Herman Cain: I Support A Federal Ban On Gay Marriage

Herman Cain says he now supports a federal ban on gay marriage. A federal ban is one step past DOMA, the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which allows the states to decide whether or not to recognize same-sex marriage but prohibits the federal government from doing so. This would outlaw gay marriage, making illegal the relationships of hundreds of thousands of lesbian, gay, and bisexual married couples.

For strict constitutional constructionists, and for states’ rights advocates — as well as for decent human beings everywhere — this should be extreme cause for alarm.

In typical Cain flip-flopping mode, just last week, Cain told David Gregory of Meet The Press, “I wouldn’t seek a constitutional ban for same sex marriage, but I am pro-traditional marriage.”

Just five days ago, The Washington Blade noted,

Cain’s remarks on “Meet the Press” echo comments he made in June during a New Hampshire presidential debate in which he said the issue of marriage should be a “state’s decision.”

The candidate’s lack of support for a Federal Marriage Amendment differentiates him from other Republican candidates — including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Rep. Michele Bachmann and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum — who’ve called for a Federal Marriage Amendment banning same-sex marriage throughout the country.

…

In an interview Sunday with Radio Iowa, Santorum said Cain wouldn’t defend the family as president and compared his position on marriage to President Obama’s.

“The idea that this issue should be left to the states is the position Barack Obama takes and it’s not the right position,” Santorum said. “There needs to be a uniform definition of marriage in this country.”

The National Organization for Marriage has also targeted Cain for not signing the organization’s pledge to oppose marriage equality as president by backing a Federal Marriage Amendment and defending the Defense of Marriage Act in court.

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, said in an e-mail to supporters earlier this month that he hopes Cain will come around to endorse a U.S. constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

“Cain’s comments on a federal marriage amendment have not always been crystal clear and consistent,” Brown said. “I personally hope that means he is in the process of ‘evolving’ on the issue, as the campaign moves forward.”

But here’s a clip of Herman Cain’s interview with CBN’s David Brody, published just two days ago:

David Brody: (In your Faith and Freedom speech) “You mentioned marriage as well so you’re also, just so I understand, you’re for a constitutional marriage amendment as well?”

Herman Cain: “I think marriage should be protected at the federal level also. I used to believe that it could be just handled by the states but there’s a movement going on to basically take the teeth out of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and that could cause an unraveling, so we do need some protection at the federal level because of that and so yes I would support legislation that would say that it’s between a man and a woman.”

Flip-flop?