"In my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody there, but that's how I was raised and that's how I think it should be, between a man and a woman," she said to boos and applause at the pageant on April 19, 2009.

Celebrity blogger Hilton did take offense and went on the attack, calling Prejean a "dumb b----." He later apologized, offering to take Prejean out for coffee and a "talk."

"I was floored," Hilton told ABCNews.com the day after the pageant. "I haven't said this before, but to her credit, I applaud her for her honesty. However, she is not a politician, she's a hopeful Miss USA. Miss USA should represent everyone. Her answer alienated millions of gay and lesbian Americans, their families and their supporters."

Prejean was chosen runner-up, while Miss North Carolina, Kristen Dalton, took the title.

"She lost it because of that question. She was definitely the frontrunner before that," Hilton said.

WASHINGTON -- A leading opponent of the effort to legalize same-sex marriage in Maryland used a high-profile congressional hearing Tuesday to allege that the Internal Revenue Service leaked a list of its donors to an adversarial group just as it was mounting a campaign to put gay marriage on the ballot.

John C. Eastman, chairman of the National Organization for Marriage, told the House Ways and Means Committee that the disclosure of its tax records last year may have chilled potential donors. He called on lawmakers to investigate how the documents became public.

"You can imagine our shock and disgust over this," said Eastman, a law professor at Chapman University in California. "We jealously guard our donors as almost every other nonprofit does, particularly on the issues that we deal with, which are so contentious."

SACRAMENTO — The artistic director of the California Musical Theater, a major nonprofit producing company here in the state’s capital, resigned on Wednesday in the face of growing outrage over his support for a ballot measure this month that outlawed same-sex marriage in California.

The Sacramento Bee
Scott Eckern.
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Mormon Church Draws Protest Over Marriage Act (November 9, 2008)

Bans in 3 States on Gay Marriage (November 6, 2008)

(November 6, 2008)

The artistic director, Scott Eckern, came under fire recently after it became known that he contributed $1,000 to support Proposition 8, which amended the state Constitution to recognize only male-female marriages. The measure was approved by 52 percent of California voters on Election Day. (Same-sex marriages had been performed in California since June.)

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, Mr. Eckern said that his donation stemmed from his religious beliefs — he is a Mormon — and that he was “deeply saddened that my personal beliefs and convictions have offended others.”

His donation was brought to light by online activists angry about the measure’s success at the polls.

“I understand that my choice of supporting Proposition 8 has been the cause of many hurt feelings, maybe even betrayal,” Mr. Eckern said. “It was not my intent. I honestly had no idea that this would be the reaction.”

But the swift resignation was not met with cheers by those on either side.

Marc Shaiman, the Tony Award-winning composer (“Hairspray”), called Mr. Eckern last week and said that he would not let his work be performed in the theater. “I was uncomfortable with money made off my work being used to put discrimination in the Constitution,” Mr. Shaiman said. He added, however, that the entire episode left him “deeply troubled” because of the potential for backlash against gays who protested Mr. Eckern’s donation.

“It will not help our cause because we will be branded exactly as what we were trying to fight,” said Mr. Shaiman, who is gay. “But I do believe there comes a time when you cannot sit back and accept what I think is the most dangerous form of bigotry.”

Supporters of the marriage ban said that critics of Mr. Eckern were attacking freedom of expression, and they chastised the theater’s board for subjecting Mr. Eckern to a political litmus test.

“No matter your opinion on Prop. 8, we should all agree that it is wrong to intimidate or harass anyone for exercising their constitutional rights,” said a letter to the theater’s board president on Tuesday by Frank Schubert, campaign manager for Protect Marriage, the leading group behind the ballot measure.

For its part, the theater disavowed Mr. Eckern’s donation and issued only a brief statement on Wednesday accepting his resignation, while emphasizing that it would not “impinge on the rights of its employees to engage in political activities.” A longtime employee, Mr. Eckern had been artistic director since 2002.

The outrage over Mr. Eckern and the subsequent dismay voiced by Mr. Shaiman are the most recent evidence of the tension running through the entertainment industry since Election Day, particularly in California.

Mr. President, thank you for that welcome.  It was a delight to have you in Washington and at the White House.  And it’s a great honor -- and I might add, a privilege -- to be able to address such an esteemed body.  I served in a parliament that only had 535 members total.  This is even a greater honor.

...As you already know, ladies and gentlemen, not only am I pleased to be back here in Brussels for the second time as Vice President -- as you probably know, some American politicians and American journalists refer to Washington, DC as the “capital of the free world.”  But it seems to me that this great city, which boasts 1,000 years of history and which serves as the capital of Belgium, the home of the European Union, and the headquarters for NATO, this city has its own legitimate claim to that title.
 
As a lawmaker for more than 36 years in our Parliament, I feel particularly honored to address the European Parliament.  President Obama and I were the first running mates in the last 50 years in America to make it to the White House from our legislative bodies.  So we both come to our executive jobs with a deep appreciation for the work you do here in the bastion of European democracy.

Together with my former colleagues in the United States Congress, you and I represent more than 800 million people.  Stop and think about that for a moment:  two elected bodies that shape the laws for almost one-eighth of the planet’s population.  That’s truly remarkable.

Let me state it as plainly as I can:  The Obama-Biden administration has no doubt about the need for and strongly supports a vibrant European Union.  We believe it’s absolutely essential to American prosperity and long-term security.  So have no doubt about that.

Folks, 65 years ago this week, less than 200 kilometers south of here, Nazi leaders signed an unconditional surrender that brought an end to the Second World War in Europe.

On that joyous day -- May 8, 1945 -- this continent lay in ruins, ravaged twice by total wars in less than 30 years.

As President Obama said in Prague a little more than a year ago, a strong Europe makes a stronger partner for the United States, and we need strong partners.  That is why we will do everything we can to support this great endeavor of yours.  Because the past 65 years have shown that when Americans and Europeans devote their energies to common purpose, there is almost nothing we are unable to accomplish.

To those skeptics who, in spite of all these accomplishments, continue to question the state of transatlantic relationships or my country’s attitude toward a united Europe, my answer is this:  Even if the United States and the nations all of you represent were not united by shared values and common heritage of many millions of our citizens, myself included, our global interests alone would inexorably bind us together.

The relationship between my country and Europe is today as strong, and as important, as all of us -- to all of us as it has ever been.