CNN 2015 GOP primary debate: on Civil Rights


Bobby Jindal: Discrimination in America today is against Christians

The biggest discrimination is going on against Christian business owners and individuals who believe in traditional forms of marriage. They are throwing this woman in jail in Kentucky. Let's talk about the Christian florist, the caterer, the musician, who simply want to say, don't discriminate against us, don't shut down our businesses, don't fine us thousands of dollars for believing marriage is between a man and a woman. Let's talk about not discriminating against Christians.
Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary undercard debate on CNN Sep 16, 2015

Carly Fiorina: U.S. will be better off when women have equal opportunity

Q: What woman should be on the $10 bill??

A: I wouldn't change the $10 bill, or the $20 bill. I think, honestly, it's a gesture. I don't think it helps to change our history. What I would think is that we ought to recognize that women are not a special interest group. Women are the majority of this nation. We are half the potential of this nation, and this nation will be better off when every woman has the opportunity to live the life she chooses.

Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN Sep 16, 2015

George Pataki: Uphold rule of law;fire those who won't perform gay marriage

Q: Kim Davis is an elected official in Kentucky who was jailed for refusing to provide marriage licenses for same-sex couples.

PATAKI: We have a rule in America: an elected official can't say I'm not going to follow that law if it conflicts with my beliefs. I think she should have been fired and if she worked for me, I would have fired her. We have to uphold the rule of law. Imagine that was a Muslim who said "I don't believe in gay marriage," and refused to perform that wedding. We wouldn't have had that outrage. There's a place where religion supersedes the rule of law. It's called Iran. It shouldn't be the United States.

SANTORUM: People have a fundamental right in the First Amendment; that's the freedom of conscience.

PATAKI: You should be able to engage in your religious belief as you see fit. But when you are an elected official and you take an oath of office to uphold the law, all the laws, you cannot pick & choose or you no longer have a society that depends on the rule of law.

Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary undercard debate on CNN Sep 16, 2015

Jeb Bush: Accommodate conscience on gay marriage at local level

I think there needs to be accommodation for someone acting on faith. Religious conscience is a first freedom. It's a powerful part of our Bill of Rights. And, in a big, tolerant country, we should respect the rule of law. I was opposed to the decision, but we can't just say, "well, gays can't get married now." But this woman, there should be some accommodation for her conscience, just as there should be for people that are florists that don't want to participate in weddings, or bakers.
Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN Sep 16, 2015

Mike Huckabee: Stop criminalization of Christianity, like on gay marriage

I am here to fight for somebody who is a county clerk elected under the Kentucky constitution that 75 percent of the people of that state had voted for that said that marriage was between a man and a woman. We made accommodation to the Fort Hood shooter to let him grow a beard. We made accommodations to the detainees at Gitmo. You're telling me that you cannot make an accommodation for an elected Democrat county clerk from Kentucky? What else is it other than the criminalization of her faith?
Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary debate on CNN Sep 16, 2015

Rick Santorum: Freedom of conscience includes right to deny service to gays

Q: Should Kim Davis, an elected official in Kentucky, have been jailed for refusing to provide same-sex marriage licenses?

SANTORUM: Today, someone who defies a judge's unconstitutional verdict is ridiculed and criticized, chastised because she's standing up and not denying her God and her faith. People have a fundamental right in the First Amendment: the freedom of conscience.

PATAKI: When you are an elected official and you take an oath of office to uphold the law, all the laws, you cannot pick and choose or you no longer have a society that depends on the rule of law.

SANTORUM: Martin Luther King wrote in his letter from the Birmingham jail that there are just laws and there are unjust laws. And we have no obligation to condone and accept unjust laws. An unjust law goes against the moral code or God's law or the natural law. I would argue that what the Supreme Court did is against the natural law, it's against God's law and we have every obligation to stand in opposition to it.

Source: 2015 Republican two-tiered primary undercard debate on CNN Sep 16, 2015

  • The above quotations are from CNN Two-Tier 2015 GOP primary debate
    First Tier: Eleven candidates by polls
    Second Tier: Four other Republicans
    .
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Civil Rights.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Carly Fiorina on Civil Rights.
  • Click here for more quotes by Donald Trump on Civil Rights.
2016 Presidential contenders on Civil Rights:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018