Bush Backs Amendment Banning Gay Marriage [Live Thread 10:45 Statement]

Fox News ^ | 02.24.04

[Dr. Marten]

Bush Backs Amendment Banning Gay Marriage

Breaking news...no details yet..

[CougarGA7]

Tell me about it. Between our Sandoval county clerk going nutty and our "An ignition interlock in every pot" House of Representatives, I've been very embarrassed for my state this last week.

[FreeAtlanta]

This man doesn't put his finger to the wind, and he takes political chances based on his convictions. I don't know if this will hurt or help him - and, I believe that he doesn't know, either - but, he is following what he believes is right.

Some will argue that the constitution shouldn't be amended willy-nilly, and will play this theme to the American voters. However, the Constitution has been amended on avg. every 10 years. It is not easy to change, but it is not in stone.

[KJacob]

Kerry's whole campaign seems to be just saying the opposite of Bush. This should really force his hand.

[mewzilla]

LOL. I'm from Upstate NYS and I feel your pain :)

[LS]

Don't count on that at all. This is a slam dunk. There is no state I'm aware of where homosexual marriage even is close to a majority, and even CA and MA are close to a 2/3s majority against.

[sinkspur]

He needs to come out with his own wording for the amendment

He backs the wording of the Musgrave amendment, which refuses to recognize gay marriages but leaves civil unions to the states.

[mwl1]

Associated Press is saying the decision will be made on Monday morning (FOX web site) and on Wednesday morning (MSNBC web site)

AP doesn't even know what day of the week it is.

[mewzilla]

I don't suppose Ketchup Boy has made any statements about the Musgrave amendment?

[EEDUDE]

Writing a check as I speak (type)!

yeeeehaaaah!

[Travis McGee]

Well, asides from the fact this has about as much chance as becoming part of the constitution as does eliminating the electoral college, it's easy to talk about it.

Why do you say that? In "liberal" Cali, Prop 22 passed 62-38. Only the state judges can abort the will of the people. The same will happen in the rest of America.

[truthandlife]

HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: National

Feb. 24, 2004, 9:13AM

Bush to back constitutional amendment banning gay marriage

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bush will back a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

"The president will announce his support for a constitutional amendment to protect the sanctity of marriage,"  said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

"He has always strongly believed that marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman,"  McClellan said.

He said the president wants to end "growing confusion" that has arisen from court decisions in Massachusetts, and San Francisco's permitting more than 3,000 same sex unions.

Bush is to make the announcement in the White House Roosevelt Room at 10:45 a.m. EST.

More details to come.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I know, but he'd look more like a leader than a follower to come up with his own language. Musgrave shouldn't come off as more of a leader than the President of the United States.

[Remole]

I agree with you, but this will be a "rum go" as the Brits would say. If the Dems and other supporters of Same Sex Marriage successfully cast the issue in terms of Civil Rights, then the opponents of the Amendment will pick up quite a bit of tacit support. Only a small % of Americans, even in CA, MA and NY, are actually IN FAVOR of SSM, but many Americans would not want to deny anyone "basic human and civil rights." The challenge for the supporters of this amendment is to change the terms of the debate from "Civil Rights" to the Greater Good of our Children, etc.

[sinkspur]

Presidents, according to the Constitution, have nothing to say about the Amendment Process.

Yours is a technical objection; since Bush will be the first presidential candidate to back such an amendment, the vast majority of people will see it as leadership.

[Rutles4Ever]

Why do you think gay marriage is a concern for only the "extreme" right? Sounds like something a DUmbocrat would say...

[CougarGA7]

I think an ammendment on this issue could really get traction. They did a poll here in New California Mexico and even here majority were against gay marriage.

[Johnstone]

BREAKING: Kerry responded immediately in favor ....and against, a constitutional amemdment.

[zarf]

Pure politics. The Prez can't honestly believe this is a good idea.

Like the balanced budget amendment idea, this won't solve anything.

[Wait4Truth]

The President IS a leader. Most of us are already very much aware of that fact. Open your eyes.