Campaigning In New Hampshire Florida Senator Apparently Unaware Of Last Year’s Supreme Court Ruling
Marco Rubio Monday afternoon visited the Puritan Backroom diner in Manchester, New Hampshire and happened upon two men and a woman sitting at a table.Â
“Why do you want to put me back in the closet?,â€Â Timothy Kierstead, sitting with his husband and his mother, asked the conservative Florida Republican presidential candidate, according to the New York Times.
“I don’t,†Rubio responded. “You can live any way you want.â€
The Times described the encounter as a “tense exchange,” saying that Kierstead, 50, “told Mr. Rubio that he was married but complained that the senator’s position amounted to him declaring that ‘we don’t matter.'”
Mr. Rubio, who was standing with his youngest son, Dominick, 8, by his side, gently disagreed. “No, I just believe marriage is between one man and one woman.â€
“Well,†replied Mr. Kierstead, “that’s your belief.â€
Mr. Rubio continued: “I think that’s what the law should be. And if you don’t agree you should have the law changed by a legislature.â€
The Florida Senator, fresh off a disastrous performance at Saturday night’s GOP debate, opted to not continue the exchange, saying he respected Kierstead’s views. Kierstead reminded him same-sex marriage is legal nationwide.
“Typical politician,” Kierstead, who has three children with his husband, shouted after him. “Walk away.”
He later told the Times he is a registered independent but will vote for a Democrat because Republicans “want to take my rights away as a citizen of the United States.”
On Facebook a few minutes ago, Kierstead detailed the exchange, adding, “So i guess my 18yrs will be null and void if he wins NOT GETTING MY VOTE he is an ass.”
UPDATE:
Video!
UPDATE II:
It must be noted that New Hampshire was the first state to pass same-sex marriage legislation into law, in 2009, without being forced to do so by a lawsuit or court ruling.
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Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license