Bush Turns Focus To Gay Marriage

[ECH1969]

Mr. Bush is campaigning in Georgia and Texas this week, as his political advisers balance the need to help Republicans in tight races against the president's unpopularity.

"For decades, activist judges have tried to redefine America by court order," Mr. Bush said Monday in Statesboro. "Just this last week in New Jersey, another activist court issued a ruling that raises doubt about the institution of marriage. We believe marriage is a union between a man and a woman and should be defended."

The line earned Mr. Bush by far his most sustained applause at a rally of 5,000 people aimed at boosting Republican former Congressman Max Burns' effort to unseat a Democratic incumbent. In this conservative rural corner of eastern Georgia, even children jumped to their feet alongside their parents to cheer and clap for nearly 30 seconds — an eternity in political speechmaking.

The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples must be given all the benefits of married couples, leaving it up to the state Legislature to decide whether to extend those rights under the structure of marriage or something else, such as civil unions.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/30/politics/main...

[OKNancy]

1. of course he did

Bush is lower than whale shit on the bottom of the ocean.

He makes my skin crawl.

[ccpup]

2. Clapping for 30 seconds

in response to someone's call for homophobia and hate? No wonder why other countries have taken to feeling pity for us as a Nation.

[Deja Q]

5. Pity or hatred?

Ask some immigrants (illegal, H1B folks, or otherwise). See what they say, for they will have the most accurate (if not must attuned to their selfish concerns) answers. After all, they won't bite the hand that feeds them until the hand is out of strangling range.

[ccpup]

16. I travel a great deal to Europe

and, whenever I'm introduced at a party or a gathering as an American, invariably someone will say "I'm so sorry about what's happening to your Country." Every damn time. And, unlike some Americans, they know to place the lion's share of the blame on Bush and the Repugs.

[WindRavenX]

3. Yeah! Just like those asshole activist judges in Brown V Board of Ed!

Assholes redefining America!

[Deja Q]

4. Who would NOT be surprised?

It is logical to find a wedge issue known to provoke results and bring it up.

Politics is never a fair game.

[Kagemusha]

6. Ugh. Going by his description of the NJSC decision...

The institution of marriage is a combination of the word "marriage" with a wide array of legislated tax and other legal benefits intended to favor such unions. In other words, the institution is all about the benefits to begin with, not anything silly like love or religion. That's why making the benefits non-exclusive to heterosexual male-female pairings threatens what he regards the institution of marriage. Because the benefits are the main course, not the appetizer.

At least that's what it comes off as, because that NJ decision made damned sure not to force recognition of homosexual couples as "married" in word and law.

[wtmusic]

7. You mean...they wants ta get MARRIED again???

Every two years them gays bring up this Marriage thing again, and I'll be damned if I'll vote Democrat!

[C_U_L8R]

8. Pathetic actually

I guess his "we're winning in Iraq" message is a dud.

[aquart]

13. And his "the economy is great" message, too.

[tblue]

22. and privatizing Social Security went over like a lead balloon

I hope he just keeps on stumping. Keep reminding the voters of the albatross on every Repug's neck. Bring it on!

[greeneyedboy]

9. the real story is that he has to campaign in "safe" GOP areas.

feel like a lame duck yet, George?

[Mz Pip]

10. Guess that's all BUsh has left

Homophobia. What a sorry state of affairs when the only winning issue the Repugs have left is homophobia.

How sad.

Mz Pip

[HuffleClaw]

11. appearing before an invite-only crowd is not a RALLY

and as another poster noted, appearing only in 'safely' republican areas is not gonna do them the slightest bit of good. just another dog & pony show to appease the core vote.

[saltpoint]

12. He's campaigning in red states to adoring throngs on issues like

same-sex marriage. Smear and fear, distort and divide.

If the Republicans stood any real chance of holding the House of Representatives, wouldn't Bush be in the battleground states, trying to pump up GOP candidates there? And on real issues?

I bet Chris Shays doesn't want him to campaign in his district. I bet Hart doesn't want him anywhere near her district.

He can't show up in those battleground states and close races because his very presence would sink the GOP candidate's last chance.

Albatross Georgie and his failed war in Iraq.

[KurtNYC]

14. How many times are they going to go for that one?

Smaller government -- didn't happen
No nation building -- seen Iraq lately?
Humble foreign policy -- well...war isn't really "policy"
Gonna ban gay marriage -- really? when?
Tax cuts -- for the haves and have mores.

[mumon]

15. I'll see your gay marriage and raise you

an Iraq, a Katrina, and a bin Laden.

In light of all that who really cares about gay marriage?

[ccpup]

mouth breathing, knuckle draggin' fundies

who smugly believe that, when the Rapture comes, they'll finally be proven right in their belief that they are truly better than everyone else.

