How Will Gay Marriage Debate Affect 2016 Race?
SEN. MARCO RUBIO (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Today we've reached a point in our society where if you do not support same-sex marriage you are labeled a homophobe and a hater. So what's the next step after that? After they're done going after individuals, the next step is to argue that the teachings of mainstream Christianity, the catechism of the Catholic church, is hate speech and that's a real and present danger.</s>CAMEROTA: Alright. That was presidential hopeful Marco Rubio with controversial gay marriage comments, saying that labeling people homophobic borders on a threat to Christianity. Let's explore that. Joining us is CNN political commentator and Republican strategist, Ana Navarro, and CNN political commentator and Democratic strategist, Donna Brazile. Ladies, great to see you.</s>DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning.</s>ANA NAVARRO, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Thank you.</s>CAMEROTA: OK, let's dive in here, Ana. What did you think, that was to the Christian Broadcasting Network that Marco Rubio was speaking. What did you think of his comments?</s>NAVARRO: Frankly, they made me cringe. I am very uncomfortable and disappointed with him. As you know, I support gay marriage, I support same-sex marriage. Now look, I know Marco Rubio very well, he's a friend of mine. He is a man of deep faith, he is a man who follows Catholic dogma and, you know, for whom religion is very important. But I think everybody running for president, on both sides mind you, needs to keep in mind that if they are elected president, they are going to have to be the president of both folks who are on the same side, the same-sex side of the issue, and against it, the religious liberty. And we need to be a big enough country so that we can somehow peacefully co-exist and I just don't think this kind of rhetoric, stoking the flames, is helpful. I think we need to follow suit of what Pope Francis is doing, have a much more conciliatory, inclusive, less judgmental debate going on and try to figure out how we can respect those who want to get married and also respect those who have religious liberty issues.</s>CUOMO: Well, Donna, you know when you have the pope of the Catholic church being cited as a more secular and moderate position on an issue, you've got problems heading into it --</s>NAVARRO: Have you have met this hope?</s>CUOMO: I like the pope. I think whether he is Catholic or not, he is saying things that resonate because it's getting away from the restrictions and exclusions that Ana is talking about and more towards the inclusiveness of what humanity should be about. But Donna, as a political issue, Senator Rubio is a politician who was on the Christian Broadcast Network, he was preaching to the converted, that's what he was doing there, he can explain it anyway he likes, of course. But for your side, how do you deal with this issue? Because something that is supposed to be about the law and equal protection is very much being made by the Right, or certain aspects of it, as being an attack on faith. What does that mean to your side?</s>BRAZILE: First of all, I believe that's a false narrative. It's not -- I don't think support of same-sex marriage, marriage equality has anything to do with attacking one's faith. There are many Christians who are gay, who believe in the Lord, who preaches the gospel, who believe in what Jesus taught us in terms of loving one another, and also believe in John 8. I find it just discouraging to hear that somehow or another, being supportive of same-sex marriage and being supportive of marriage equality is somehow an attack on religious freedom or faith. I am a woman of faith, I love the Lord, I am Catholic, and this pope has done, I think, a tremendous job in trying to explain those values in ways that I do believe enhances all life, all human beings, and of course, the gospel of love.</s>CAMEROTA: But Ana, let's talk about it from the flipside. Is there no truth to what Marco Rubio is saying, that it's so politically incorrect in this presidential race to say that you are against same- sex marriage, that there is a whiff of homophobia? Is there something true about what he's saying that he feels painted with the brush of homophobia or hatred just by saying that he stands for his own religious beliefs?</s>NAVARRO: There's a small group of people that are getting entrenched on opposite sides of the issue, and so what - there is a whiff of truth but I do not think it is a general truth. I don't think everybody is saying, you know, look, if you don't support same-sex you are a homophobe, and I don't think everybody on the other side is saying if, you know, you are calling us all homophobes if we don't support it. I think it's groups who just feel attacked, feel like the end of the world is coming because same-sex marriage is going to be a reality. But we just saw, Alisyn, the -- you know, one of the strongest Catholic countries in the world overwhelmingly approved same-sex marriage over the weekend in Ireland. If the Irish, who have been at war for decades about so many other things can figure this out, you would think that in America, where we respect each other's rights, we could figure it out as well. And you know, I just think there needs to be less accusations and finger wagging going on on both sides.</s>CUOMO: Right. But that's what politics is right now, Donna --</s>BRAZILE: Yeah, that's right. The country -</s>CUOMO: I mean, as you know, that's what politics is. We all grew up in it, and while it's always been nasty, there is a toxicity to the partisan process right now that is successful that helps you, that I think is distinguishing itself, and I think that's what we are seeing in the issue, because this issue sets up as a legal issue. It doesn't set up as a personal issue, because even if they find the justice is that there is a right to marriage for LGBT, let alone if they find them to be a protected class, which many believe they won't, that doesn't mean that you're forced to like gay marriage. It means that it's just a right that exists. But it's being spun, Donna, into something else, which is that, as Marco Rubio just played it up on the Christian Broadcast Network, what is next? What are they going to take from you next? Is Sunday no longer going to be a day that you get to go to church? You know, that's what it's starting to sound like.</s>BRAZILE: I just disagree, Chris. I mean, I know -- I watch and I know people of faith who happens to be gay, and they don't sit around with all of this schism. They don't sit around, you know, figuring out who is a bigot, who is a homophobe. They are trying to live their everyday lives and be in love and do what everyone else is doing, trying to make ends meet. I know that everything that is in politics these days is poison, is toxic, but there is something that is so simple, so natural about two people finding each other, falling in love, wanting to spend their life together, and while we had this debate now for over 30 years, at least throughout my political life, we have been talking about it, and we're now at a point where the majority of Americans believe that there should be no discrimination against people and there should be no discrimination when it comes to people being able to marry. That's the country, we have evolved, and I do believe at some point people will just evolve and we don't have to have the conversations anymore.</s>CAMEROTA: We will see what happens for the next 18 months on this issue.</s>NAVARRO: Can't come soon enough.</s>CAMEROTA: Hey, don't take away our 18 months of fun.</s>BRAZILE: Thank you. I agree.</s>CAMEROTA: Ana Navarro, Donna Brazile, thanks so much, ladies. Great to see you.</s>BRAZILE: Thank you.</s>CAMEROTA: What is your take on all of this? You can tweet us using #newdaycnn or post your comment on Facebook.com/newday. We love reading those.</s>CUOMO: Alright. After that, you know what we all need. "The Good Stuff." And it's coming up.