TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie this morning attempted to clarify statements he made about same sex marriage and civil rights, but in the process called an openly gay assemblyman who was among the governor's detractors "numbnuts."

In calling for a voter referendum on gay marriage last week, the Republican governor said: "The fact of the matter is I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South.”

In a Statehouse press conference today, he expanded on the statement: “The political climate in the South didn’t give them the option to have a referendum back then,” he said, adding later: “They wished they would have had the option, but the political climate did not permit it, meaning they would not win.”

Christie signaled out Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), one of two openly gay state lawmakers, as "numbnuts" for comparing him to infamous segregationists.

“Govs. Lester Maddox and George Wallace would have found allies in Chris Christie over efforts by the Justice Department to end segregation in the South,” Gusciora said Thursday in a statement.

Christie also likened Democrats’ reaction to his original statement to what he called politically motivated overreactions to his comment last year that the press should “take a bat out” on Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen). “It just shows how politically desperate the Democrats are,” he said.

This afternoon civil rights leader U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) is scheduled – along with U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) and Assembly Speaker Shelia Oliver (D-Essex) – for a press conference to discuss the original comments.

Lewis in a phone interview today called Christie’s comment a “big blunder.”

“I just thought it was unbelievable, unreal,” he said. “He’s a lawyer, governor and not to know that putting the issue of civil rights – segregation and racial discrimination in the American south – to a vote? We would have never made it during the 40s, the 50s or the 60s. Most of the governors except for a few of the states were outright segregationist. And most of these states in the old confederacy, people of color could not register to vote.”

Christie said he had not been approached about meeting with Lewis, but would clear his schedule should the opportunity arise.

“Congressman Lewis is an American hero,” he said, “and anytime he wants to come to New Jersey he will be welcomed with open arms because he led an extraordinary movement at great risk and sacrifice to himself.”

Christie said he met this morning with leaders in the African-American community who, he said, understood his comments were not intended to be “racially insensitive.” The breakfast meeting with representatives from local chapters of the NAACP and mayors had been previously planned, he said.

By Jenna Portnoy and Matt Friedman / Statehouse Bureau

Related coverage:

• Black leaders: Gov. Christie needs history lesson after linking civil rights to gay marriage vote

