Chris Christie Makes the Gaga Argument for Gay Rights

Republican golden boy Chris Christie, the outspoken governor of New Jersey, is making the Lady Gaga argument for gay rights.

"My religion says it's a sin. But for me, I have always believed that people are born with the predisposition to be homosexual," Christie told Piers Morgan on Tuesday night. "And so I think if someone is born that way it's very difficult to say then that that's a sin. I understand that my church says that. But for me personally, I don't look upon someone who's homosexual as a sinner."

Gaga's "Born This Way" is a new gay anthem, and she performed it during an appearance at EuroPride in Italy on Saturday. Gaga is all for gay marriage, but Christie drew the line there.

"I believe marriage is an institution between one man and one woman," he said, repeating the mantra of equality opponents. "I think it's special and unique in society, and I think we can have civil unions that can help to give the same type of legal rights to same-sex couples that marriage gives them. But I just think marriage has as a special connotation. And I couldn't see myself changing my mind on that. But I am in favor of making sure that homosexual couples have the same type of legal rights that heterosexual couples have."

Christie has long been on the short list of possible presidential contenders for 2012, but he's almost equally as long denied any interest in running this time around.