RUSH: It looks like Bob Schieffer wants to go out with a big, big scalp. It looks like Bob Schieffer wants to leave CBS News having taken out one of the Republican presidential candidates. Do you remember January of 2012? It was a Republican primary candidate debate. It was the debate where George Stephanopoulos kept hounding Mitt Romney on contraception and whether he favored the states having some role in it.

The subject had not come up. It had not been brought up by anybody. It was not an issue anywhere. At that point in time, it was barely a talking point in Obamacare. But clearly the Republican candidates were not talking about it. They were off on other things. So out of the blue Stephanopoulos starts asking Romney, and Romney responded rather as expected. “What’s this, George? Contraception?

“Who’s talking about this? I’m even thinking about it. What do you mean?” And Stephanopoulos just kept pressing, “Yes or no? Yes or no? Do you favor states being in charge of banning contraception?” Whatever the question was, he just kept badgering and badgering, and Romney kept appearing more and more perplexed as to what was going on. Stephanopoulos wouldn’t give up, and finally Romney gave an answer just to end the discussion.

I don’t even remember what his answer was, but it was along the lines of, “It isn’t a big deal. Nobody cares, George.” But it didn’t matter what he said. All that mattered was that he did answer it, and that is how the so-called Republican War on Women was born. It was, I am convinced, a tactic that had been planned by Stephanopoulos and others in Democrat campaign war rooms as a means of tripping Romney up. So I’m going through the audio sound bite roster.

I didn’t watch Sunday shows. I never watch the Sunday shows. I haven’t watched the Sunday shows since the last time I was on one, and even then I didn’t watch it live. I watched it via TiVo much later in the day. I really don’t watch these anymore, and the reason is, no news is made on these shows anymore. And you don’t learn anything on these shows anymore. And furthermore, all they are is just… Each network is a Democrat campaign. It literally is pointless.

There is no value in the time it takes to watch any of these Sunday shows. Maybe Chris Wallace. I have an exception for him because I think he is actually trying to make news on what he does on the program, but the rest of the time it’s just the promotion of the Democrat Party agenda. Bob Schieffer’s announced he’s leaving CBS. He’s, what, 95? He’s 30 years past the Walter Cronkite mandatory retirement age.

They’re gonna retire him, and they’re gonna put in the political director named John Dickerson. He is gonna run this show once Schieffer leaves. I guess he’s gonna leave sometime this summer, and it’s clear that he wants to go out having claimed a scalp. Are you ready for this? This is so transparent. This is so typical. This is so unlike a question any Democrat would ever get. He’s interviewing Marco Rubio, and Schieffer says, “Let’s talk a little bit about the social issues.”

Never mind the social issues are now front and center for the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party’s going to town on social issues. It’s the Democrat Party pushing the culture war in this country. It’s the Democrat Party trying to score big on the so-called social issues. The Republicans are running away from social issues. They’ve been trying to for 20 years. The Republican establishment wants nothing to do with the social issues.

The Republican Party’s made it clear time and time again that it doesn’t matter. They’re gonna forget about all of that and talk about the economy and other things. Right on cue, Bob Schieffer to Marco Rubio: “Let’s talk a little bit about social issues. You’ve said you’re against gay marriage. Do you think homosexuality is a choice?” Now, that question has no probative news value.

The answer to that question is worthless in terms of news value or even informing people who Rubio is. Furthermore the question, “Do you think homosexuality is a choice?” had nothing to do with whether or not somebody does or does not support gay marriage. So it’s obviously a trap. It’s a setup. Now, I understand the Republicans. If they’re gonna go on these shows they have to be aware of it, and they have to be prepared for it. I understand all that.

I’m just saying this is lame, this is cheap, this is obviously partisan. It’s low rent, it’s undignified, and it is as clear as a bell what this is. It’s an indication of just how biased Schieffer is, and it’s the latest attempt by Schieffer to be the next George Stephanopoulos and enter a subject here that has nothing to do with who the next president is gonna be, absolutely nothing to do with Marco Rubio’s campaign.

