Opinion: Tonight Show smackdown

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No, it won’t be Rosie O’Donnell facing off with Donald Trump. But late-night TV host Jay Leno will get the chance tonight to probe a breach between John Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards on the issue of gay marriage.

While in San Francisco Sunday to help kick off the city’s annual gay pride parade, the wife of the Democratic presidential contender told reporters she supports same-sex betrothals. She also noted that her husband does not: he backs civil unions for gays, but not marriages.

The couple link up today in Burbank to appear on the Leno show and, while it isn’t his job to emulate Tim Russert, we’ll be surprised if Jay doesn’t broach the matter. It’s actually been a dicey one for Edwards; Bob Shrum, the longtime --- and often controversial --- Democratic political consultant wrote in his recently published memoir that the former North Carolina senator once told him he was uncomfortable with gays.

Elizabeth Edwards took a nod toward that anecdote Sunday, saying, ‘John has been pretty clear about it, that he is very conflicted (about gay marriage). He has a deeply held belief against any form of discrimination, but that’s up against his being raised in the 1950s in a rural southern town.’

-- Don Frederick