DeMint Defends Gay Teacher Jab

Sen. Jim DeMint isn't caving to demands that he apologize for saying sexually active single women and gay people shouldn't be allowed to teach. Instead, five days after making the remarks, he's defending his opinion.

DeMint's communications director issued the following statement: "Sen. DeMint believes that hiring decisions at local schools are a local school board issue, not a federal issue. He was making a point about how the media attacks people for holding a moral opinion."

The South Carolina senator's statement last Friday was referencing a similar remark he made in 2004. He said, at the time, "no one came to my defense. But everyone would come to me and whisper that I shouldn't back down. They don't want government purging their rights and their freedom to religion."