Rachel Maddow On Supreme Court Gay Marriage Rulings: 'This Is Now Decided As A Nation. The Argument Is Won'

Rachel Maddow was on hand to witness the Supreme Court's historic decisions on gay marriage on Wednesday.

The Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act and effectively restored the legality of gay marriage in California. Maddow hailed the DOMA ruling first.

"This is the most consequential way they could have chosen to rule in a pro-gay-rights way," she said. "This is a very big deal ruling."

After the Court ruled on Prop. 8, Maddow said that the issue of gay marriage was effectively settled:

"Bottom line here: the federal ban on recognizing same-sex marriages is dead. California's ban on recognizing same-sex marriages is dead. There are 12 states in the country where this is now legal, and the political winds on this are blowing so hard in one direction that the idea that we will go back is almost unimaginable in any state in the country ... This is now decided as a nation. The argument is won."