Donald Rumsfeld Doesn't Know If He Supports Gay Marriage, Because Maybe It Would Lead To Polygamy?

Rumsfeld Puzzled On Gay Marriage Question
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Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld admitted this week that he was stumped by a question about whether he supported gay marriage rights.

Speaking with Larry King on Ora TV, Rumsfeld spoke about his support for repealing the military's "don't ask, don't tell" gay exclusion policy, before conceding that he was more conflicted about marriage equality.

“You know, I'm, I guess, of a generation that I don't ... I listened to some of the Supreme Court justices and one of them said, 'Well what's next after that? Is it two people, three people?'” the 80-year-old Rumsfeld told King, seemingly referencing a question raised by Justice Sonia Sotomayor during a case over California's Proposition 8 gay marriage ban earlier this year.

King noted Rumsfeld's work for civil rights during his time in Congress, but the former Illinois congressman said he considered gay rights a separate issue.

“I guess I just don't equate the two," Rumsfeld said. "It's not a subject I'm knowledgeable about. I guess the Rumsfeld rule here is: I don't know.”

After leaving the George W. Bush administration, Rumsfeld invited speculation about his views on gay rights when he wouldn't directly endorse Bush's anti-gay positions, instead opting for a more vague answer.

"The administration has positions on these things," he told GQ in a 2007 interview when asked about gay marriage. "And if you're part of the administration, you're supportive of the administration."

(Watch the video above.)

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Before You Go

Gay Marriage In The United States
Connecticut(01 of14)
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Since November 12, 2008 (credit:AP)
Delaware(02 of14)
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Gay marriage law enacted, weddings to begin July 1. (credit:Getty Images)
Iowa(03 of14)
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Since April 3, 2009 (credit:Getty)
Maine(04 of14)
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In 2012, Maine voted in favor of a ballot amendment to legalize gay marriage. (credit:Alamy)
Maryland(05 of14)
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The gay marriage bill was signed into law by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on March 1, 2012. Opponents later gathered enough signatures to force the issue back onto the ballot in November 2012, but voters rejected the effort against gay marriage. (credit:AP)
Massachusetts(06 of14)
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Since May 17, 2004 (credit:AP)
Minnesota(07 of14)
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Same-sex marriage bill signed into law in May. Gay marriages will begin in August. (credit:Getty Images)
New Hampshire(08 of14)
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Since January 1, 2010 (credit:Flickr: jimbowen0306)
New York(09 of14)
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Since July 24, 2011 (credit:Flickr: alh1)
Rhode Island(10 of14)
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Bill passed in May. Law takes effect on August 1, 2013. (credit:Getty Images)
Vermont(11 of14)
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Since September 1, 2009 (credit:Flickr: Tony Fischer Photography)
Washington(12 of14)
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On February 13, 2012, Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) signed a law allowing same-sex marriage ceremonies to begin on June 7, 2012. The process was delayed by gay marriage opponents who gathered enough signatures to put the issue up to a state vote in November 2012. They voted to approve it on Election Day. (credit:AP)
Washington D.C.(13 of14)
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Since March 9, 2010 (credit:Flickr: Vox Efx)
California(14 of14)
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The state initially began conducting gay marriages on June 16, 2008. On November 5, 2008, however, California voters passed Proposition 8, which amended the state's constitution to declare marriage as only between a man and a woman. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled against that law, and the state shortly thereafter began sanctioning same-sex nuptials. (credit:AP)