Rick Santorum has said that legalizing
gay marriage would lead to America's failure.
The 53-year-old Santorum made his
remarks Saturday at the Thanksgiving Family Forum in Des Moines,
Iowa. Also attending the event were Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Rick
Perry, Ron Paul and Michele Bachmann. Former Massachusetts Governor
Mitt Romney was invited but did not attend. Also not in attendance
was former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, who has not placed an emphasis
on Iowa.
Moderator Frank Luntz conversed with
the candidates as they gathered around a dinner table festooned with
pumpkins. About 3,000 people attended the forum.
The former Pennsylvania Senator
insisted that the states should not be allowed to decide on marriage.
“We have to fight the battles in the
states,” Santorum said. “We cannot defer. We can't say, 'The
10th Amendment, they can do what they want.' This is too
important for that. There's a basic and central value. The family
is the bedrock of our society. Unless we protect it with the
institution of marriage, our country will fall.” (The video is
embedded in the right panel of this page.)
(Related: Ron
Paul out of step on gay marriage amendment at Christian forum.)