Guests:
Mary
Bonauto – Argued Case
Which
Legalized Gay Marriage
Michael
DeLeon – Gay
Marriage Litigant
Cornell Brooks - NAACP
Cornell Brooks - NAACP
Pete
Williams
Kathleen
Parker
Newt
Gingrich
Michael
Eric Dyson
Charles
Ogletree – Harvard
Law School
Todd:
OMG this is a week
historians
will write about
Todd:
The President sang
Amazing Grace
and
the nation collectively decided to
take
down the confederate
flag
Todd:
then there were
landmark
court
decisions on gay
rights and Obamacare
Todd:
it was a week that
cemented
President Obama's
legacy
Todd:
first the
Supreme Court upheld
Obamacare
and the next day
approved
of
fundamental gay
rights
Todd:
these
were the most
sweeping
changes
social changes since
the 1960s
Todd:
a new generation of
grassroots
activists
had big wins this week
Todd:
I mean this is
fucking amazing –
being
gay used to be a crime now
it's
a Constitutional right
Todd:
Ted Cruz cried and
Jeb Bush
shrugged
and Nino Scalia had
a meltdown
Todd:
meanwhile the
Confederate flag
is
coming down and a
racist murder
may
change race relations forever
Todd:
the President talked
about
racial
discrimination in Charleston
Todd:
the grassroots
activists
want
their leaders to say black lives matter
Clinton:
all lives matter
Todd:
Obama heard them
and broke out into song!
and broke out into song!
Todd:
this is the Age of
Obama!
[
break ]
Todd:
welcome Mary Bonauto
Bonauto:
happy to be here Chuck
Todd:
you've worked on these
issues
for years – are surprised
by
the pace of change?
Bonauto:
straight people
saw gay
people
getting married and expressing
love
just like everyone else and
they
all
like 'oh so what's the big deal – it's nice'
Todd:
John Roberts said we
can
celebrate
the gay but
the ruling was
not
based about the
Constitution
Bonauto:
yes it was –
marriage is
protected
in
the Constitution for men and women
Todd:
you get to tell your
kids
your
marriage is legal
DeLeon:
we still face discrimination
in
Kentucky – but it's a big win for us
Todd:
is your work done?
Bonauto:
no gay people still
face
unspeakable violence
Todd:
Pete
is this a liberal court?
Williams:
well it saved
Obamacare
and advanced civil rights in housing
and gay rights but struck down the
Voting Rights Act and said corporations
are people in Citizens United
and advanced civil rights in housing
and gay rights but struck down the
Voting Rights Act and said corporations
are people in Citizens United
Todd:
so what's John Roberts' deal?
Williams:
he doesn't like to
see
the court politicized
Todd:
does it always come
down
to Kennedy and Roberts?
Williams:
no really it's always Kennedy
Todd:
Scalia is a ideologue and
Roberts
is an institutionalist
Williams:
yes but Roberts quoted Scalia
back
at him saying 'you
have to read a
statute
as a whole you
stupid fuck'
Todd:
Pete you're an
expert on terror
Williams:
ISIS will probably
attack
us on the Fourth of July
Todd:
enjoy it while you can gays
–
we're
all gonna die!
[
break ]
Todd:
Professor you're at
Harvard –
what
happened at the Court this
week?
Ogletree:
it was about justice
and
equality – and it was great
Gingrich:
the Obamacare
decision
was
a gift to Republicans
Todd:
yeah they might have
to
come
up with a health care plan
instead
of attacking Obama
Gingrich:
but it was a grotesque decision
Todd:
of course
Gingrich:
the court followed the
nation
which is leading on gay rights
Todd:
we're all gay now
Gingrich:
I don't believe these
important
issues should be
solved
by
the courts except for Obamacare
which
definitely should be
Todd:
historically the Courts have
always
addressed social issues
Dyson:
exactly – that's why
we have a Constitution!
we have a Constitution!
