'Not Something to Laugh About': Family Research Council's Tony Perkins Condemns Rand Paul ‘Gayer' Joke on CBS

Rand Paul gave his take on Barack Obama's recent endorsement of gay marriage during a speech on Friday, where he remarked: “Call me cynical, but I wasn’t sure his views on marriage could get any gayer.”

Cautioning that he wasn't out to preach any "hateful dogma" against those with different views, Rand explained: "[that] doesn’t mean we have to go up and give up our traditions.”

(Related: Sen. Rand Paul on Obama’s Same-Sex Marriage Stance: I Didn’t Think His Views ‘Could Get any Gayer’)

After discussing Romney's recent speech at Liberty University, where Family Research Council president Tony Perkins said Romney hit just the right note, CBS' Bob Schieffer asked Perkins how he felt about Rand Paul's comments.

Watch the CBS clip below, via Mediaite (relevant portion starts around 50 seconds in):

Perkins seemingly obtained the approval of his peers with his initial statements, receiving "thank you" remarks after his various points, as he said: “I don't think it's a laughing matter...I don’t think this is something we should joke about."

He continued: "We’re talking about individuals who feel very strongly one way or the other, and I think we should be civil, respectful, allowing all sides to have the debate.  I’m glad that’s what you’re doing here this morning, but I think this is not something to laugh about, it's not something to poke fun of other people about.”

However, his conclusion that, "...when you go back to civil rights, civil rights are rooted in natural law-- Americans just don't see same-sex marriage being natural," is unlikely to receive the same welcome at CBS.

Despite Perkins' initial condemnation of Rand's comments, some on the right are likely to be more alienated by Perkins' comments than Rand's, because even if they don't believe in gay marriage they might not refer to it as "unnatural," preferring just a hint of humor in the issue.

Mitt Romney received the approval of many social conservatives at Liberty University yesterday, but has spent much of his campaign focused on fiscal issues, seemingly preferring to highlight Barack Obama's economic failures.