U.S. Sen. Rand Paul remarked on President Obama’s decision to publicly support same-sex marriage by saying, “Call me cynical, but I wasn’t sure his views on marriage could get any gayer.”

The comments by the Republican lawmaker from Kentucky drew big laughs at a gathering sponsored by the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition. A video became public after it was posted on the website “The Iowa Republican.”

“It did kind of bother me though that he used the justification for it in a biblical reference,” he continued to more laughter. “He said the biblical golden rule caused him to be for gay marriage. And I’m like what version of the Bible is he reading?...I don’t know what version he’s getting it from.”

He continued: “Now that doesn’t mean we need to be harsh and mean and hate people...But that doesn’t mean that we have to go ahead and give up our traditions. We’ve got 6,000 years of tradition.”


He said it was time for traditionalists to stand together to “save the Republic” and that the traditional family unit needed to be defended.

“The family is a really important thing. We shouldn’t just give up on it,” he said.

The comments -- which begin at about 5:30 minutes into the above video -- comes as the fallout continues over Obama’s announcement last week that his position on same-sex marriage had evolved over the years to where he now supports full marriage rights for gays and lesbians.

The country remains divided over the issue, and there’s uncertainty as to whether Obama’s proclamation will hurt or help him in the November election.


Paul also earned cheers from the audience as he ticked off his antiabortion credentials.

“We’ve introduced the Life at Conception Act, the Pro-Life Act, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, I’m also co-sponsor of the Human Life Amendment,” Paul said. “I’ve also been trying to defund Planned Parenthood. Anybody here for that?”

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