[TheWatcher]

23. Although I don't believe in The Rapture I am beginning to wish it would happen

The world would be a better place if those people weren't here. They can't co-exist with the rest of humanity.

I do certainly wish something would take them all away.

[Akoto]

17. Ah yes. When all else fails, use hate to get votes.

I don't know about you all, but I really think that America's chief has bigger issues to focus on than this.

[Jacobin]

18. You knew it was coming

pulled out the old gays er gonna git ya.

counting down now for stealing your guns and your bibles....3...2...1..

[Zhade]

20. And it would have happened even without the wonderful NJ ruling...

...since anti-gay marriage attempts to institutionalize bigotry and homophobia were already on some ballots.

Sickening!

[Zhade]

19. He's such a fucking bigot!

As if two people who love each other being together - as if them having equal rights under the law - is a BAD thing!

[PurityOfEssence]

24. Hatred: the voice of the right

Conservatives view others as inferiors and this works two ways: they presume that their followers only get motivated if scared or disgusted, and they use their xenophobic dislike of any "others" to whip up the frenzy. This is pathetic, ugly, and just may work again.

History is against them, though, because the proverbial cat's out of the bag. Too many people know too many gay people and human interaction is the mortal enemy of intolerance.

[Zhade]

36. Indeed!

It does feel slow sometimes, though. My thoughts turn to those who had no hope of it being accepted throughout history, and remind me why this is such an important fight for all of us!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

37. omg. that's beautiful

"human interaction is the mortal enemy of intolerance."

[greeneyedboy]

21. TRANSLATION: "look over there!"

"pay no attention to the innumerable failures, bad policies, and scandals in my administration and my party."

[IndianaGreen]

25. It's the Jews' fault!

For years anti-Semites like the Nazis and the Russian Tsars would blame the Jews for their own policy failures in order to keep themselves in power and keep their populations confused and divided.

Today it is the gays that have become the new Jews, and like the old Jews, gays are targeted by unscrupulous politicians like George W. Bush in order to keep control of Congress and the White House.

[Hand]

26. Yeah, and the Masons! nt

[HockeyMom]

27. Save "Marriage" for Churches

Call ALL contracts issued by the government Civil Unions. Leave the sacred, holy, sacrament stuff for ceremonies in houses of worship.

I would be fine with calling my relationship with my husband of 32 years a Civil Union, since I am not into that religious stuff to begin with. If you are, you can have a "religious" marriage.

[nevergiveup]

28. It will not work this time

[CatholicEdHead]

29. This is at all levels

This was one of the two (other is abortion) issues that the GOP candidate for STATE SENATE focused on in a letter I received from her. And there is no amendment up for vote (thank goodness) this year here.

He may end up in Wisconsin to plug their amendment.

[geniph]

30. OK, a quick poll for y'all

Do you feel you're more likely to:

a) have your marriage disintegrate because your friends Ted and Bill got married, or

b) have your loved ones die in a futile, endless war in Iraq?

Second question - do you feel you're more likely to:

a) have your marriage disintegrate because your friends Ted and Bill got married, or

b) die in a natural disaster because the emergency response agencies are run by political cronies with no experience in emergency management?

Third question - do you feel you're more likely to:

a) have your marriage disintegrate because your friends Ted and Bill got married, or

b) have your last remaining civil liberties abrogated by executive fiat?

Fourth question - do you feel you're more likely to:

a) have your marriage disintegrate because your friends Ted and Bill got married, or

b) lose your job, your house, and all your savings due to medical problems that private insurance refuses to cover, when every other industrialized nation in the world would have provided you with medical coverage?

and final question - do you feel you're more likely to:

a) have your marriage disintegrate because your friends Ted and Bill got married, or

b) starve to death in old age because your pension fund was gutted by greedy CEOs and lax federal regulations and Social Security was morphed into Welfare for Wall Street pirate - oops, I mean private - accounts which tanked when the stock market crashed?

Hmm. That there gay marriage is a damn scary thing, now ain't it, y'all?

[Lindacooks]

31. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

That's really pitiful.

[Anakin Skywalker]

32. When Chimperor's Popularity is Low, He Turns to

that all-time favorite pet issue of the Religious Right(wingnuts), gay-bashing in the guise of "defending marriage".

[Jersey Ginny]

33. Anyone remember the video clip where Bush SUPPORTED Civil Unions?

It was around the 04 election. Geez, this is grasping at straws. Thankfully most Americans have woken up.

[NotGivingUp]

34. and PLEASE tell me WHY are you all paying attention.

[GOPNotForMe]

35. Bush needs to get the f*** out of my bedroom and out of my life! nt

[aaronbees]

38. No, BushCo, "activist" judges have been trying to ....

get laws aligned with the ideals of equality and liberty. Got a problem with that George? Of course you do.

Not surprised this old canard came out -- they're desperate.