Yet the very asking of the question is designed to make the low-information crowd and the rest of the audience watching this… The whole purpose of this question is not even dependent on the answer. The answer, if Rubio screws it up, is icing on the cake. The whole purpose here is the question: “Do you think homosexuality is a choice?” That question sends a message, and the message is:

“Republicans are dinosaurs! Republicans are sexists! Republicans are mean-spirited! Republicans do not love people!” All of that is what’s wrapped up in this question. It’s an irrelevant, meaningless question when it comes to the presidential campaign, irrelevant and meaningless when it comes to defining who Marco Rubio is, and it has nothing to do with the way Schieffer set it up or whether or not he supports gay marriage. Well, let’s listen to how Rubio answered it.

Again, the question: “Let’s talk a little bit about social issues. You’ve said you’re against gay marriage. Do you think that homosexuality is a choice?” What does that have to do with gay marriage? What in the world does it have to do with gay marriage? It has absolutely nothing to do with it. I don’t care how esoteric some of you want to get, how legalese’d some of you might want to get, it has nothing to do with it, and Schieffer knows it.

This question could be rephrased: “Are you a bigot? Are you a homophobe? Do you hate people?” That’s what this question is. That’s what that question is. It’s a question Schieffer would never ask Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama

, both of whom opposed gay marriage before it harmed them. At times in their political careers when they felt it was okay to be honest, they said they opposed gay marriage. At the very moment where it became necessary to support gay marriage, they changed on a dime.

If anybody deserves this question, it’s Hillary Clinton: “Do you support gay marriage, because you used to not. Your husband used to not. Your husband used to oppose abortion. I don’t know about you, but your husband used to oppose abortion and so did Barack Obama, but all of a sudden three years ago everybody in your party changed their mind. All of a sudden gay marriage became fabulous and wonderful. Why?”

But they’re never gonna ask that question of the Democrats, because the question really isn’t about homosexuality, and it’s really not about gay marriage. The question is, “Why do you hate people? You’re a Republican! You obviously do. So why do you hate people? Why are you mean?
Why are you intolerant?” That’s what this. It just ticks me off like you can’t believe. I do not think these people deserve these Republican guests.

It’s such an obvious patent setup. (interruption) Yeah, yeah, yeah, we got Rubio’s answer. It doesn’t matter. I’m telling you, the answer doesn’t matter in terms of the audience. The audience got everything they needed to go know simply by the question being asked. I’m talking about the low-information crowd or the naive or the ignorant or what have you. Here’s his answer, if you want to hear it. I don’t know what good it does.

RUBIO: I believe the definition of the institution of marriage should be between one man and one woman. States have always regulated marriage, and if a state wants to have a differentiates definition, you should petition the state legislature and have a political debate. I don’t think courts should be making that decision, and I don’t believe same-sex marriage is a constitutional right. I also don’t believe that your sexual preferences are a choice for the vast and enormous majority of people. In fact, the bottom line is I believe that sexual preference is something that people are born with.

RUSH: Right. Fine and dandy. Cool. The first answer on marriage is right on the money. The last part of it’s okay, too. But the whole idea of asking this question? He’s as guilty as Bob Schieffer wants him to be. He’s guilty before he says a word. He’s guilty after he answers the question, because the question is a question that attempts to define Rubio. Just the fact that you have to ask the question means there must be some question here about how mean or nice a guy Rubio is, or how smart or erudite or whatever.

This stuff ticks me off like I cannot tell you.

Take a break here, we’ll come back and get started with the sound bites that feature me, as there are many of them.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: There’s another question like the one Rubio got that I think was asked of Scott Walker. Would you attend a homosexual marriage of someone in your family whom you loved? (interruption) Oh, you hadn’t heard that one? Do you think they’re gonna ask a Democrat that question? These questions would never be asked because, again, as I say, the hypocrisy on this issue is all on the Democrat side. They’re the ones who all opposed this until it became politically opportunistic to do so. I dare say politically mandatory.

