Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum who recently said he “loves gay people” is opposed to all forms of government recognition for gay and lesbian couples.

The former Pennsylvania senator who once likened gay unions to “man on dog” recently told CNN host Don Lemon that his opposition to gay marriage is a matter of public policy, adding that he loves his gay friends.

In a new CNN interview, Santorum added that he also opposes civil unions.

“Are you not as troubled by civil unions as you are by actual gay marriage?” he was asked.

“I'm troubled by everything,” Santorum responded. “I think we need to have a federal marriage amendment. Marriage cannot be defined differently from one state to another. I mean that's a losing proposition. People, you know, can't be married in one state and then go to another state and say, 'Well we demand you recognize our marriage.' It will not work over the long time. It's gonna be sustained one way or the other, and I believe that for the interest of children, for the interest of society, and stability of men and women and families, that marriage should be what it is, which is the union of one man and one woman.” (The video is embedded in the right panel of this page.)

(Related: As few as two states would absolutely vote in favor of an amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions.)