that says unequal, and that's contrary to everything we believe in this country. >> reporter: so ted olsonth griffin. they kept it a secret though. you are with donald rumsfeld -- after all, olson is a conservative legal icon. one of the first things you see when you walk through your door in this office is a picture of ronald reagan. >> he was a wonderful, wonderful man to know and to work for. and, of course, president bush is here, too. >> reporter: that would be bush xliii. >> i will to the best of my ability. >> reporter: the president whose election olson successfully defended before the supreme court in 2000. a memory that wasn't lost on chad griffin. >> i knew i was in foreign territory, but i saw enough in that office to know just how republican of a world that ted olson comes from, and my world could not be more different than that. >> reporter: also on display was olson's extraordinary legal track record with 44 supreme court victories under his belt. and here are the quills. you get one of these -- >> every time you argue a case in the supreme court at the desk is the quill. >>

i want to go back to ted olson. mark mckinnon brought out something. you have talked, mr. olson, there may be kind of a libertarian strain running through part of the republican party that is talking about less government in people's lives and that this might be one place where we might see a change there. talk about that a little bit. >> well, i think that marriage is a conservative value. equality is a conservative value. i'm not saying that those aren't liberal values, either. but the republican party is the party of abraham lincoln. equality and independence and people that love one another, that wish to form a stable bond, are part of our economy, are part of our community. that should be a conservative value. 45 years ago, the supreme court held unanimously that 14 states that prohibited interracial marriage were violating the constitution. in those states, our president today, his mother and father, could not have been married without committing a felony. today, we can't believe that in america, interracial couples were not permitted to be married just 45 years ago i

we fake we know parts of the case, led ted olson is a great friend. we think sufficient parts of the law will be thrown out it comes down to the obama discredit. ted olson is of the opinion chief justice roberts will try to find something to bring in one o or to of the liberals that could weaken the decision by the supreme court. but at any rate to a serious threat is in the air for cry vague everything will go bad from this point* on of everything the liberals take heart will amount to to nothing at all. >> and assuming you mean the death of liberalism in our country? what about europe with socialism? fam mac to hell with the drug. i only go there for holidays [laughter] i did have an observation. somebody said on a radio show this morning i said the french have the only military that issues to the soldiers a clone. [laughter] look it up. [laughter] in america, they had a brilliant observation and the tea party is brilliant with the attempt to canvasback to think about the constitution. with those policies with those with conservatives to say to hell

and woman >>> clayton >>> as we look back on as we might find we are ashamed of this issue >>> and ted olson served in the george w. bush administration and support same-sex marriage. >>> i am not for gay marriage despite the fact i am a conservative i am for gay marriage because i am a conservative >>> ever since president obama endorsed same-sex marriage last week and mitt romney restated his support for traditional heterosexual marriage abundance are trying to predict the fallout. u.s. the political scientist pensioner >>> the politics in this issue are changing quickly neither party really understands how to deal with that >>> also growing support for same-sex marriage the real election battle will be a crucial swing states where gop strategist says support is weaker. >>> people showed that 23 percent of independents say it makes them less likely to vote for the president. >>> tony perkins of the family research council says the president has reenergize the republican base. >>> i don't think the president did this as a political calculation is is a bad formula >>> democrats felt that by

ted olson served in the george w. bush administration. he supports same-sex marriage. >> i'm not for gay marriage despite the fact i'm a conservative. i'm for gay marriage because i'm a conservative. >> reporter: the blurring of political lines reflects how undefined this issue still is. ever since president barack obama endorsed same-sex marriage last week and mitt romney, his presumed republican opponent, restated his support for traditional heterosexual marriage, hundreds have been trying to predict the political fallout. political scientist and former gop strategist, dan schnur. >> the politics in this area are changing so quickly that neither party really knows quite exactly how to deal with them. >> reporter: while polls show growing public support for same-sex marriage, the real election battle will be in crucial swing states where gop strategist mark mckinnon is support is weaker. >> the polling done in the last couple days show 23% of independents and 10% of democrats say make them less likely to vote for president. >> reporter:

ted olson served in the george w. bush administration. he supports same sex marriage. >> i'm not for gay marriage despite the fact i'm conservative, i'm for gay marriage because i'm conservative. >> reporter: the blurring of political lines reflects how undefined this still is. ever since president barack obama endorsed same-sex marriage last week and mitt romney his presumed republican opponent restated his support for traditional heterosexual marriage, pundits have been trying to predict the political fallout. u.s. political scientist and former g.o.p. strategist. >> the politics in this issue are changing so quickly that neither party really quite understands how to deal with them. >> reporter: while polls show growing public support for same- sex marriage, the role election battle this november will be in crucial swing states where g.o.p. strategist mark mckinnonon says support is weaker. >> it's arguably-- in the polls done in the last couple days show 23% of independents and 10% of democrats make them let's likely to vote for the pr

