On Monday's CNN Newsroom, anchor Carol Costello talked up the idea that it would be better for Republicans to just accept the recent liberal Supreme Court ruling bolstering same-sex marriage as she hosted a discussion with right-leaning CNN commentator Tara Setmayer and Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis. As Setmayer predicted that different GOP presidential candidates would put forth different ideas on how to react to the ruling, Costello posed the question:
Wouldn't it be best, though, just to say, "You know, the Supreme Court has decided, we have to listen, it's the law of the land, let's move on and talk about the economy and national security"?
A bit later, after Democrat Kofinis predicted that "Republicans are going to be in a terrible place in the primaries and in the debates arguing against this," Costello bolstered his liberal take as she moved back to Setmayer and suggested that Republican opposition to the ruling could help Democrat Hillary Clinton as the CNN host posed: "And it is certainly something that Hillary Clinton could pounce on, right?"
Costello seemed to be conflicted on whether there was a danger of the liberal ruling endangering religious freedom as she first raised this view as a "legitimate concern" with Kofinis, but then argued against this possibility a bit later in response to Setmayer's take. Speaking to Kofinis, Costello asked:
Let's talk about the issue of religious liberty, Chris, because that is a legitimate concern about some conservative Christians, right? Will I be forced to marry these two people, even though I don't believe in same-sex marriage?
Toward the end of the segment, after Setmayer raised her concerns about religious freedom, the CNN host jumped in: "I think we should make this clear, though. It is highly unlikely that in a church that a priest would be forced to conduct a same-sex marriage ceremony."
Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the segment from the Monday, June 29, CNN Newsroom from about 10:42 a.m.:
CAROL COSTELLO: All right, so, Tara, I will start with you. So there's this split among Republican candidates. So which way do you think they should go if they want to win the nomination?
TARA SETMAYER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, this is very fascinating, but this is also what happens when you have this many candidates. You're not going to have a monolithic opinion on something like this. You have a diversity of opinion, and many of them are legitimate and they're based on different legitimate and prescient reasons behind these things. Now, whether it's politically viable or not, that will be determined through the campaign. That's why we have elections. That's why we have a primary process. That's why we have a nominating process.
COSTELLO: Wouldn't it be best, though, just to say, "You know, the Supreme Court has decided, we have to listen, it's the law of the land, let's move on and talk about the economy and national security"?
SETMAYER: I think that's probably what a lot of the candidates would like to do. You're seeing some of those candidates doing that already -- Jeb Bush, Kasich, I think Marco Rubio even said the same thing. But then there are legitimate concerns that some other Republican candidates are bringing up about the poor legal reasoning behind this. However you feel about the end result, I don't think most people are arguing about that -- some are -- but most people, most voters, 60 percent of voters feel like, you know what, gay marriage is something that we are accepting of now.
But the legal reasoning behind it is something that people should be concerned about, and the protection of the right of conscience for religious folks in this country need to be concerned about. And I think if the Republicans find a way to balance that, then we can have a productive discussion. But I don't think they want it to be the wedge issue that it was back in 2004.
COSTELLO: Right, right, well, let's talk about the issue of religious liberty, Chris, because that is a legitimate concern about some conservative Christians, right? Will I be forced to marry these two people, even though I don't believe in same-sex marriage?
CHRIS KOFINIS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I mean, if you look at the decision, and especially the decision by Kennedy, the idea that you have, you know, certain religious beliefs allows you to discriminate against others is not something I think you can -- it's almost like you're talking about a reverse right. I'm going to take away your rights in order to protect mine. And it's just not where the country is. I mean, part of the beauty, I think, of the Constitution is it's an evolving document. That's not what Republicans and conservatives like to believe, but that is the historical and the reality of the actual agreement.And so the notion that somehow we're going to go backwards after, you know, this incredible jump forwards, the Republicans are going to be in a terrible place In the primaries and in the debates arguing against this. The country has moved forward. You know, to sit there and talk about how somehow we should go back in the past, it is not the way you run for President, especially in 20, you know, will then be 2015, 2016.
COSTELLO: And it is certainly something that Hillary Clinton could pounce on, right?
SETMAYER: Well, conveniently for her. I mean, Hillary Clinton was very definitive about her position on same-sex marriage not that long ago when she said it's between a man and a woman. So was President Obama, but they've conveniently evolved on this because it's politically expedient to do so. And I think that's, you know,
COSTELLO: You think-
=SETMAYER: -dishonest.
COSTELLO: -that's the only reason?
SETMAYER: Possibly. I mean, but that's up to them to have to define it. I know what they said and what they believed and what they used to get elected a couple of years ago. And now because public opinion has shifted somewhat, so have they. Versus some in the Republican party who actually have principles and are honest and steadfast and sincere about them...
[As Setmayer goes on to talk about religious freedom, Kofinis interrupts and the two argue for a moment.]
COSTELLO: I think we should make this clear, though. It is highly unlikely that in a church that a priest would be forced to conduct a same-sex marriage ceremony. Now-
SETMAYER: Well, that's open to interpretation.
COSTELLO: No, no no, it's not.
SETMAYER: -because of the way Kennedy wrote his opinion
KOFINIS: No, it's not. No, it's not.
SETMAYER: -the way that Kennedy wrote his opinion. Yes, it is, and that is the problem here.
KOFINIS: If the Republicans -- with all due respect -- if the Republicans want to go out there and argue this strategy, argue this message, more power to you. You will lose more states than is possible, other than the few four in the South.
