Texas Gov. Rick Perry attempted to dodge questions today about his comparison of homosexuality to alcohol abuse, telling CNBC that he will leave the efficacy of ex-gay therapy — recently endorsed by the Texas GOP — “to the psychologists and the doctors.”
Perry also told host Joe Kernan that he “respects” decisions to legalize same-sex marriage in states like New York. “This conversation has always been about states’ rights on this host of issue” and about rebuking “this idea that Washington should be given total and full ability to make these decisions,” he said.
Of course, when he was running for president, Perry supported the federal government intervening on same-sex marriage, endorsing the Federal Marriage Amendment.
But the Texas governor was for the right of states to pass marriage equality laws before he was against it and then for it again.
“Our friends in New York six weeks ago passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of the same sex. And you know what? That’s New York, and that’s their business, and that’s fine with me,” he said in July of 2011. “If you believe in the 10th Amendment, stay out of their business.”
Now it seems that Perry has reversed himself once again and is going back to his original position…or, maybe he just doesn’t understand how the Federal Marriage Amendment would work.
