Rand Paul bestiality comment 'sarcasm,' office says
(CNN) – Sen. Rand Paul's criticism of Wednesday's same-sex marriage ruling, which included a rhetorical question about bestiality eventually being made legal, was sarcasm, the Kentucky Republican's office says.
Speaking to conservative radio host Glenn Beck, Paul delved into the question of whether or not lawmakers should imbue legislation with their own morals. Beck set up the statement by wondering whether the court's ruling – which found a key provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional – could logically lead to polygamy becoming legal.
"If you change one variable – man and a woman – to a man and a man and a woman and a woman, you cannot tell me then that you can't logically change the other variable," Beck said. "One man, three women. One woman, four men. Who are you to say that if I am a devout Muslim and I come over here and I have three wives, who are you to say if I am an American citizen that I can't have multiple marriages?"
Paul, a potential 2016 presidential candidate whose supporters include a large number of libertarian-leaning conservatives, said Beck was getting at a larger question of whether laws can include moral designations.
"This is a conundrum, and it gets back to what you were saying …whether or not churches should decide this," Paul said. "And it is difficult, because if we have no laws on this, people take it to one extension further. Does it have to be humans?"
That remark, his office said, wasn't meant to be taken seriously.
"Sarcasm sometimes doesn't translate adequately from radio conversation," his communications director Moira Bagley said. "Sen. Paul did not suggest that striking down DOMA could lead to unusual marriage arrangements. What he was discussing was that having the state recognize marriage without definition could lead to marriages with no basis in reality."
Later in the interview, Paul stressed the economic importance of stable marriages for children.
"I also see that economically, if you don't look at it with any moral periscope, and you say, 'What is it that is the leading cause of poverty in our country?' It's having kids without marriage," Paul said. "That stability of the marriage unit is enormous, and we should not say we're punting on it and marriage can be anything."
Later, in an interview with ABC News, Paul said he thought the Supreme Court ruling on DOMA was appropriate and said the issue should be one left to the states.
As for the growing divide among Republicans on same-sex marriage, Paul said "the party is going to have to agree to disagree on some of these issues."
CNN's Kevin Liptak and Ashley Killough contributed to this report.
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Freedom – absolutely right he has the freedom to say whatever he pleases so long as it doesn't incite riots etc. That's not the point. We are all using our free speech to call the guy a moron. Its all good.
That whole Paul family is kind of wacky!
I think we need an extremely liberal federal government and each state can choose to be an conservative or liberal as they like.. IMO. That way all the smart progressive people will live in the liberal states and the Billy Bob and his 12 brothers and sisters can continue to live in their conservative states.
Now it makes sense why Palin and her family were always talking about elk, moose and caribou!
Why are gay marriage opponents such perverts? Seriously, they ALWAYS go there...as if two consenting adults getting married is exactly like bestiality. They sure think about bestiality and pedophilia a lot.
Wow, low blow, and he represents the GOP christian's....?
What was he thinking?
He sounds depesperate for attention, and like a child, negative attention seem's better to him than no attention.
He drives away Independents like me in droves, bet on it.
I love all the folks here who know what the creator wants for everyone and then spew out their hateful rhetoric. You do not know. You believe. There is a difference.
That's all we need for loser Mitt to run again. Maybe one of his creepy sons will?
The more I read these comments, the more I realize why our once great country is going down the drain. NONE of you who have jumped the "I hate Rand" bandwagon have made any logical argument against him, which you would know if you took time to actually read the article. HE SUPPORTED THE SCOTUS DECISION!!!
Alternatively, you should be SUPPORTING what you are ranting against him about, because if animals are good enough for you libs to register to vote, you should be interested in marrying them too. Just sayin'...
Rand Paul demostrates his ignorance everytime that he opens his mouth. If he really thinks that children issued out of wedlock are the biggest problem facing our economy, then wouldn't more married people, gay or straight, serve to ameliorate that problem? Or is it just "his" kind of marriage?
He totally lost my respect when he was the ONLY person in the entire Senate (or almost) that voted against better regulations regarding inspection of our nation's aging (and exploding) gas pipelines. His rationale: it was a "regulation", and he was against ALL regulations. Oh really? He must love child labor, air/water pollution, etc.
This guy is a bonafide idiot.
I love how the "small unintrusive government" guy thinks the government should be the morality police....enforcing HIS narrow views, of course! Classic.
Paul is a gold bug. Hope u didn't buy when he said u should.
Goodness, according to this man he's always being misinterpreted. He's be an awesome president, he'd always say each bad decision was merely misunderstood. Hell, he might just change his name from Rand Paul to Jesus Paul. Because he's obviously never wrong, it's all us other under educated folk.
everything we think say & do is written in the books and when we all meet GOD WE WILL HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO !!!!
Bestiality made legal? All the cows in Texas thought it was already legal. At least that's what cowpoke Perry said while standing on the stump.
That statement will come back to haunt him if he throws his hat in the ring for the 2016 elections.
Associating with Glenn Beck, will ensure he is defeated as President in 2016 if he chooses to run. Glenn Beck is the worst of the worst, even Fox News toss his off the cable network.
Sarcasm?!... It's more like hate and bigotry!!
A imbecile person like Rand Paul and Mitchell McConnell as supporters is beyond my comprehension. You can call Ron Paul crazy (some of his policies),but his son is a heartless so-called Christian, how can both of "men" sleep at night and go to church.
The shame of the nation is the republican party. What's more shameful? Many of you have been taken in by their lies.
@Polly Tishun
That whole Paul family is kind of wacky!
=====
Kinda ?
What have Mett's rich sons done to MA/country that qualify them to run a president?
so he thinks non-humans can enter a marriage contract under their own free will. [yes, please sign the marriage certificate right here, fido!]
Romney's sons have done about as much for mankind as the Kardashians or cast from Jersey Shore. And, NO, they didn't build that either.
>Does it have to be humans?"
Rand, probably not in your religion.
try moving to Republistan, anything goes in hypocrite land.
don't forget your money, nothing without it.