Celebrating Wednesday's Supreme Court rulings in favor of gay marriage, on Thursday's NBC Today, correspondent Gabe Gutierrez reported live from San Francisco city hall and announced: "In one of the country's oldest and largest gay neighborhoods, vindication. It was the day San Francisco's Castro District had been waiting for." [Listen to the audio or watch the video after the jump]
A series of sound bites followed of gay rights activists expressing their jubilation over the ruling. The plaintiff in the Defense of Marriage Act case, Edith Windsor, declared "The beginning of the end of stigma." Rabbi Camile Shira Angel proclaimed: "I feel blessed with every fiber of my being to be an American and a Californian today." Ellen Cerf, identified as an "equality supporter," tearfully uttered: "I love America every day, but I love it so much today."
Gutierrez then touted: "The California couples who challenged the law interrupted during their interview on MSNBC by a phone call from the President." A clip played of Obama commending them: "We're proud of you guys."
Introducing the lopsided segment, co-host Savannah Guthrie did allude to opponents of the rulings: "The Supreme Court's historic decisions on same-sex marriage are being celebrated by some, blasted by others this morning." Gutierrez briefly noted those "others":
GUTIERREZ: But opponents say the fight isn't over.
SCOTT GARRETT [REP. R-NJ]: The institution of marriage should not be manipulated, either by the courts, who are unelected, nor by elected officials who have failed to uphold their responsibility.
GUTIERREZ: In a written statement, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said, "Today is a tragic day for marriage and our nation."
Gutierrez then promptly drowned out such objections with more supporters of the decisions: "But that's not stopping Shaunna Ramirez-Roseborough and her partner Vianey, who have already adopted the same hyphenated last name....Now they just want their bond to finally be legal."
Wrapping up the report, Gutierrez touted: "The timing of the Supreme Court rulings coincided here with gay pride weekend. More celebrations are expected here in San Francisco through Sunday."
During NBC's live coverage of the rulings Wednesday morning, Gutierrez enthused that "a huge cheer that went up inside San Francisco city hall just a few minutes ago" after the DOMA ruling was announced.
He continued to detail the celebratory atmosphere:
These rulings come on a monumental week for San Francisco. This is also the week of the city's 43rd annual gay pride parade, the events begin on Thursday and run through Sunday. An estimated 1.4 million people are expected here in the city.
And the city administrator says that if Prop 8 is struck down, this would obviously be huge for the city. It would probably be a 30-day waiting period before marriages could begin in California. And in preparation, the city has been training volunteers, about 50 or so, to act as deputy clerks in order to handle the rush of marriage licenses.....
Later on this afternoon there are celebrations planned throughout San Francisco, including the Castro District. This weekend is the annual gay pride parade. So this will certainly affect the tone here in San Francisco.
Here is a full transcript of Gutierrez's June 27 report on Today:
7:03AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: And here at home, the Supreme Court's historic decisions on same-sex marriage are being celebrated by some, blasted by others this morning. And already those rulings are having a major impact across the country. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez is in San Francisco for us this morning. Gabe, good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Nation Reacts; Supreme Decision; Impact of Landmark Gay Marriage Rulings]
GABE GUTIERREZ: Savannah, good morning. City hall behind me is getting ready to resume same-sex marriages within the next month. And as you mentioned, Savannah, these Supreme Court rulings are already having a huge impact nationwide.
In one of the country's oldest and largest gay neighborhoods, vindication. It was the day San Francisco's Castro District had been waiting for.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: We've been waiting forever.
GUTIERREZ: The Supreme Court striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA, now giving same-sex spouses, like Edith Windsor, equal protection under the law in states that already allow gay couples to marry.
EDITH WINDSOR: The beginning of the end of stigma.
GUTIERREZ: In a second decision, the Court tossed out an appeal involving California's Proposition 8.
RABBI CAMILE SHIRA ANGEL [CONGREGATION SHA'AR ZAHAV]: I feel blessed with every fiber of my being to be an American and a Californian today.
GUTIERREZ: Clearing the way for same-sex marriages to resume in that state.
ELLEN CERF [EQUALITY SUPPORTER]: I love America every day, but I love it so much today.
GUTIERREZ: The California couples who challenged the law interrupted during their interview on MSNBC by a phone call from the President.
BARACK OBAMA: We're proud of you guys.
GUTIERREZ: California will now become the 13th state, along with Washington, D.C., to allow gay marriage, setting the stage for legal challenges across the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN B: The next step is to take the DOMA battle state by state.
GUTIERREZ: But opponents say the fight isn't over.
SCOTT GARRETT [REP. R-NJ]: The institution of marriage should not be manipulated, either by the courts, who are unelected, nor by elected officials who have failed to uphold their responsibility.
GUTIERREZ: In a written statement, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York said, "Today is a tragic day for marriage and our nation." But that's not stopping Shaunna Ramirez-Roseborough and her partner Vianey, who have already adopted the same hyphenated last name.
VIANEY RAMIREZ-ROSEBOROUGH: This day represents a green light for the rest of our lives.
GUTIERREZ: Now they just want their bond to finally be legal. The timing of the Supreme Court rulings coincided here with gay pride weekend. More celebrations are expected here in San Francisco through Sunday, Matt.
LAUER: Alright, Gabe Gutierrez on this story for us. Gabe, as always, thanks so much.
