Barney Frank Explains March Remarks

Congressman Barney Frank, who last week sparked uproar when he panned the National Equality March, talked with Joy Behar on Wednesday night about why he said what he did.

In advance of Sunday's march, Frank told radio host Michelangelo Signorile, "All that's going to pressure is the grass."

Now, he says he made the remark out of concern that people with busy lives and limited time for such activities would be satisfied with their march participation to the exclusion of the more important lobbying that must be done.

"Most people have other things to do," Frank said to Behar. "It's just human nature. People only do a certain amount of effort."

He continued, "I am afraid that some people will come to Washington and they will march and think they've done it. That's why I said what I did. Marching isn't a negative thing, but to the extent that people think that having marched they've done something effective, they wouldn't do something that is effective."

Frank explained that he believes a march should be an activity in addition to the foremost task of lobbying legislators.

"I didn't say it's a terrible thing," he said. "I said it wasn't in and of itself useful. If people march and then in addition do those other things, then that's fine."