About three years ago it became an obligation to be in favor of gay marriage, otherwise the gay campaign money was gonna dry up. At one time gay marriage was seen as a near impossibility, wasn’t gonna happen. It was this extreme, wacko fringe cause, and no Democrat wanted to be seen anywhere near it, until the militant gay lobby, politically gay lobby got motivated and started threatening to withdraw money. So on a dime Obama and Hillary and all of the rest of them who needed to, switched and became ardent supporters of gay marriage.

They sent Joe Biden out there to lead the transformation. Making it look like Biden screwed up, they sent Biden out. He was on a Sunday show or somewhere, some interview, and he made it look like he said something he shouldn’t have said, as in letting the cat out of the bag or maybe making a gaffe. But nobody refuted it. They kind of got mad at Biden, “Joe, what are you doing?” They treated him as, “Ah, there goes Joe. That’s just Joe, gums are flapping, nobody knows what’s gonna come out.” But they stood by it because the gays were threatening to withhold money.

I mean, if anybody deserves these questions, it’s Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. They’re the ones who used to be steadfastly opposed to this. “So do you think homosexuality is a choice? Would you attend a homosexual wedding if it featured someone you loved?” They asked Walker. Walker’s answer was (paraphrasing), “Well, no, I wouldn’t. I would attend the reception, but I would not go to the actual ceremony.” The questions are traps, and the answer can make it worse, but the question itself is what is to do the damage.

The question being asked is the attempt to damage the candidate. “Do you think homosexuality is a choice?” The implication, “You bigot, you closed-minded Neanderthal, you hatemonger.” That’s what’s implied in the question. And the same thing with whether or not you’d go to a gay wedding if a loved family member were in it. Loaded questions.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Liz in Richmond, Virginia. I’m glad that you waited. I really appreciate it. Welcome to the program. It’s great to have you here.

CALLER: Oh, man, it’s so cool to talk to you. How are you doing, Rush?

RUSH: I’m very well. Thank you.

CALLER: Cool. No, I was just gonna say that the candidates have been, you know, keep getting asked, “Do you believe that people are born gay?” and there’s been such a simple answer, and it’s what people really want to hear. They can just say, “Well, the prevailing science…” Because the American Psychiatric Association, if you go to their website, they literally say that no one knows what causes it. And there’s quotes that say there’s no replicated scientific studies supporting any specific biological etiology for homosexuality. So they can just go with the science instead of giving their opinion.

RUSH: Now, wait. I want to make sure I understand what you’re saying. Are you saying — I’m gonna use my own words here — are you saying that science has not discovered a gay gene, for example?

CALLER: Yeah. They’re saying, the quote is, “No one knows what causes heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality.” So I know there’s a lot of people on the left who are claiming that —

RUSH: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I gotta take a break here and I don’t want you to go away. Nobody knows what causes heterosexuality?

CALLER: I’m just saying that’s what the American Psychiatric Association says on their website.

RUSH: Okay. Right on. Yeah.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Okay. We’re back now with Liz in Richmond, Virginia. Your point is that the psychological whatever you talked about, association, psychiatric association, they’re claiming they can’t scientifically pinpoint any reason for any sexuality?

CALLER: That’s right. And that’s at the American Psychiatric Association. I mean, I assume that people would think that they’re a credible authority on things like this. I would assume.

RUSH: Well, not all people would, by the way. The American Psychiatric Association, I mean, like any other scientific outfit that can be bought. You know, what hasn’t been politicized these days, is my point. But what’s your real point here? She’s calling two hours after the fact. Let me mention this. The National Institutes of Health has so far spent 400 grand surveying the satisfaction levels of first-time African-American adolescent males’ homosexual experience, and they want to find out how enjoyable the first time was, 400 grand spent so far.

