Gore Pushes for Equality, Bush Relies on Bumper Stickers
| Questions to Ask Yourself As you Read |
| Text of the Debate |
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Governor, both Senator Lieberman and Secretary Cheney said they were sympathetically rethinking their views on same-sex relationships. What's your position on that?
BUSH: I'm not for gay marriage. I think marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman. And I appreciate the way the administration signed the Defense of Marriage Act. I presume the vice president supported it when the president signed that bill and supports it now. But I think, I think marriage is a sacred institution.
I'm going to be respectful for people who may disagree with me. I've had a record of doing so in the state of Texas. I've been a person that would — been called a uniter not divider because I accepted some — I accept other people's points of view. But I feel strongly that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
LEHRER: Vice President Gore?
GORE: I agree with that. And I did support that law. But I think that we should find a way to allow some kind of civic unions. And I basically agree with Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman. And I think the three of us have one view and the governor has another one.
LEHRER: Is that right?
BUSH: I'm not sure what kind of view he's ascribing to me. I can just tell you, I'm a, I'm a person who respects other people. I respect their — I respect — on the one hand, he says he agrees with me and then he says he doesn't. I'm not sure where he's coming from.
But I, I, I will be a tolerant person. I've been a tolerant person all my life. I just happen to believe strongly that marriage is between a man and a woman.
LEHRER: Do you believe in general terms that gays and lesbians should have the same rights as other Americans?
BUSH: Yes. I don't think they ought to have special rights, but I think they ought to have the same rights.
GORE: Well, there's a, there's a law pending called the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I strongly support it. What it says is that gays and lesbians can't be fired from their job because they're gay or lesbian, and it would be a federal law preventing that.
Now, I wonder if the — it's been blocked by the opponents in the majority in the Congress. I wonder if the Governor would lend his support to that law?
LEHRER: Governor?
BUSH: The questioner coming around again?
LEHRER: Yes. It's a logical rebuttal.
BUSH: Well, I have no idea. I mean, you can throw out all kinds — I don't know the particulars of this law.
I will tell you I'm the kind of person — I don't hire or fire somebody based upon their sexual orientation. As a matter of fact, I'd like to take the issue a little further. I don't really think it's any of my, you know, any of my concerns how you conduct your sex life. And I think that's a private matter. And I think that's the way it ought to be.
But I'm going to be respectful for people. I'll tolerate people. And I support equal rights, but not special rights for people.
LEHRER: And special rights, how does that affect gays and lesbians?
BUSH: Well, if they're given, if they're given special protective status. And that doesn't mean we shouldn't fully enforce laws and fully protect people and fully honor people, which I will do as the president of the United States.
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