Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann has
denied she ever judged gay men and lesbians.
During an appearance on CNN's Piers
Morgan Tonight, Bachmann, who has regularly championed anti-gay
measures, told host Piers Morgan that she does not judge.
After playing a clip from Friday's
program of actor Kirk
Cameron calling being gay “detrimental, and ultimately
destructive,” Morgan asked Bachmann for her response.
“I'm not here as anybody's judge,”
Bachmann exclaimed.
“Well, you've been pretty judgmental
in the past, come on,” Morgan responded.
“Me?! Hardly. Hardly. Hardly.”
When Morgan referred to Bachmann as
“one of the most judgmental people in American politics,”
Bachmann replied: “Well that's rude. That's absolutely rude.”
“I'm not being rude. I mean, you've
been very, very outspoken,” Morgan replied.
“I believe in traditional values. I
believe in marriage between a man and a woman. … But I don't think
that's bigoted.”
After Morgan read a Bachmann comment
she made in 2004 – “Being gay leads to the personal enslavement
of individuals. Because if you are involved in the gay and lesbian
lifestyle its bondage, personal bondage, personal despair, and
personal enslavement. That's why it's so dangerous” – Bachmann
simply shook her head and insisted: “I'm not here as anybody's
judge.” (The video is embedded in the right panel of this page.
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(Related: Michele
Bachmann to Howard Stern: I'm keeping my anti-gay views.)