Rick Santorum stammered through a grilling from CNN’s John Berman on New Day Friday over evangelist Franklin Graham’s calls for Mayor Pete Buttigieg to repent for being gay.
Said Santorum, defending Graham: “He is a religious leader. He is not a politician… He is talking biblically. … He has the right to put forth what his faith is instructing him to day.”
Berman called out Graham for hypocrisy for “calling on Pete Buttigieg to repent for being gay, yet [being] one of the most ardent supporters of the thrice-married President Trump.”
Said Santorum: “I would say that you have every right to call him out on that. Because if he’s gonna say that about Pete Buttigieg, then he needs to when Donald Trump’s accusations come up about marital infidelity and other things that is equally as sinful. … He should be equal and vociferous in calling out a similar sin.”
“Infidelity you are saying is a similar sin as being gay?” asked Berman.
Replied Santorum: “Well that’s what the Christian religion teaches. Both are violations of the traditional and sacred bonds of marriage, that outside of marriage is sinful behavior, yes.”
“People are going to look at that and say adultery is a choice, but people are born gay,” said Berman.
Berman then asked Santorum, “Do you think people are born gay?”
Replied Santorum: “You know, I’m not an expert in this area. I don’t know. The answer is, you know, we have to be loving and tolerant of everybody. Everybody is due respect and love and should be treated with dignity and respect, and whether they choose it or not, I don’t know. I don’t really care. I treat people with dignity and respect no matter who they are.”
Asked to respond to Mayor Pete’s remarks that it’s challenging to be a person of faith and part of the LGBTQ community, Santorum stammered: “I respect that. I have differences. There are different faith traditions. My tradition aligns, the Catholic church is very clear in teaching on, on, on, sexual issues, and that’s where I hold. The Catholic Church also teaches that we’re to love and respect everyone. We are all sinners. And we are all loved by God and forgiven for our transgressions.”
“Do you think homosexuality is a sin?” asked Berman.
Replied Santorum: “That’s what the church teaches. I’m a Catholic and I subscribe to the Catholic church’s teaching. And that’s really an important issue here. Are we allowed to believe what our church teaches us and articulate that, or is that considered hate speech? … He has every right to go out there and articulate his Christian beliefs. [Homosexuality] is not what the church teachings say is the right way to engage in sexual activity and that’s the position I take as a Catholic.”
