Miss USA 1st Runner-up Carrie Prejean Goes 'On the Record'

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," April 30, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Now Miss USA runner-up Carrie Prejean is here to go "On the Record." A national controversy exploded when Carrie answered a question from a Miss USA Judge Perez Hilton and said she did not support gay marriage.

Carrie is not backing down and may be just ratcheting up the controversy. She has joined up with the National Organization for Marriage as part of an ad campaign promoting traditional marriage.

She spoke today at the National Press Club.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARRIE PREJEAN, FIRST RUNNER-UP, MISS USA: First of all, I just want to say thank you for being here.

It's been a very strange week for me, as you can imagine. This was not exactly what I had planned or asked or wanted.

But, nonetheless, I'm grateful. I'm grateful for all the prayers and support and well wishes I've received from all different kinds of Americans who believe that I do and the same views that I do, that a marriage is between a man and a woman.

I encourage people to stand up for what they believe in and to not be afraid.

I was ready to be Miss USA that night on that stage, and I was faced, as you all know, with a very controversial question. And I had a choice -- to stand up for what I believe in, or to compromise that for the tiara, like she said.

I'm grateful for the outpouring of support from the great majority of Americans who know in our hearts that Americans should treat others with respect, even when we disagree -- especially when we disagree about important moral issues like marriage.

You probably know by now I believe very strongly that a marriage is between a man and a woman. This vision of marriage is not hateful, it's not discriminatory. It's good.

Marriage is good. There is something special about unions of husband and wives. Unless we bring men and women together, children will not have mothers and fathers.

I do not want to raise my own children in a world where this traditional view of marriage is considered hateful or discriminatory.

This is not about me. It's about the future of marriage. It's about my children and my children's children.

And it's about me just standing up for something that I'm extremely passionate about. It's protecting marriage. It's a union between a man and a woman.

And I'm very honored to do my part. Thank you very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAN SUSTEREN: Carrie Prejean joins us by phone. Welcome, Carrie.

Carrie, working with the National Organization for Marriage, what do you intend to do?

PREJEAN (Via telephone): You know, Greta, I just want to say thank you so much for having me on your show. I'm so sorry. I've been traveling, and I wanted to come into the station, but thank you so much for having me.

Basically, I'm just here to promote marriage, to promote traditional marriage. And I'm just going to do whatever it takes to spread that awareness out.

VAN SUSTEREN: Are you taking heat for this? Because there certainly was a lot of controversy when you answered the question at the pageant, and then Perez Hilton blogged about it, and it sort of got everything all revved up.

PREJEAN: Am I taking any heat for this?

VAN SUSTEREN: Yes, any additional heat for hooking up with the National Organization for Marriage.

I mean, are people giving you a hard time, or supporting you? In the last few hours, what's it been like?

PREJEAN: I haven't had any negative feedback. I've had only positive feedback.

VAN SUSTEREN: What is your thought on civil unions?

PREJEAN: My thought on civil unions? You know what, Greta? I don't have the answers to everything. I'm not running for political office. I don't have the answers to everything, you know, in the world out there.

But I think that there should be rights for people, you know, especially in California. I think that people that are homosexual should have some rights, you know, hospital rights, and things like that.

But I would like to be more educated on that, so when I do have a better answer for you, I will get back to you on that one.

But so far I just support traditional marriage, and that's my main focus.

VAN SUSTEREN: What about adoption?

PREJEAN: Greta, I am focusing on marriage right now, not adoption, not civil unions, just traditional marriage, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to promote that.

VAN SUSTEREN: I understand, and I understand your position on traditional marriage. I'm just sort of trying to figure out where you draw the line in terms of what kind of rights that you think that a man and woman should have that maybe two men, two women, shouldn't have.

And that's why I was asking the question on civil unions and adoptions. I was just trying to sort it out for myself what you think.

PREJEAN: Well, I'm not a politician, so I can't give you an answer to that.

VAN SUSTEREN: In connection with the National Organization for Marriage, will you be making speaking engagements?

PREJEAN: If they would like me to, I definitely would like to support them. And so, yes, most likely.

VAN SUSTEREN: How did you happen to get involved with them?

PREJEAN: Excuse me?

VAN SUSTEREN: How did you get involved with them? They watched the pageant and watched the controversy, and they called you?

PREJEAN: Oh, this is a huge issue right now.

And they actually got in contact with me, and just said we thank you for standing up for what you believe, and, you know, traditional marriage. We see that you, we could tell that you wanted to win Miss USA so bad that night, and you took a stand. And, you know, you aren't afraid to stand up for what you believe in. We respect you for that.

So that's kind of how they reached me.

VAN SUSTEREN: Will this be a full-time issue for you, or are going to be doing other things in connection with the pageants, or do you have other career aspirations right now?

PREJEAN: You know, I can't give you an answer for that.

But I'm definitely going to be doing some other things, not just this. So I continue to be Miss California and do the duties that I need to do.

VAN SUSTEREN: Carrie, thank you. I hope we can get you on camera sometime. And I know you've been traveling. Thank you, Carrie.

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