we have established a commission for the preservation of the justice system that is chaired by ted olson and david boyce, speakers at this great forum in the past, and 24 of the most prominent lawyers in the country, both women and men, all ethnicities, both sides of the aisle, to look at this issue. let me tell you what we found. in hearings around the country, we found the supreme court of georgia telling us that there court is so under-funded that she has to ask nexus' lexus for pencils for her law clerks. in ohio, you cannot finally pleading unless you bring your own paper. in new hampshire, the court closed the courts to all civil jury trials for a year, a year. alabama supreme court justice said she is going to have to reduce civil trials by 50% and criminal cases by 1/3. well, we have spent $1.30 trillion in bringing the rule of law to parts of the rest of the world. the rule of law begins with one word. "access." access. if there is no access, there is no rule of law. today we have a just a step in this country where 80% of poor people do not have access to the port. -- court. we

record in the senate, surrounded himself with people like jack kemp, frank keating, sam brownback, ted olson, a whole number of other people who are very staunchly conservative people. so where do you go? if people get down to the election and they say, do i want john mccain picking the next three or four supreme court justices? or shall we leave it up to hillary clinton or barack obama, my guess is they'll largely say john mccain. >> are you going to sit this one out? >> no. i'm not really a political -- i'm not involved in everyday politics. but i don't think i'll sit it out. >> and finally, as a conservative, would you rather run against hillary clinton or barack obama? >> that's a good choice, isn't it? hillary clinton certainly has the record that would be very energizing to conservatives to run against. and i can say if she wins, i think it will do enormous things for the movement, because they'll be energized to spend 23 hours a day to fight everything she does. obama actually has the most liberal voting record in the senate. so when he starts talking -- stops talking about hope and s

ted olson is of the opinion that justice roberts, chief justice roberts is going to find something that -- to bring in one or two of the liberals and that that might weaken the decision by the supreme court. in any rate, i don't think -- i think serious to obamacare is in the supreme court. release serious threat. i think everything is going to go bad for obama from this point on. and the things that the liberals are going to take part in and try to get us all to be scared to death of are really going to amount to nothing at all. >> i am assuming you mean the death of liberalism in our country. what about europe? seems to be teetering between left and right wing socialist. >> to quote donald rumsfeld, the hell with europe. i only go there for holidays. i have an observation. someone said to me -- i am on one of these radio shows this morning and someone raised the question of europe and i said as opposed to america, and i said the french can go their way if they want. they have the only military that issues to the soldiers alone. did you know that? look it up. in america, the founding f

>> oh my god, that was the worst guess ever. [ buzzer sounds ] >> no, ted olson. [ applause ] >> whot obama's words today will be celebrated by generations to come. the president's word provide genuine hope that they will be the first generation to grow up to truly pursue the american dream. our constitution's promise, the promise of liberty is one that every generation must realize, and president obama realized this is the defining element of our generation's search for greater freedom. >> wilson and johnson. >> no chad griffin. by the way, chad, i don't have your new email, call me. >> look at you getting in with all of the power gays. >> right? >> are they battery powered. >> i'm princess of power gays. >> are they sustainable? >> they are sustainable gays. >> so they are the gay avengers that you are assembling. >> that's right. hi, brian. >> i'm an african american man and i don't subscribe to the idea that african american's not supporting him. yesterday in north carolina that was kicking people who don't equal rights in this country. yesterday obama lifted everybody up. he lif

conservative attorney ted olson things we faced off with democrat david boyce in bush first court. >> we heard people when we tell them they're no good. >> it is not just rallying liberals, the president's decision has reportedly boosted both sides. >> i think that it will energize all those evangelical christians who had misgivings about voting for a mormon. >> it is also fueling the fire on a washington post or that alleges mitt romney bullied a gay high-school students. reportedly he and his friends held down the screaming victim while they cut off his hair. mitt romney says that he does not remember the incident from 1965. >> i'm sure like other people i have done stupid things in high school and if i offended anyone i apologize. >> now back to the obama fund- raiser. the president is expected to land in los angeles 20 minutes from now and expecting to rub elbows with hollywood celebrities. >> after months of controversy the bart board today approved a contract to begin replacing their aging train cars. the vote was unanimous but it does not sit well with some union workers. here'

and by the way lots of conservatives agree, dick cheney, laura bush ted olson, former rnc ken mellmanall of these other republicans all support people's freedom to marry the person they love regardless of gender. so today, president obama joined those republicans. he stepped off of squishy, wishy washy middle ground that so many political figures occupy and our president chose to occupy equality, to occupy freedom no matter the cost. and have no doubt there will be cost. this will cost the president votes. this may lose him a swing state or two. it's going to get people angry. it is going to further convince the fringes of our society that he is a muslim socialist, commie, hell bent on stealing candy from our babies. and they will rally behind this issue, because they have nothing else to run on. make no mistake, the president's courage will cost him. and that is why it's courageous. real courage is to stand up for what you know is right regardless of the political cost, and yet it does bare asking would mitt romney ever do anything like this? whatever the issue? would mitt romney eve