And then we had a sound bite with Rubio being asked if he thinks that homosexuality is a choice in a setup question. So Liz here is calling to react to that, and your point is that this credible group of people, American Psychiatric Association, cannot give a scientific reason for homosexuality, heterosexuality, bestiality, they can’t give a scientific reason for any sexuality, right?

CALLER: That’s exactly right.

RUSH: Okay, so what’s the point?

CALLER: So the point is, when they’re asked this question, they don’t have to rely on their opinion. They can go to prevail — you know, people on the left are always saying go to science —

RUSH: Oh, I get it, so you’re saying that they’re conveniently not finding a scientific reason, thereby allowing people to say, “I didn’t choose this”?

CALLER: Exactly. Listen, on social media all the time there’s people saying (crosstalk) it’s not a choice, they say it’s not a choice, I was born that way.

RUSH: So you think they’re choosing it?

CALLER: I’m saying I have my opinion, Rubio might have his opinion, but the bottom line is the prevailing scientific organizations who study this say, “Yeah, we’ve been trying to find out, but we can’t.” So it might be a choice, it might not.

RUSH: Wait a minute. Are you saying you want to throw Rubio overboard because he answered that way?

CALLER: No, I’m not. I’m just saying that if they don’t want to —

RUSH: All right. Okay.

CALLER: — be put into a corner, they could use this.

RUSH: — I think we got to the bottom of this.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Kate, Carson City, Nevada, welcome to the EIB Network. Hello.

CALLER: Hello, Rush. How you doing?

RUSH: Fine and dandy.

CALLER: Good. Hey, listen, I just wanted to call — and Cheryl was just awesome. She was just amazing. But, anyway, I kind of can dovetail with that. I’m wondering if Bob Schieffer going after Marco Rubio on the homosexual question might not backfire on the mainstream media who are just the press folks for the Democratic Party. Because when you look at what happened with Memories Pizza, when you look at what happened with the florist in Washington, when you see the support for those folks, I don’t think the support for the homosexual agenda is going to be as successful as, say, the War on Women or even attacking pro-lifers or any of that. I think they may be making a tactical error here and I’m wondering what your position is.

RUSH: See, I don’t think, in this case, it’s comparables to the Memories Pizza, because if I hadn’t told you what happened on Bob Schieffer’s show, you might not know. You may have watched it, I don’t know, but most people didn’t. And Rubio didn’t act offended and all that. If there’s a backfire, it’ll be quiet, and it won’t be something that anybody knows. It’ll just show up on Election Day as one of the reasons why people did or did not vote a certain way.

As to the homosexual agenda, gay marriage or whatever you might say, backfiring compared to War on Women or what have you, that’s too soon to tell. I don’t think that that’s gonna have any impact on it being tried anyway. I don’t think Bob Schieffer will come up with that question. I’ve been thinking about that. I think it’s a question some producer gave him. Bob Schieffer’s too old. He doesn’t think that way. I know he’s a leftist and all that kind of thing, but that question is just too planted, it’s too stock. “Do you think homosexuality’s chosen?” Came out of nowhere, discussing gay marriage? That has nothing to do with anything.

It’s a trap question. It’s a gotcha question. It’s baseless, senseless, and so transparent. And to the extent that people in the audience who did see the show saw it that way, yeah, it won’t work, but it could have worked depending on Rubio’s answer, is the point. They’re just waiting for one of these Republicans to say, “No, I think it is chosen.”

They’re just waiting for one Republican to say it’s chosen, and the whole party is gonna get tarred and feathered as bunch of anti-gay bigots. You wait. All it’s gonna take is one answer like that. “Yes, I think it’s chosen, who wouldn’t?” It’s a setup, and they’re gonna try it again, Rubio just got it first. Next up, George Stephanopoulos will try his version of it on Sunday. Mark my words.