Massachusetss Legislature Unable to Get Majority Vote For Gay Marriage Ban, Will Try Again in March
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: For two days, Massachusetts law makers debated, negotiated and argued. It was an anguished attempt to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriages, but they failed. About five hours ago, in fact, the law makers called it quits. As CNN's David Mattingly reports, they will try again next month.</s>DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the midnight hour approached, demonstrators supporting gay marriage lifted their voices in patriotic song.</s>MARTY ROUSE, GAY MARRIAGE DEMONSTRATOR: And we wanted to stand up and let people know if they were going to vote for discrimination, we wanted to be here. And they did not vote for discrimination.</s>MATTINGLY: The Massachusetts legislature, unable to find a majority vote banning same-sex marriage, called it quits for now. State law makers failed three times in two days to pass an amendment defining marriage as strictly between one man and one woman.</s>BYRON RUSHING, MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE: What was so good about these past two days is you saw a legislature struggling with trying to find that language. If that language does not exist, it might mean that it should not exist.</s>MATTINGLY: Law makers could not overcome disagreements over how to legally protect gay couples, many acknowledging during the previous 48 hours how divided the legislature remains on this volatile issue.</s>MIXE FESTA, MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE: We saw a lot of people taking the podium and working hard to express a point of view that is clearly reflective of our society right now. We are in conflict over this question.</s>MATTINGLY (on camera): Conflict with no compromise appealing enough, apparently, to produce a ban on gay marriage in Massachusetts. The state legislature will reconvene and try again in March. David Mattingly, CNN, Boston.</s>CALLAWAY: Adding fuel to the fire, San Francisco's county clerk issued almost 100 same-sex marriage licenses yesterday. Many got married on the spot, despite the fact that gay marriages are illegal in California. The first couple to be married, two women in their 80s who have been together for 51 years. Wow. Gay Marriage Ban, Will Try Again in March>