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John McCain
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"On the issue of gay marriage, I believe that if people want to have private ceremonies that's fine. I do not believe that gay marriages should be legal."
Voted AGAINST the 2006 Marriage Protection Amendment (S.J.Res. 1), which proposed an amendment to the Constitution that would ban gay marriage.
McCain supported a 2005 state initiative to "change Arizona's Constitution to ban gay marriages and deny government benefits to unmarried couples."
"The constitutional amendment [banning gay marriage] strikes me as antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans.... It usurps from the states a fundamental authority they have always possessed and imposes a federal remedy for a problem that most states do not believe confronts them."
"...a lot of times it depends on what do you mean by gay union? Does it mean that they're able to enter into certain contracts, people have a partnership? I think so. But to give it the status of heterosexual marriage is not something that I would support."
"Q: You say you believe that marriage should be reserved for between a man -- A: Yes. Q: -- and a woman. You voted for an initiative in Arizona that went beyond that and actually denied any government benefits to civil unions or domestic partnerships. Are you against civil unions for gay couples? A: No, I'm not. But the -- that initiative I think was misinterpreted. I think that initiative did allow for people to join in legal agreements such as power of attorney and others. I think there was a -- I think that there was a difference of opinion on the interpretation of that constitutional amendment in Arizona. Q: So you're for civil unions? A: No. I am for ability of two -- I do not believe gay marriage should be legal. I do not believe gay marriage should be legal. But I do believe that people ought to be able to enter into contracts, exchange powers of attorney, other ways that people who have relationships can enter into."
He also supports the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and he opposed legislation to protect gay people from job discrimination or hate crimes.
"I think that we've proven that both parents are important in the success of a family, so, no, I don't believe in gay adoption."
McCain supported a 2005 state initiative to "change Arizona's Constitution to ban gay marriages and deny government benefits to unmarried couples."
"Q: You say you believe that marriage should be reserved for between a man -- A: Yes. Q: -- and a woman. You voted for an initiative in Arizona that went beyond that and actually denied any government benefits to civil unions or domestic partnerships. Are you against civil unions for gay couples? A: No, I'm not. But the -- that initiative I think was misinterpreted. I think that initiative did allow for people to join in legal agreements such as power of attorney and others. I think there was a -- I think that there was a difference of opinion on the interpretation of that constitutional amendment in Arizona. Q: So you're for civil unions? A: No. I am for ability of two -- I do not believe gay marriage should be legal. I do not believe gay marriage should be legal. But I do believe that people ought to be able to enter into contracts, exchange powers of attorney, other ways that people who have relationships can enter into."
"I have to rely on our military leadership... so I think it would be a terrific mistake to even reopen the issue. It is working, my friends, the policy is working. And I am convinced that that's the way we can maintain this greatest military."
"I recently had a conversation with some other military leaders on this issue and their point to me was 'It's working, so leave it alone. Generally, overall, it's working.' I don't think there's any doubt that there are evolving attitudes in America about many issues, including this one, but every military leader that I talk to, I say 'Should we change it?' They say, 'It's working.' And right now we've got the best military we've ever had - the most professional, best trained, equipped and the bravest. And so I think it's logical to leave this issue alone. I really do."