My stupid sense is tingling...

[Product of Evolution]

"Republican officials said Bush's decision to proceed now was driven partly by his desire to start the general election campaign on a fresh issue, at a time when his credibility has been battered by questions about prewar warnings of unconventional weapons in Iraq, as well as doubts raised by Democrats about his National Guard service." -- Washington Post.

Same-sex marriage is a fresh issue?! WTF?

[Homer12]

1. GW is trying to get the bigot vote

I think he'll get it.

[Calico4000]

5. Fortunately

They were going to vote for him anyway - so no loss for us.

[Product of Evolution]

6. Wrong: Remember the Reno-McBride precedent?

McBride didn't alienate the moderates, but he didn't energise the base either. (And this is coming from someone who believes that Ms. Reno's best quality is being far less bad than John Ashcroft.)

If Bush doesn't take a socially conservative stance on this issue, the bigots will stay home.

[stopthegop]

2. it's a fresh issue because of the Mass court case..

not to mention it helps Reps, not Dems

[central scrutinizer]

3. gutter politics

this is my new mantra about everything Bushco does or says.

[CatWoman]

4. LOL -- From Josh Marshall

White House gets in trouble on the National Guard story.

White House can't get out ahead of the story.

White House starts to panic.

White House leaks the story that the president will endorse a constitutional ban on gay marriage and civil unions.

A) Coincidence or B) An effort to change the subject?

We imply; you decide.

(Oh, by the way, a bunch of the reporters asking McClellan the questions think it's B. But don't let that influence your choice.)

also

The president hits the 50% approval mark and he comes out for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions.

What lever does he pull when he hits 45%?

-- Josh Marshall

[lastknowngood]

7. The repugnants use wedge issues like "gay marriage" to move

the bigots, and there are plenty of them in America to their side in spite of every logical other thing they are against.
Abortion
guns
deficits
smaller government
privacy
gay marriage
They say one thing and do another on some of these but the fools keep voting for them no matter what they do in office because they come back to the wedge issues. The sheeple are dumb beyond belief.

[Vickers]

8. A couple of gay vets from the Alabama Guard unit...

...give an interview, stating that they never saw Georgie at any of the functions there. They have duty rosters, photos from musters and squadron picnics, etc., and Bush is nowhere to be found.

Right after the interview, they jet to Mass. and get married.

In my perfect world, these things happen.

[pacifictiger]

9. I think the country as a whole

is much more tolerant of gay issues than it would have been 20 years ago. I think the adamant anti gay are becoming far less in numbers and have therefore become more vocal.