Last night we brought you a special edition of The Agenda with Joe Solmonese as the first marriages between same-sex couples occurred just as we went off air. Regular co-host Mary Breslauer was in California for the big day so as a special treat we welcomed former Human Rights Campaign Executive Director Elizabeth Birch as co-host.

Leading off the show we checked in with Mary Breslauer live from Los Angeles. She shared some great anecdotes about the planning and celebrations. Download or listen:

Next we talked to the president of the California Association of Clerks and Elections Officials, Steven Weir. He’s made a career of giving out marriage licenses to couples as the Clerk of Contra Costa County, but until now they’ve all been to straight couples. This morning he was the first in line to get a license to marry his partner John Hemm. Download or listen:

One of the most famous same-sex couples to announce their engagement is George Takei and Brad Altman. You know George as Mr. Sulu from Star Trek and Joe spoke to them yesterday between media interviews about how all the wedding planning is coming. Download or listen:

We were so proud last night to welcome one of the heroes of the movement for marriage equality in California. Back in 2004 when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples, City Attorney Dennis Herrera led the team that argued the cases through the courts along with the coalition of legal groups. He joined us via phone from his office in San Francisco just prior to Del Lyon and Phyllis Martin’s ceremony at city hall. Download or listen:

We took a break from the marriage coverage and welcomed one of our favorite Agenda guests to our New York studio. Author Bob Morris may be familiar from his “Age of Dissonance” column in the New York Times Sunday Styles section but his new book Assisted Loving has garnered rave reviews. He discussed the book that deals with what’s it like to be a gay guy going on double dates with your straight dad. Download or listen:

Finally we talked politics with author and President Clinton’s chief speechwriter Michael Waldman. As the director of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU’s School of Law, Waldman penned A Return to Common Sense about how to make American democracy right again. Download or listen:

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