Gays-rights proponents and opponents ramped up their rhetoric for and against Jon Huntsman Jr. on Wednesday — two days after Utah’s Republican governor revealed that he backs civil unions and other rights for same-sex couples.

“After that initial shock, I was incredibly impressed with him,” said gay-rights advocate Jacob Whipple, who staged a candlelight vigil outside of the Governor’s Mansion on Wednesday night to show support for Huntsman.

But earlier in the day, at the Capitol, opponents criticized the governor’s stance, which includes support for traditional marriage but also rights for same-sex couples.

“He is simply dead wrong on this issue,” said Frank Mylar, an attorney who belongs to the Utah Coalition

 See ‘Pro-family’ groups scold Huntsman; gay-rights advocates laud him.
Salt Lake Tribune, United States 

 The Daily Show host Jon Stewart discussed gay marriage with former Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee on his show Wednesday night and ripped holes in Huckabee’s argument that gays shouldn’t be able to marry because marriage is the bedrock of our society.

Stewart argued that marriage has been constantly redefined in the past 5,000 years, saying “You write that marriage is the bedrock of our society. Why would you not want more couples to buy into the stability of marriage?”

Stewart also questioned Huckabee’s argument that homosexuality is a choice, saying “I think it’s the difference between what you believe gay people are and what I do … At What Point Did You Choose Not To Be Gay? … I’ll tell you this: religion is far more of a choice than homosexuality.”

 See Jon Stewart Rips Huckabee on Gay Marriage