Gillibrand Makes Morning Joe Debut

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York made her first appearance Thursday on MSNBC's Morning Joe with the threat of a challenge by Harold E. Ford Jr. behind her. She told the hosts that she had always supported marriage equality and spoke about her efforts to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

Morning Joe was long viewed as friendlier territory for Ford, who announced last week that he would not challenge Gillibrand for the Democratic nomination. During the time he weighed a campaign, Ford struck at Gillibrand for evolving from support for civil unions to marriage equality as she transitioned from an upstate congresswoman to a U.S. senator.

Asked by cohost Mika Brzezinski whether she had changed her views, Gillibrand denied an evolution.

"No, I have always supported marriage equality and equality for all Americans," she said. The senator pivoted to her focus on repealing "don't ask, don't tell," which she called "probably one of the most corrosive polices we have in government today."

Pressed by cohost Joe Scarborough about whether she had changed her views, Gillibrand responded that she had supported marriage equality as a congresswoman.

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