New Jersey Weighs Gay Therapy Ban
BLITZER: Happening now, did the U.S. secret service accidently fire a shotgun (ph) near Iran's president when he was in New York? The debate over banning so-called gay conversion therapy heating up in New Jersey, and now, the pressure is on the Governor Chris Christie to choose sides. And she's a beauty queen with such a unique story that President Obama wanted to meet her in Israel. She tells us about that meeting. That's coming up. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in the SITUATION ROOM.</s>BRIELLE GOLDANI, AGAINST GAY CONVERSION THERAPY: Because this program, I attempted suicide three times. This is nothing more than legalized child abuse.</s>BLITZER: It's one of the most controversial forms of treatment in this country, so-called gay conversion therapy based on the premise that homosexuality can be reversed. The debate is heating up in the state of New Jersey, and now, the pressure is on the Republican star, the governor, Chris Christie, to take a stand. Let's bring in our chief Congressional correspondent, Dana Bash. She's looking at this story and has got the latest details. Explain what's going on.</s>DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it really comes down to a question of whether being gay is a choice or not. But it also reminds us of the issue of gay marriage which is something that is in front of us politically and how much things have changed just even over the past four and a half years. It has gone up nine points, nine points, that support. But it really is only among Democrats and independents. For Republicans it is really stagnate. And that is why, probably, gay rights are such a thorny issue for Republican politicians who may be eyeing a Republican primary race for president like Chris Christie who now faces a decision on a very controversial topic.</s>ADAM HOOD, SELF-IDENTIFIED FORMER HOMOSEXUAL: Homosexuality is an abomination.</s>BASH (voice-over): In this 2012 documentary, "Curing Gays," Adam Hood, identified as a former homosexual, talks about his work in what's known as gay conversion therapy.</s>HOOD: Many people hate me temporarily and get saved a month later and thank me for holding the line.</s>BASH: In New Jersey a bill to ban gay conversion therapy with minors is making its way through the state legislature. Jacob Rudolph, a self-described bisexual teenager, testified in favor of the New Jersey ban earlier this week.</s>JACOB RUDOLPH, SELF-DESCRIBED BISEXUAL TEENAGER: I am not broken. I am not confused. And I do not need to be fixed.</s>BASH: In order for the ban to become law Republican Governor Chris Christie would have to sign it but the normally outspoken governor is not ready to say what he'd do, telling reporters he is of, quote, "two minds on the issue." "I think there should be lots of deference given to parents on raising their children." Going on to say, "On bills that restrict parents' ability to make decisions on how to care for their children. I'm generally a skeptic of those bills. Now there can always be exceptions to those rules and this bill may be one of them." Christie's indecision underscores how dicey issues relating to gay rights have become for Republicans. Especially those who may have ambitions for higher office.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, 43RD PRESIDENT: Protecting marriage as a union of man and woman as husband and wife.</s>BASH: Not too long ago opposing gay rights was a no brainer for Republicans. George W. Bush won re-election in part by endorsing state bans on same sex marriage. Now?</s>SEN. ROB PORTMAN (R), OHIO: My son came to Jane, my wife and I, told us that he was gay, and that it was not a choice.</s>BASH: A slow move in favor of more gay rights. Republicans like Senator Rob Portman are reversing opposition to gay marriage in part because of people close to them are more open about being gay. (</s>On camera): What was your reaction when he told you?</s>PORTMAN: Love. Support. You know, 110 percent.</s>BASH (voice-over): GOP leaders against gay marriage appear to get that their opposition has become a minority view in America and they're increasingly careful to strike a more tolerant tone.</s>REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), HOUSE SPEAKER: I respect everyone's opinion. I just gave my opinion. My opinion is born out of my childhood, my faith, my beliefs, that marriage is between one man and one woman. I respect other people's views.</s>BASH: Now anecdotally in conversations with Republicans in the hallways of the capitol it seems as though Republicans, especially those on the younger side, believe that this should be not a federal issue anymore but a court -- excuse me, a state issue. And we'll see if the Supreme Court decides because they're going to hear a pair of really important cases next week.</s>BLITZER: Yes. Big cases on gay marriage here in the United States. All right, Dana, thanks very much. Let's dig a little bit deeper in our "Strategy Session." Joining us our CNN contributors, the Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, and the former White House Bush press secretary, Ari Fleischer, he's a consultant and a board member, by the way, of the Republican Jewish Coalition as well. Ari, what do you think about this decision that the governor of New Jersey needs to make? How do you think it will play out politically one way or another?</s>ARI FLEISCHER, FORMER BUSH WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, Wolf, number one let me state at the outset I think gay conversion therapy is wacky. I just -- I have a hard time understanding this. All my gay friends, people I know, and I think logic tells you that this is the way people are born, and as they get older there is just something inside them, inside their nature that moves them into one direction. And I'm glad we're a society increasingly respecting of that and accepting of that. And so I do think it's wacky. Having said that, though, you know, I do wonder about what role government should have in outlawing procedures that a parent wants to have for a child or for that matter for anybody. If this is something that somebody on their own free volition decides to do even though I think it's wacky and I would advise them not to do it, does the state have the right to say to them, you may not do something that you might think is good for you that you want to do? That's a different issue and that's the role and the power of the state to outlaw things that many of us just don't agree with. That's a different issue and I think that's why this is a little more delicate than it appears at first blush.</s>BLITZER: How do you see it, Donna?</s>DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I believe that Governor Christie has come out in the last few hours, at least a spokesman, said that he doesn't believe in this -- he doesn't believe in gay conversion therapy. I think it's ineffective. I think it's harmful. And I think it's destructive to the individual. Gay children needs to be loved and nurtured and respected. Not tortured and put through these untested therapies. When you read some of the therapies used, inducing vomiting, showing them horrible pictures of people doing things I can't say right now on television, I really do believe that the practice should be outlawed and in California they have an assembly bill that the New Jersey legislative body has taken up. It may all end up in the courts. But I think the practice itself should be banned.</s>BLITZER: If you were Christie, Ari, and you were thinking of running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 what would you do?</s>FLEISCHER: Well, he cross pressured on this because his base in the party is not the conservative base. His base in the party are -- is a much more moderate base and it's a base of crossover Democrats or independents who would be drawn to his candidacy. Independents of course a huge constituency in New Hampshire that can vote. And so if he does sign this, he supports himself among his core constituency. If he fails to sign it or doesn't sign it, then he is moving toward what you might call the right on this issue and I think that's going to alienate his core group that would be more inclined to support him because conservatives don't trust him on issues other than some of the economic issues to begin with.</s>BLITZER: Republicans, I assume, Donna, you agree, as we go down the road, they will become more liberal on these gay issues. Given the nature of public opinion especially among young people in the country?</s>BRAZILE: You know, when it comes to human rights, civil rights, and equality, I don't believe we should have the left versus right. These are moral issues. These are issues that goes to the heart of what human beings -- who we are and what we should be about not toward the partisan politics but like everything else it's going to get played out in a partisan atmosphere but I would hope that we respect the individual people who through no fault of their own are just trying to live their lives and not be tortured or be subjected to these type of conversion therapies.</s>BLITZER: Donna and Ari, guys, thanks very much. Just ahead, did the U.S. Secret Service accidentally, accidently fire a weapon near Iran's president when he was in New York? And why would Iran keep quiet about something like that? Stand by.