understand that we want to defend marriage in its classic form between a man and a woman,” said Gingrich, appearing on Fox News’ “On The Record.”
“I don’t accept that there’s an alternative. The government can declare that a Ford truck is Air Force One. That doesn’t mean it can fly,” he told host Greta Van Susteren.
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But Gingrich noted that nine U.S. states have already recognized same-sex marriage, which poses legal considerations that must be addressed.
“It’s not that I want to change my belief. I think that in fact it’s a big mistake to be confused about this issue,” he explained. “But I think it’s also a legal reality that now people are being allowed to create legal status over here. And if they create it in Maryland and they go on a trip. And something happens to them on that trip. What’s their status if they want to go to the local hospital?”
But Van Susteren pressed the former presidential candidate: “Has the Republican Party been tone deaf or unwilling to face that human aspect?"
“I think the Republican Party first of all is a very complicated institution. It has a lot of different people in it, some of whom in fact were much more prepared to accept that than others,” he responded. “But I think on balance we’re going to remain the conservative party.”
Editor's Note:
Should Kerry and Hagel Be Confirmed?
Gingrich added that Republicans will continue to defend religious liberty and believe in core traditional values.
“We’ve got to learn to do it much, much better,” according to Gingrich. “I watched us get out maneuvered by the left over and over for the last couple of years in ways that I found frustrating and infuriating. And I think we have to learn from that.”
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