Constitutional Divide: McCain and Palin Split Over Constitutional Amendment Banning Gay Marriage

Same-sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional or Unnecessary?

Sarah Palin is supporting a national ban on gay marriage. She told the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) that she supported a Constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex unions, because she believes that marriage is the union of a man and a woman. This view is contrary to the positions of her running mate, Senator John McCain.

Senator McCain is against a federal mandate in the Constitution that defines marriage as solely between a man and a woman. McCain is against same-sex marriage and believes but that it is a matter that should be settled at the individual state level. In fact, he has sponsored a ballot initiative (to be voted on Election Day) in his home state of Arizona banning same-sex unions.

But this is not the first time the two have had divergent opinions on issues. Governor Palin stated that she would support missions into Pakistan to go after terrorists, something Senator McCain disagrees with, citing Pakistan's national sovereignty as something that must be respected. And Senator McCain, although he is anti-abortion, believes that in the cases of rape and incest, the individual should have the right to choose whether or not to terminate the pregnancy. Sarah Palin believes that the only way a fetus should be legally aborted is when the mother's life is endangered.

Palin maintains that she is tolerant of gay issues but draws the line at marriage. As governor she told CBN she vetoed a bill that would have denied gay partners the benefits of gay state employees. Palin also admitted to voting for the Alaska amendment to ban gay marriage in Alaska in 1998. She told CBN: "I have voted along with the vast majority of Alaskans who had the opportunity to vote to amend our Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. I wish on a federal level that's where we would go. I don't support gay marriage,"

Is There A Necessity For A National Gay Marriage Ban?