Parker:
to follow up on what
Newt
Gingrich was
saying –
I
lost my train of thought
Todd:
that's okay
– it's
happens
to me all the time
Parker:
sorry I was dazzled by
the
memory of rainbow
colors
lighting
up the White House
Parker:
the gay marriage ruling
was
also a gift to Republicans
because
it saved them from
having
to take a position on it
Todd:
that seems to be a running theme
Gingrich:
Dred Scott launched
a
Civil War proving we shouldn't
have
a Supreme Court
Ogletree:
if blacks relied on legislation
alone
we'd lose every time
Todd:
welcome Senator
Graham:
nice to be here Todd
Todd:
take me to church!
Graham:
it was a good speech
but
Obama can't protect us from terrorists
Todd:
um okay
Graham:
also the speech was too
political
Todd:
you think so?
Graham:
the assassination of
a
state Senator by a terrorist
is
no time for politics
Todd:
why did it take nine murders
to
change your mind on the Confederate flag
Graham:
don't bash South Carolina Todd!
Todd:
I don't think I was
Graham:
I was moved by the
forgiveness
of the families
Todd:
is the
confederate flag
hate or heritage?
hate or heritage?
Graham:
it's a roadblock
to
the future – it's gotta come down
Todd:
suddenly everyone's
changed
their mind on the
old
stars and bars
Graham:
I served in the Air Force!
Todd:
what about Robert E.
Lee
and
Jefferson Davis?
Graham:
George Washington owned slaves!
Todd:
yes but he's rather
more
well-known
for risking everything
to
bring America independence
Graham:
if it wasn't for Robert E. Lee
urging
his soldiers to lay down their guns
there
might have been decades
of terrorism
from
those misunderstood but vicious southern soldiers
Todd:
you make them sound
scary
and out of control
Graham:
we all owe Lee a debt of
gratitude
for restraining those
wonderful
but dangerous boys
Todd:
Ted Cruz says this
week
was
the darkest moment
in
American
history
Graham:
no that was when
Kurt
and Blaine broke up –
I
took that really hard
Todd:
that tough
for us all Lindsey
Graham:
when I am President
I
will protect both
gay people and
religious
people who are clearly under threat
Todd:
do you favor a
Constitutional
Amendment
taking rights away
from gay people
Graham:
such a thing would never happen
Todd:
you're no doubt
right
Graham:
I am very worried
about
the rights of anti-gay people
Todd:
is the Confederate
flag coming down?
Graham:
yes it has to –
and we will be stronger for it
and we will be stronger for it
Todd:
thanks for coming Linds
Graham:
I am so proud of South Carolina!
[
break ]
Todd:
Kathleen you live in
Charleston
Parker:
the media is obsessed
with
the confederate
flag –
hells
bells we all
wanted it down for
years
Todd:
oh really
Parker:
it would have come down
a
long time ago if the
northerners hadn't
made an issue about it
Todd:
is that right?
Parker:
yes – we have to keep
it
it up just to spite
you yankees
Brooks:
it's a symbol like a swastika!
Todd:
Newt you're from
Georgia
which
has a racist history
Gingrich:
I said years ago
the flag should be changed
the flag should be changed
Todd:
do you
like the Georgia flag now –
cause
it resembles the
Confederate flag
Gingrich:
we're putting the
glorious
confederacy down
George
Orwell's memory
hole!
Dyson:
the flag stands for
vicious
hatred of black people
Todd:
he's got a point
Dyson:
what inspired this
murderer?
That
hate is still out
there!
Ogletree:
All Americans should be
respected
Todd:
there are times when Presidents
capture
the moment like the time
after the Challenger explosion when
Reagan had the idea to quote from
someone's else poem
after the Challenger explosion when
Reagan had the idea to quote from
someone's else poem
Todd:
or Clinton speaking after
a
right-wing massacre in Oklahoma City
or
Bush shouting into a megaphone
standing
on the rubble of 9/11
Todd:
and this week Obama after
another
right-wing
terror attack in
Charleston
speaking of grace and
even
singing with the congregation
[
break ]
Todd:
Bobby
Jindal opened his
campaign
for President with a
campaign
video
with hid kids
pointing a a turtle in
a
shot from a security
camera hidden in a
tree
Todd:
both latest entrants
Jindal
and
Christie are highly
unpopular
governors
who wrecked their
states
Todd:
welcome Governor Jindal
Jindal:
nice to be here
Charles
Todd:
your states
refuses
to
implement
the court's gay
marriage ruling
Jindal:
no we will obey someday
Todd:
when does Louisiana go gay?
