What is the Future of the Republican Party?; Sen. Portman Supports Same-Sex Marriage; Joe Biden, Reality Star?; Republicans Convene at CPAC
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Happy Friday. Thank you for joining us. I'm Carol Costello. Stories we're watching in the NEWSROOM, at 31 minutes past the news hour. Opening bell rings on Wall Street, many investors wonder if the Dow will see its 11th straight day of record gains. Other stories we're watching, a search crew finds several cars in a New Orleans waterway, but none are the Honda accord belonging to a missing to a New Orleans teacher, Terrilynn Monnette. She was last seen on March 2nd. Searchers will bring in sonar equipment Sunday to do a more thorough search. New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez continues to be under scrutiny. The "Washington Post" reporting a federal grand jury is investigating Menendez's role regarding the business dealings of one of his donors. Menendez declined to say he knew of the probe, but tells the Post he has acted appropriately at all times. President Obama, travels to Chicago today, where he is expected to detail a plan of funding research into clean energy. The plan would set aside 2 billion a year for public and private research. That money would come from federal oil and gas leases. Congressional Republicans are expected to oppose the plan. Red Box expanding its service to include video streaming. The movie rental service known for its red kiosks will join Netflix and Hulu by offering movies online. Red Box hopes to make itself stand out by offering plans that include streaming along with its with traditional kiosk rentals. "Political Buzz" is your rapid fire look at best political topics of the day. Three topics, 30 seconds on the clock. Playing with us today, CNN contributor and senior political columnist for "Newsweek" and "The Daily Beast," John Avlon and Ron Christie, a former assistant to George W. Bush. Welcome to both of you.</s>RON CHRISTIE, FMR. SPECIAL ASSISTANT FO GEORGE W. BUSH: Good morning, Carol.</s>COSTELLO: Good morning. Glad you are here. First up, a funny thing happened on the first day of the annual conservative gathering known as CPAC. Senators Rand Paul and Marco Rubio outlining very different visions.</s>SEN. RAND PAUL, (R) KENTUCKY: The GOP of old has grown stale and moss- covered.</s>SEN. MARCO RUBIO, (R) FLORIDA: We don't need a new idea. There is an idea. The is called America, and it still works.</s>COSTELLO: Okay. So Rubio and Paul putting a very different public face on a seemingly growing tensions within the Republican party. Politicians, pundits and supporters try to figure out a way forward after the bruising 2012 election. Our question? Can Republicans ever again speak with one voice? Ron.</s>CHRISTIE: Well, I don't think any party, Carol, speaks with one voice. The Democrats have a wide variety of issues, they have a wide variety of concerns, so do the Republican parties. But I think the one thing that is very clear about the Republican party today, is that we are firm in our commitment to reduce the size of government, to balance the budget, and have a strong national defense. I think there is always going to be differences of opinion on certain social issues so what happens with the two senators our two rising stars yesterday, doesn't surprise me at all.</s>COSTELLO: John.</s>JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Look there is a simmering GOP civil war going on right now. It's one of the great stories on our time. There are fundamental differences, even on issues of security when it comes to Rand Paul. But a vigorous debate is good. It is healthy for the Republican party as they try to find a way out of the wilderness, and the Libertarian wing really is ascendant (ph) right now. And in there you've got a great debate, but the Republican party is going to have to figure out to connect to the millennial generation and Rand Paul right now has a lot of momentum in that direction.</s>COSTELLO: He sure does. Up next, Senator Rob Portman, Republican, making a reversal on the issue of same-sex marriage.</s>SEN. ROB PORTMAN, (R ) OHIO: For me, personally, I think this is something that we should allow people to do - to get married and to have the joy and the stability of marriage that I have had for over 26 years.</s>COSTELLO: In a CNN exclusive, the Republican senator from Ohio who voted for Defense of Marriage Act and similar legislation, says he reached the decision after learning his 21-year-old son is gay. But a recent Quinnipiac poll shows Portman's party doesn't agree with him. Just 23 percent of Republicans support same-sex marriage compared to half of all independents and 65 percent of Democrats. So our question, is Rob Portman putting his political future at risk? John?</s>AVLON: It's a stand of conscious and he should be commended. He is evolving on an issue because it affected him personally. And while folks can criticize conservatives for becoming liberals on issues that affect them personally, we're in the midst of a gay civil rights movement and a Republican senator changing his mind on this issue, because it affects his family, sends a strong natural to other leading Republicans in advance of a Supreme Court case that could be momentous. This is an issue, not simply partisan, a generational divide, and it's time to evolve as a country. So it's a very positive step forward for the country that Rob Portman did this.</s>COSTELLO: Ron.</s>CHRISTIE: Well, in full disclosure, Rob Portman is my closest political mentor. I commend him for his honesty and frankly for his courage. I think what Senator Portman did in this particular instance, he put himself as a dad first and politician second and I think he made the determination what was best for his son Will and what was best for his family. So, his political future I think is very strong. He has a very bright future and he is a player to reckoned with in the United States Senate and certainly one of the centrist (ph) Republicans that President Obama and the conservative republicans can work with.</s>COSTELLO: And I'm going to break format here, Ron and ask you another question. Rob Portman came out, said I will support same-sex marriage, even though he voted against it time and time again, spoke out against it time and time again. So that he's such a conservative Republican, coming out, saying my son is gay, I've changed my mind, thought a lot about this. Will he change Republican minds since according to that poll, only 23 percent of Republicans say same-sex marriage should be?</s>CHRISTIE: I think it's more of a question of conscience than I think it is a political persuasion. I think that Republicans need to evaluate what they believe. Their God, their faith, what their underpinnings are. Again, I think this was a determination made as a dad, rather than a politician. Others elected Republicans will have to search their conscience and see which way they feel. I support him in his decision here very much.</s>COSTELLO: Okay, onto the buzzer beater, 20 seconds on the clock. Vice President Joe Biden, reality star? The White House launching "Being Biden," an audio series that will follow the vice president around Washington and beyond as he shares his experience, quote, "in candid, behind the scenes snapshots." As the vice president once said this is a big well, you know the rest. Basically what he does, pictures come up and vice president Joe Biden kind of describes what's happening in the picture. That's what this is all about. So the question, what do you want to know most about "Being Biden," John?</s>AVLON: I want to know how much overlap there is between "The Onion" caricature of Joe Biden and the real Joe Biden and whether he's running for president in '16. But this is actually a perfect fit for Joe Biden. He's become this cult figure. It's fascinating.</s>COSTELLO: Ron.</s>CHRISTIE: I'm with John on this one. Are you kidding me? To be a fly on the wall to see what the Vice President of the United States is up to. He's the gift that keeps on giving. I think that he's one heartbeat away from the presidency, I certainly want to see what he's doing.</s>COSTELLO: For completely different reasons.</s>CHRISTIE: Exactly.</s>AVLON: Very different reasons.</s>COSTELLO: John Avlon, Ron Crhristie, thank you for playing.</s>CHRISTIE: Always a pleasure.</s>COSTELLO: We're back in a minute.