Reid straddles line on marriage amendment

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is walking a fine line between his religion and his politics, staunchly opposing a constitutional amendment defining marriage while affirming his Mormon belief that marriage is exclusively for heterosexual couples.

“I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman,” Reid said on the Senate floor yesterday during debate on the amendment, which is scheduled for a vote tomorrow.

He said he views gay marriage as a states’-rights issue and is reluctant to change the Constitution.

“Will it next be to constitutionally dictate the cause of divorce or military service or even what America’s religion must be?” Reid said on the floor. “The reason for this debate is to divide our society, to pit one against another. This is another one of the president’s efforts to frighten, to distort, to distract and to confuse America.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which Reid is a member, issued a statement of support for the amendment and urged its members to contact their senators about this week’s vote.