HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Ellen DeGeneres welcomed presidential candidate John McCain to her talk show Thursday, leading to some quality television as the two got into a debate over gay rights issues.
“I just believe in the unique status of marriage between man and woman,” the Republican nominee said. “And I know that we have a respectful disagreement on that issue.”
“We are all the same people, all of us,” the host responded. “You’re no different than I am. Our love is the same.”
The debate follows last Thursday’s state high court ruling which struck down California’s laws against gay marriage.
California’s Supreme Court ruled that people have a fundamental “right to marry” the partner of their choosing, thus making the previous ban on gay marriage unconstitutional.
On the day after the ruling, DeGeneres, 50, announced her plans to marry her girlfriend, actress Portia de Rossi, 35, during her show.
The longtime couple has been dating since December 2004.