. >> we're a growing number of democrats and republicans from dick cheney to ted olson to laura bush. it is consistent. it's where the country is headed and i expect in not the too distant future, people like the activists here against me today will soon regret these words. i believe too will evolve to the side, the most american of all views, and that is equality and freedom. president obama put us one step closer to that today. >> chad griffin, bill donahue, thank you very much both very much. >> thank you. >>> just yesterday clay aiken said he wished president obama would, quote, hurry up and evolve faster. clay, you must be pretty happy that he reacted so quickly? >> i am. i feel so empowered. >> i mean a big day for every -- you know, every gay american. a big day for every american in many a ways, whatever reaction you had to it. how did you feel when you heard the news? >> you know, it is a little bittersweet. i'm in north carolina and was really disappointed with the way the amendment initiative vote went yesterday here in north carolina. but it's very promising to hear presid

ted olson served in the george w. bush administration. he supports same-sex marriage. >> i'm not for gay marriage despite the fact i'm a conservative. i'm for gay marriage because i'm a conservative. >> reporter: the blurring of political lines reflects how undefined this issue still is. ever since president barack obama endorsed same-sex marriage last week and mitt romney, his presumed republican opponent, restated his support for traditional heterosexual marriage, hundreds have been trying to predict the political fallout. political scientist and former gop strategist, dan schnur. >> the politics in this area are changing so quickly that neither party really knows quite exactly how to deal with them. >> reporter: while polls show growing public support for same-sex marriage, the real election battle will be in crucial swing states where gop strategist mark mckinnon is support is weaker. >> the polling done in the last couple days show 23% of independents and 10% of democrats say make them less likely to vote for president. >> reporter:

you brought together ted olson and david boies to challenge prop 8. we know that is the big case that everybody has been watching. what is your take away? this has been a stunning week in gay rights and also in politics. >> andrea, it is, i think, a turning point in american politics. what president the obama did this week in making clear his support for marriage equality was so historic, but it wasn't just what he said but how he said it. he talked about it in such personal terms. he spoke from the heart. he talks about how he spoke with his family, his wife, sasha and malia, members of the military, his friends, co-workers, those who work for him on staff. that's how this entire country has moved and has evolved on this issue. democrats and republicans, quite frankly. he joined a majority of the american public in a growing number of leading democrats and republicans who are now openly supporting the freedom to marry. it sent a tremendous message across this country, particularly to the young, lgbt person suffering the consequences of discrimination

former bush colleague ted olson is the lead prosecuting attorney on the case to repeal doma. >> so ing why you just can't celebrate the endorsement of president obama as a gay man. >> our critique is giving a pass to mitt romney. we have been very critical of governor romney as to where he stands and he's been twisting himself up on this issue. it's not as if we're just deeming president obama on his delivery yesterday. >> clark cooper, thanks so much for joining us this weekend. >>> president obama's reversal on same-sex marriage underscores the contrast of governor mitt romn romney. >> i have the same view on marriage that i had when i was governor, my view is that marriage itself is a relationship between a man and a woman and that's my own preference. i know other people have differing views. this is a very tender and emotional topic as are many social issues. but this is a view i have had since running for office. . >>> today the prosecution is expected to wrap up its case against john edwards and it's not looking like ed edwards mistress rielle hunter will testify. towards news

ted olson, many republicans who are senior leaders.publican state legislature. in new york republicans were responsible for the win here. >> there is some movement among young republicans. no question if you look at the polling. overall the center of gravity of the republican party is cultureculture conservative. it makes it hard to move on an issue like this like obama in the end had no choice but to join the center of his party on gay marriage. >> this is cover of "the washington post." read it. let us know what you think. still ahead, you love to hate her from hottest new tv show of the year it's "revenge." star madeleine stowe is here. here's an appropriate tune. good morning. "starting point" back in a moment. for three hours a week, i'm a coach. but when i was diagnosed with prostate cancer... i needed a coach. our doctor was great, but with so many tough decisions i felt lost. unitedhealthcare offered us a specially trained rn who helped us weigh and understand all our options. for me cancer was as scary as a fastball is to some

it is important to point out, and walter dillinger and ted olson in an interview with frank bruni ine new york times" pointed it out as well. there is not marriage equality in the united states for gays and lesbians because if you are married in new york, and you go to north carolina, move to north carolina, they will not recognize you as married. >> hey, here is the great news. at least we have a president who now supports gay marriage. so that will go away. oh, wait a second. it doesn't change anything. he is back to the 10th amendment. >> joe, just because, you know, he isn't marching up to congress with a bill in his hand saying, i demand marriage equality now, doesn't mean that this was not a significant moment. >> david, it wasn't a significant moment because did you or anybody else that you know believe that barack obama was ever against gay marriage? you can go back to his earliest campaigns. he said he supported gay marriage. he threw that position away when it became political. >> hold on. >> hold on. he came out, gene, saying he supported gay marriage, and when it became p

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