Why White House involvement in Prop 8 case is a big deal

constitutional marriage equality . let's back spin on it.

>> when the supreme court asks, do you think that the california law which doesn't provide any rational for discriminating against same-sex couples other than just the notion they're same-sex couples, i answered that question honestly and the answer is no.

>> news, indeed. let's back spin on it. toure?

>> proposition 8 is an example of why we shouldn't put civil rights issues on the ballot. pretty much in every way it is wrong. this is why we shouldn't have liberty elected by another people. they decide to give it, and then decide to take it away. liberty shouldn't do that. and partly because same-sex marriage doesn't affect straight marriages. it doesn't have any impact on society, social scientists are clear kids raised in gay or straight homes come out the same. equally well adjusted and the constitution doesn't allow for laws affecting one group of people. we have this segregation that's about to fall.

>> it's a quandary because this is the issue that gay marriage supporters in new jersey are facing. chris christie said he supports a rev remember dumb and democrats think it will pass this year and happened in maine last year. supporters say on principle we don't think it should be happening. but we have the votes so let's do it. 212 democrats that signed the brief, shows you first of all how rapidly the politics changed. you would not have 212 democrats signing on to it. biden shoots off the mouth and then obama changes the position and then democratic party position and then see this. what's interesting is this week also a brief that republicans signed on proposition 8 supporting -- overturning proposition 8 . two republican members of congress signed on to that. richard hanna is one of them. he's from new york. in new york, they passed gay marriage two years ago because four republican state senators went along with it. three of them lost their jobs because of that primaries. so the question to me, already conservatives threatening to challenge him in a primary over this. this is how the republican party has to get over this. they have to come out and survive primaries or not face primaries. let's see what happens.

>> yeah, as a signatory, i completely agree and can't underestimate the significance of this moment, especially for conservatives with this cpac stuff, the go proud stuff, the log cabin republican stuff, the amicus brief . that is opportunity and a window that might close for republicans and for me, you know, what i'm saying is there's always been for me, two natural appeals for conservatism and gay rights coexisting comfortably. one is privacy of limited government angle where i don't want government in my private life anymore than you do. that's natural to me and then the idea to encourage marriage, marriage is a stabilizing force, good for society. that it's better economically. it's empowering. if i'm relying on you, my spouse, i'm relying less on the state. good things that conservatives should sort of cozy up to.

>> i'd add one to the list is that equality is good for business and in fact in addition to the amicus briefs filed by the president and congressional democrats, a group of 200 companies large and small, you can see the list there including marriott and mitt romney serves on the board of, filed a brief saying that the defense of marriage act hurt their business, undermining the ability to compete. it said it forces us to treat one class of our lawfully married employees differently than another when the success depends on the morale of all employees. that's another case to make to conservatives and in virginia we saw some republican business leaders criticizing republican gubernatorial candidate for being too extreme on the issues and painting virginia as a nondiverse, not business friendly state so i think that's another sea change is corporations getting on board with this movement.

>> yeah.

>>> all right. up next, no pope and a new exorcism movie coming out. why some believe it's a particularly dangerous time for the church on a demonic level. i command thee to stay tuned. ave