Santorum & Colbert Discuss Same-Sex Marriage

Former GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum was Stephen Colbert's special guest on Tuesday night's episode of "The Colbert Report." The two talked about the 2016 presidential election, the politician's new film "The Christmas Candle," and marriage equality.

Colbert asked Santorum if conservatives are losing the battle on marriage.

In his signature ironic style, Colbert said "Don't get me wrong, I'm angry too," to a cheering audience. "We've got 15 states plus the District of Columbia riding the rainbow train to Hell Town right now. Hasn't this one slipped away from us?"

"Marriage has slipped away from us," Santorum said. "Marriage has devolved into just a romantic relationship between two people, and that's not what marriage is."

"No, it's for transferring property," Colbert said. "I've read the Old Testament."

Santorum replied: "But marriage is more than that, and heterosexuals have lost the definition of marriage so it's not surprising that other people want to see 'well this is all marriage is today, and so we should be involved in that.' The better debate is to talk about what marriage is and try to reclaim the institution as a man and a woman coming together to have children and raise them in a way that continues society."

Colbert then asked the politician, "What if we just say, gays you can have marriage! Because at this point marriage is something that seems kind of gay! And we go get something better."

"We have to reclaim what marriage is," Santorum says before reiterating what he previously said.

"What is [gay marriage] not? Because you previously once said, 'It's not man on child, man on dog or whatever the case may be.' Is it dog on dog?'" Colbert asks.

"That's sort of taken out of context - a little bit," Santorum replies. "What we're talking about is a relationship important for the continuing of society and that's what we need to focus on.

After a long pause, Colbert says, "I've heard some disturbing news that gay people have children. I've also heard that in some places, they can even adopt children."

"Here's what I'd say to that: every child has a right to their natural mother and father. Every child has a natural mother and father, and they have a right to that mother and father to give them what only a mother and only a father can give."

"What if they don't have a mother or a father? Wouldn't it be better for them to have no parents than to be loved by two gay people?" Colbert asks Santorum.

"The point of the law is to encourage what is best - to set a standard for what is best. Not to set a standard short of what is best because when you do that you'll get what less of what is necessary," he said.

When they discussed the 2016 election Santorum said he wasn't sure if he's running or not.

Watch the entire clip over at Comedy Central.