Herman Cain has threatened he would
overturn the U.S. Supreme Court if it attempted to rule against the
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
The 65-year-old Cain made his remarks
Saturday at the Thanksgiving Family Forum in Des Moines, Iowa. Also
attending the event were Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, 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 and fall leaves. About 3,000 people attended the forum.
DOMA is the 1996 law that bars federal
agencies and the military from recognizing the legal marriages of gay
and lesbian couples.
When Brian Brown, the president of the
National Organization for Marriage (NOM), asked the candidates what
would be their response as president if the nation's highest court
overturned the law, Cain answered: “I would lead the charge to
overturn the Supreme Court if they overturned DOMA. Whether that was
new legislation coming out of the Congress like Representative
Bachmann said. The United States Congress both pass laws, so if they
did overturn DOMA that charge I would lead to reverse that.”
(Related: Ron
Paul out of step on gay marriage amendment at Christian forum.)