Mitch McConnell tried to show what a regular guy he is in an interview but when gay marriage became the question the Republican Senator only had one answer.
Mitch McConnell may be from Kentucky but he’s never been an “average Joe.” The Republican Minority Leader is listed as the tenth richest Senator, with a net worth between $9.2 million and $36.5 million. And according to the Courier Journal, Sen. McConnell’s “wife, former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, sits on the board of Bloomberg Philanthrophies, an organization that is supporting an anti-coal campaign.”
Can’t imagine that’s going over well in Kentucky.
And right now McConnell’s Democratic opponent, Alison Lundergan Grimes, at least in one poll, is beating him.
So what does the 72-year old who has spent three decades in the U.S. Senate do?
Go on a sports talk radio show.
Sen. McConnell this morning called into Kentucky Sports Radio and had what’s being called a “combative,” and “needlessly angry” interview with liberal host Matt Jones.
The 14-minute interview covered climate change (“I’m not a scientist,” McConnell insisted,) and his opponent, and minimum wage increases (he’s against them,) and the EPA (he’s against it,) and Obamacare (he’s against it,) and same-sex marriage (he’s against it,) and his supposed love of the University of Kentucky’s basketball team.
“I’m a big fan of UK,” Sen. McConnell told Jones, although he seemed to have trouble remembering the players’ names. “I’m not a big fan of Obama, and I know you are,” he quipped.
But back to same-sex marriage.
“I believe that marriage should be between one man and one woman.” McConnell — who has married twice — told Jones when asked.
“I can tell you my opinion is that marriage should be between one man and one woman,” McConnell said again, the Huffington Post reports.
“The courts are dealing with this issue and you’re citing things that are a result of court decisions. I’m giving you my opinion. My opinion is that marriage is between one man and one woman.”
Jones once again asked McConnell to elaborate on the reasons for his position, asking if it was based in Biblical beliefs. McConnell would only repeat, for the fourth time, that he believed marriage is between a man and a woman.
After the segment with McConnell, Jones and his team said they found the interview to be bizarre. “That struck me as needlessly angry,” Jones said.Â
A producer chimed in that McConnell “came across as a little bit of a jerk,” while co-host Ryan Lemond said, “I don’t think he helped himself.”
Kentucky is under the jurisdiction of the 6th Circuit and a federal court has already struck down its marriage ban, although that ruling has been stayed.
Listen — the audio starts with climate change, then moves to marriage:
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Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr
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