Jindal:
in a
few days
Todd:
all right then
Jindal:
the next fight is protect
Christians
from being forced to
participate
in gay weddings!
Todd:
truly the civil
rights issue of our time
Jindal:
Hillary is trying to silence us!
Todd:
some conservatives
say
gay marriage is conservative
Jindal:
Hillary Clinton is a lesbian
who
killed her secret
lover Vince Foster!
Todd:
please continue Bob
Jindal:
I'm a conservative but
Jesus
says gay people are bad
I'm
afraid I'm forced to agree
Todd:
that's what racists said in the 1960s
Jindal:
that's very offensive to Christians
who
for centuries have hated gay people
Todd:
sorry
Jindal:
look I've written that
racism
is bad so get off my back
Todd:
all right all right
Jindal:
Judge Scalia
said the words
no
long have meaning – why couldn't
the
court have deferred to the legislature?
Todd:
like on the voting rights act or
on
guns or campaign finance or Obamacare?
Jindal:
shut up Todd
Todd:
66% of people in Louisiana hate you
Jindal:
that the number of the beast!
Todd:
you are less popular in
your
own state than Barack Obama
Jindal:
he cheats by doing
popular things
Todd:
many many Republicans
hate your guts
hate your guts
Jindal:
only because I
slashed
funding
for unnecessary luxuries
like
hospitals and schools
Todd:
I see
Jindal:
the economy is booming in Louisiana!
Todd:
go on
Jindal:
I'm running as a Christian
–
is
Jeb Bush willing to
embrace
Jesus or not?!?
Todd:
I honestly don't
know
Jindal:
America is finished
if
we don't balance the budget!
Todd:
your state ranks 46 out
of
50 state to
do business in
Jindal:
we're doing better than ever
– we turned this state around!
– we turned this state around!
Todd:
good for you
Jindal:
our credit rating is very high!
Todd:
good luck on the campaign trail Bobby
[
break ]
Todd:
and now some polls
we
pretend have some grand meaning
Todd:
Rural America hates
global free trade
Todd:
but those farmers don't like Obamacare
Todd:
46% of rural
Americans support
gay marriage which is pretty high actually
gay marriage which is pretty high actually
[
break ]
Todd:
so panel how about
all
this social change?
Gingrich:
Democrats don't care
about
children only unions
Todd:
I see
Gingrich:
people don't like to pay taxes
so
Republicans should run against the IRS
Todd:
but not on social issues
like hating gays?
like hating gays?
Gingrich:
right because the liberal
media
are objectively pro-equality
–
it's
disgusting but there you are
Todd:
in 2008 Barack Obama said
he
wanted to be a transformational
President
like Reagan but shifting
the
whole nation to the left
Parker:
yes Obama has been certainly
transformational
but Obama doesn't
get
all the credit – the whole country
has
been moving to the left in reaction
to
the wackdoodles in the religious right
Todd:
this is the Obama
progressives
wanted all along
Ogletree:
Obama definitely
has
been transforming
Dyson:
he is a Transformer!
Todd:
Obamus Prime!
Dyson:
he's like Reagan but younger sharper and blacker
Todd:
is he a lame duck?
Dyson:
he's not a duck – he's a phoenix!
Todd:
I love it!
Dyson:
he's a 4th quarter guy
and
he's taking ball across the end zone!
Gingrich:
Obama can still be a failure
–
depending
on who succeeds him
he
will either a success FDR or a
loser
like Woodrow Wilson
Todd:
Super PACs can't have
the name of the candidate in their
name so Carly for America became
CARLY For America
the name of the candidate in their
name so Carly for America became
CARLY For America
Todd:
that's crazy but that's American
election
law in the era of Citizens United
Todd:
and that's another
episode of Meet The Press
episode of Meet The Press