2008 Iowa Senate Debate between Tom Harkin & Christopher Reed: on Civil Rights


Christopher Reed: Define marriage as one man and one woman only

Q: What are your views on gay marriage?

A: Marriage is between one man and one woman only. It is a license by the state to recognize the unity of a family.

Q: And should the Constitution of the state of Iowa say that?

A: Yes.

Q: How would you go about making that happen?

A: In the state of Iowa I wouldn’t because that would be a state issue and I’m a federal campaign candidate.

Source: Dean Borg, Iowa Public TV. on 2008 Iowa Senate debate Jun 6, 2008

Christopher Reed: Don’t-ask-don’t-tell caused disruption in military

Reed criticized Sen. Harkin on the issue of gays in the military, after a hearing in which Harkin defended the rights of gays and lesbians who’re serving in the nation’s armed forces.

Christopher Reed served in the Navy both before and after the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy took effect. “It has caused more disruption by bringing it up than there was beforehand. There are no open homosexuals in the military,” Reed says. “I think it creates a distraction that is unnecessary to the fighting forc

Source: Radio Iowa coverage of 2008 Iowa Senate debate May 23, 2008

  • The above quotations are from 2008 Iowa Senate Debate between Tom Harkin & Christopher Reed.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Civil Rights.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Tom Harkin on Civil Rights.
  • Click here for more quotes by Christopher Reed on Civil Rights.
Candidates and political leaders on Civil Rights:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 01, 2018