Leno to Santorum: 'You're wrong' on same sex marriage

NBC host Jay Leno on Tuesday told former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum that he was "wrong" to oppose marriage equality for LGBT Americans.

"I know you oppose gay marriage," Leno said during his interview with Santorum. "I'm not going to change your mind on that even though I think you're wrong. But that's OK."

"I think Barack Obama and Mitt Romney -- I think most of the people in political life oppose gay marriage," Santorum said with a grin. "At least, they say they do."

"They say they do," Leno agreed. "I think you really do."

"OK. That's legit," Santorum replied. "Marriage is an institution that has a defined benefit to society, that moms and dads coming together for the benefit of themselves and having children for the benefit of continuing society going forward is something that is -- the government recognizes it is a special union. ... This is unique and it provides a unique benefit to society."

"But [same sex marriage] still benefits society," Leno argued. "If a child is up for adoption, are you for gay adoption? If a gay couple wants to adopt a child, are you OK with that?"

"I'm not," the former Pennsylvania senator declared. "Because children need moms and dads."

"But is an orphanage better?" Leno wondered.

"No, I would say that it's not," Santorum admitted.

"I say this from experience," the late night host explained. "I have friends, gay parents -- some women, some men -- that are wonderful parents. And they adopt children and these children seem very happy. And to take that away seems [wrong]."

"I would just say that I think children, we should provide for the them the best opportunity," Santorum insisted. "And the best opportunity is to provide them a healthy mother and father relationship."

"Yeah, but you can't always get that," Leno pointed out.

"I know," Santorum remarked. "That's an obligation for society."

Watch this video from NBC's Tonight Show, broadcast May 8, 2012.

Watch Part 1 of the interview.

(h/t: The Blaze)