Bestiality isn’t a common subject of White House press briefings.
But that changed Monday, when White House Press Secretary Jay Carney granted WorldNetDaily reporter and radio host Lester Kinsolving a question during a press briefing. Kinsolving proceeded to ask about the president’s support for a recent Senate vote that would repeal bans on sodomy and bestiality in the U.S. military.
“The Family Research Council and CNS News both reported a 93-to-7 U.S. Senate vote to approve a defense authorization bill that, quote, ‘includes a provision which not only repeals the military law on sodomy, but also repeals the military ban on sex with animals, or bestiality,'” said Kinsolving, introducing a typically long-winded question.
“Does the commander-in-chief approve or disapprove of bestiality in our armed forces?”
“I don’t have any comment on — I don’t have any comment on that,” Carney responded. “Let me go to another question.”
“Let’s get to something more serious.”
Carney then turned to ABC White House correspondent Jake Tapper, but Tapper wasn’t going to let the press secretary get off so easily:
TAPPER: You sure you don’t want to ask Lester another question? Give him another opportunity? (Laughter.)
CARNEY: I’ve learned my lesson, Jake. (Laughter.)
KINSOLVING: Just one —
CARNEY: Lester, I think we’ll — we’ll let everybody get a chance here. Go ahead, Jake.
TAPPER: Are you sure you don’t want to take any more questions on bestiality?
Kinsolving has long been considered the gadfly of the White House press corps, and his often offbeat questions on controversial topics have been featured on The Daily Show and elsewhere.
As if on cue, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals chided the White House press secretary for his glib dismissal of Kinsolving’s question.
“We were upset to note that you flippantly addressed the recently approved repeal of the military ban on bestiality. With respect, this is no laughing matter,” the letter said.
Watch: