Will Portman News Today

Thats not pernicious, thats not dangerous. we will be seen as, you know, fellow americans, basically. and so its that quiet revolution thats been happening around dinner tables and living rooms across the country ever since harvey milk said that thats let us to this point today. those numbers that are shifting so rapidly is because there are lots of brave people who sit down at those dinner tables and say to their relatives, say to their friends, say to their neighbors and co-workers who they ar...

Seen as not an other. we will be seen as something thats not pernicious, thats not dangerous. we will be seen as, you know, fellow americans, basically. and so its that quiet revolution thats been happening around dinner tables and living rooms across the country ever since harvey milk said that thats let us to this point today. those numbers that are shifting so rapidly is because there are lots of brave people who sit down at those dinner tables and say to their relatives, say to their friends...

Issue when he revealed his son had recently come out. will portman chronicled the story in the yale student newspaper writing in part, im proud of my dad. not necessarily because of where he is now on marriage equality, although im pretty psyched about that, but because hes been thoughtful and open-minded in how hes approached the issue and because hes shown that hes willing to take a political risk in order to take a principled stand. he was a good man before he changed his position. and hes a ...

Sort of -- its neither black nor white on the issue that we can begin highlighting. >> let me -- we have -- rob portman, very publicly, i believe it was last week -- time flies in this day and age. very publicly came out and said, look, i oppose same-sex marriage, now supportive of it and mentioned his son, wil. middle son who two years ago told him he is gay. will portman wrote a piece in the "yale daily news." we decided my dad would talk about having a gay son if he were to change his positio...

Sanction it, period, and leave that up to the churches and the synagogues -- >> well there are social security payments and all kinds of things involved and rights of persons in the military. >> as the youngest person on this panel, i think it is generational. people like will portman are a lot more comfortable living their truth today than they were 20, 30, 40 years ago. but it is a personal choice. as republicans, we are the party of personal freedoms, family values. it is an issue of toleranc...

We cant talk about it in practical terms. do you have a right to follow your love? and this is a serious question. we cant get away with it with just day-to-day politics, i dont think. >> ive had young people, i think an appropriate question, not expanding it to include one man, one woman, but a question, why is the government sanctioning it in the first place? that would be an alternative to say not have the government sanction it, period, and leave that up to the churches and the synagogues --...

The debate. and the fundamental principles that attach to the institution of marriage really havent changed as a result of that personal story. >> john boehner released a statement saying senator portman is a great friend and respects his position but the speaker continues to think that marriage is between a man and a woman. will portman do anything to change republicans minds? the age divide, people under the age of 35, most of them support gay marriage. republican or not. >> ive seen really st...

Dana bash, telling her that the change of heart has come because his 21-year-old son has told him that hes gay. but heres his spongs whrespons dana asked him what do you tell your gay constituents? >> what do you say to a gay conexcon sk conexit constituent in ohio who says im so glad that he changed his position? why did it take him learning that he has a gay son? why didnt he as my representative care about that before? >> well, i would say i had a change of heart based on a personal experienc...

Personally, that, you know, this is -- this is where i am for reasons that are consistent with my political philosophy. including family values, including being a conservative to believes the family is a building block of society. im comfortable there now. >> a senate might look at this and say hes a politician, why is he doing this now, when he found out two years ago. >> two things. one, im comfortable with the position. and it took me a while to, you know, rethink things and get to this posit...

He said i wrestled with how to reconcile my christian faith for my desire for will to have the same opportunities to pursue happiness and fulfillment as his brother and sister. ultimately, it came down to the bibles overarching themes of love and compassion and my belief that we are all children of god." he even went back and read the passage of he will wileviticus,y site cite as their source of opposition to homosexuality. he thought it was most important to support the institution of marriage ...