Deutsch Defends Huckabee Statement on Gays, But Reveals Ignorance of His Own Religion

February 2nd, 2015 10:58 AM

On today's Morning Joe, Donny Deustch defended Mike Huckabee's statement that he can be friendly with gays although he doesn't share their lifestyle, in the same way he can be friendly with people who drink alcohol, use profanity, or like classical music or ballet, even though he doesn't engage in or enjoy those activities.

But when Joe Scarborough stated that for thousands of years Christians and Jews have believed that homosexuality is not a preferable way of living, Deutsch protested "where did Jews say it's not okay to live that way?"  Scarborough and Mark Halperin pointed out to Deutsch that the prohibition is in the Old Testament. Deutsch claimed he was more of a believer of the "Us magazine" variety.

While many Jews, including this NewsBuster, would forcefully oppose any attempt by government to require any religion to consecrate gay marriages, we believe that as a matter of civil law, gay marriage should be permissible.  

After playing Huckabee clip from CNN . . . 

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Huckabee went on to say he won't evolve on same-sex marriage calling it a biblical issue, not a political one. It's always a hard question depending on your point of view on this. But what's the good answer for a Republican running for president asked about gay marriage and gay rights? 

JOE SCARBOROUGH:  Let me ask you. What did you not like about that question? 

BRZEZINSKI: I think it was the parallel to alcoholism and profanity 

DONNY DEUTSCH: He didn't say alcoholism --

SCARBOROUGH: No. He said he doesn't drink alcohol. 

DEUTSCH: He didn't say abuse. He said people drink alcohol, people like ballet. Those are things I don't.  I actually think his answer in some form or other is a reasonable answer.

MARK HALPERIN: For some young people, the use of the word lifestyle, the phrase, it's not for a lot of young people, for other people, it's not a lifestyle. It's the way they are. 

SCARBOROUGH: But for people, a lot of other people, they do see it as a lifestyle. So Mike Huckabee does not live in a world and 50% of Americans do not live in a world where they are intimidated into believing just like people on news shows in Manhattan or Washington, D.C. or in Hollywood expect them to believe. And this is the one thing, there has been this sort of over the past decade, you believe like we believe on gay marriage or you are a bigot. And there are a lot of people who actually believe, as Christians and Jews have believed for 2,000, 3,000 years that it's not the preferable way of living. And so, for Mike Huckabee to answer that question the way he did, I -- 

DONNY DEUTSCH: What about Jewish people?

SCARBOROUGH: What do you mean? 

DEUTSCH: Where do Jews say it's not okay to live that way? 

SCARBOROUGH: Read the Old Testament. 

HALPERIN: It's in there.

SCARBOROUGH: Don't be shocked. 

DEUTSCH: I'm more of an "Us" magazine. 

SCARBOROUGH: You're a Reform Jew.