CNN Guests: 2013 Remembered for One Thing: ‘The Year Gay Marriage Triumphed’

In a segment on CNN which reviewed the year’s events focusing on the political issues that impacted the national debate in 2013, the panel agreed that same-sex marriage rights were greatly advanced in the last year. In fact, CNN’s guests agreed that the broad extension of rights to gay married couples may stand out the most when the history books look back on 2013.

CNN White House reporter Brianna Keilar noted that 2013 was a year that saw activists for gay marriage enjoying a number of successes “without any setbacks.”

“This is the year where that issue just crossed the Rubicon both in terms of public opinion and in terms of the law,” New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza agreed. “Frankly, I think the debate on that issue is lost.”

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“Republicans recognize, long-term, they lost that,” he added.

Keilar asked University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato if he agreed that 2013 was the year when gay marriage “triumphed.” Not only did Sabato agree, but he went further.

“I think 50 or 100 years from now, when historians are looking back at the year 2013, almost everything we discussed won’t get a mention,” Sabato said, “but same-sex marriage will.”

“This is an irreversible social trend,” he concluded. “It’s going to move forward and there’s no going back.”

Watch the clip below via CNN:

[Photo via screen grab ]

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