Pro Gay Marriage Clarence Page: Polygamy a ‘Legitimate’ Issue Cited by Opponents

On the same show that Page attempted to pull off this improbable balancing act, fellow liberal Eleanor Clift predictably labeled concerns about legalized polygamy as “bizarre” —

PAGE: What astounds me is, you know, five, 10 years ago I would have said, in fact I wrote I didn’t expect to see gay marriage legalized in my lifetime. Look what’s happened in the last decade! It’s astounding.

MODERATOR JOHN MCLAUGHLIN: What did you write?

PAGE: Well, just the fact that while I personally favor it, I don’t expect the country to swing that way …

Yes — “swing that way.” His words, not mine. Anyhoo …

PAGE: … but I think that’s very significant, though, the fact is that this court is really following the national lead. They see, although at least the majority of this court sees that the country’s attitudes have changed and are in the process of changing. And that’s why while I’m concerned as Eleanor is about backlash like what we saw with Roe v. Wade, I think the Roe v. Wade decision back there in ’72 (more accurately, January 1973) was a much more abrupt and shock to the system for the country nationwide, whereas I think the country’s much more ready for this.

Minutes later, McLaughlin asked whether polygamy was likely in the aftermath of SCOTUS’s ruling on same-sex marriage, and Page’s surprising candor followed —

MCLAUGHLIN: Do you think polygamy is next in line for legitimation or polyamory?

PUBLISHER MORT ZUCKERMAN: Well, on one level I hope so because I would like to live long enough to see that happen. (laughter all around). That would add a lot to my life is all I can say. I think that would be quite an interesting thing.

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