Rand Paul: Rep Says Bestiality Comment Was Sarcasm, But Damage May Be Done

Rand Paul was not being sincere when he compared same-sex marriage to bestiality being legalized, a representative for the Kentucky Senator said Thursday.

Paul initially made the comment to radio host Glenn Beck as the two talked about the Supreme Court ruling striking down a key portion of the Defense of Marriage Act. Beck wondered if it could eventually lead to polygamy being legalized.

“If you change one variable – man and a woman – to a man and a man and a woman and a woman, you cannot tell me then that you can’t logically change the other variable,” Beck said. “One man, three women. One woman, four men. Who are you to say that if I am a devout Muslim and I come over here and I have three wives, who are you to say if I am an American citizen that I can’t have multiple marriages?”

Rand Paul took the point even further, saying the decision could lead to humans marrying animals.

“This is a conundrum, and it gets back to what you were saying …whether or not churches should decide this,” Paul said. “And it is difficult, because if we have no laws on this, people take it to one extension further. Does it have to be humans?”

On Thursday, Paul’s office clarified that he didn’t actually think people and animals would be getting married.

“Sarcasm sometimes doesn’t translate adequately from radio conversation,” his communications director Moira Bagley said. “Sen. Paul did not suggest that striking down DOMA could lead to unusual marriage arrangements. What he was discussing was that having the state recognize marriage without definition could lead to marriages with no basis in reality.”

Rand Paul could have a lot at stake. The torchbearer for libertarians, he is considered to be a strong 2016 presidential candidate, representing the future of the GOP.

Yet statements like the one made Wednesday have hurt Paul’s public persona, with political insiders saying he needs to keep in line more if he holds aspirations of becoming president.

“If this is what constitutes an ‘interesting’ politician and ‘rising star’ in Republican politics, the GOP is in dire straits, indeed,” MSNBC blogger Steve Benen wrote of Rand Paul.

[Rand Paul image via: Gage Skidmore]