Video: Newt Gingrich Responds to Assertion That He has Caved On Gay Marriage; Discusses Potential Obama EO’s on Gun Control, Debt Ceiling

Newt Gingrich has been widely criticized for his recent comments that seemed to suggest he had abandoned the fight for traditional marriage. Here’s his response:

“I’m very concerned. I believe as a matter of faith that marriage is between a man and a woman. I think that everything we know of in terms of the bible and in teaching of the church says marriage is between a man and a women. I also believe as a matter of fact: that 9 states have now adopted a law which is different than that. And that poses very real and complex human circumstances. I think a practical reality is how are we going to deal with that fact? And it’s not that I am going to change my belief. I think that in fact it’s a big mistake to be confused about this issue. But I think it is also a legal reality that now people are being allowed to create legal status over here and if they created it in Maryland and they go on a trip and something happens to them on that trip—what is their status if they need to go to the local hospital? And so I think this is a very complicated human problem and Republicans need to take a deep breath and understand we need to deal with the human side of thus equation and understand that we still want to defend marriage in it’s classic form between a man & a women. I don’t except that there is an alternative. The government can declare that a Ford truck is AirForce One but that doesn’t mean it can fly.

The Defense of Marriage Act is a very specific bill that says that because Maryland to take an example happens to vote that marriage extends beyond a man & woman doesn’t mean that can be imposed on any other state. I still defend the right of any individual state to not adopt—(interrupted)—but I am saying as a matter of practical reality, we have to deal—we conservatives have to deal with the objective fact that 9 states have adopted a rule which is now going to make life more complicated. It’s not enough to—again—I’m no—my personal views, my personal beliefs I don’t back up an inch from the core belief from the Bible and the core belief of my church that marriage is between a man and a woman. But I am trying to understand, how are we going to cope with the complexity that this fact has now entered into our life?

We [Republicans] are going to remain the conservative party. We are going to remain a party that believes in core beliefs. We are going to remain a party which defends religious liberty. And we’ve got to do it much much better. I’ve watched us get out maneuvered by the left over and over for the last couple of years in ways that I found frustrating and infuriating and I think we have to learn from that.”