Kerryism of the DayThe senator's caveats and curlicues.

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Question: If it were to come before you today for a vote, the issue of a constitutional amendment defining marriage as that between a man and a woman, would you vote yes or would you vote no?

Kerry: ^{1 2} About the rights, I believe that it is important in America not to discriminate_³. I_⁴ believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. ^{₅ 6 7 8 9 10 11} I'm for civil union. I'm for partnership rights and the full measure of nondiscrimination_¹².

—Democratic presidential primary debate, Milwaukee, Wisc., Feb, 15, 2004

[1] Well, it depends on the terminology

[2] because it depends on what it does with respect to civil unions and partnership rights.

[3] with respect to rights

[4] personally

[5] But I also believe that we ought to be able to not let marriage and the concept get in the way of respecting the rights of people to be able to visit a partner in a hospital, to be able to pass on property, to be able to live under the equal protection clause of the United States.

[6] And the question is whether or not that can be put in the Constitution.

[7] We will see what will happen.

[8] But my personal opinion has been—

[9] —is

[10] today—

[11] that marriage is between a man and a woman.

[12] within those rights

Verbatim:

Well, it depends on the terminology, because it depends on what it does with respect to civil unions and partnership rights. About the rights, I believe that it is important in America not to discriminate with respect to rights. I personally believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. But I also believe that we ought to be able to not let marriage and the concept get in the way of respecting the rights of people to be able to visit a partner in a hospital, to be able to pass on property, to be able to live under the equal protection clause of the United States. And the question is whether or not that can be put in the Constitution. We will see what will happen. But my personal opinion has been—is today—that marriage is between a man and a woman. I'm for civil union. I'm for partnership rights and the full measure of nondiscrimination within those rights.

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William Saletan is Slate's national correspondent and author of Bearing Right: How Conservatives Won the Abortion War. Follow him on Twitter here.

Photograph of John Kerry by Marc Serota/Reuters.

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• Kerryism of the Day
  The senator's caveats and curlicues.
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