Editor’s note: After you read this, please head over to my follow-up piece, “Asking Pawlenty A Gay Marriage Question Is “Heckling,” Ed Morrissey?,” to understand better why the right wing is scorned.Â
Tim Pawlenty, a Republican presidential candidate and former Minnesota Governor, was asked today at the Iowa state fair when he will stand up and support gay marriage. The young man, identified himself as “Gabe,” says it’s really hard for him that Pawlenty is “discriminating” against him. Gabe goes on to ask Pawlenty why he supports government getting in the way of marriage equality.
READ:Â 13 GOP Presidential Hopefuls. 12 Lies On Marriage And DOMA.
“I thought our country was about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for everyone, no exceptions. So Tim Pawlenty, I want to know know — when will you stand up for me…because you are discriminating against me and it hurts, it really does,” says Gabe, adding, “I support that you have your moral values, but that is something that is hurting my future and how I get to live my life…why does government get involved in our marriages? … Do you think I’m a second class citizen?”
Pawlenty, while respectful, didn’t have a good answer — in part because there is none. he also managed to denigrate same-sex relationships.
Pawlenty, who believes being gay is a choice, has said of marriage equality and DOMA, “I firmly believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, as President Obama told us he believed in 2008. But now President Obama and his Justice Department would have us believe that traditional marriage laws are unconstitutional.â€Â Obviously, a nasty lie. Pawlenty, as he showed last night, likes to pretend he is “Minnesota nice,” but he’ll get ugly if it will score him points.
Gabe, we all owe you a debt of gratitude for speaking so well and passionately about this issue. It took courage and you displayed it!
Many thanks to Igor Volsky and the great team at Think Progress for this clip and for the transcript.