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Bush flip-flops on marriage amendment

By Bob Roehr

President George W. Bush will not press for a constitutional amendment to ban marriage for same-sex couples, he told the Washington Post in an interview published Jan. 16. But even before the article was published the White House was seeking to "clarify" its position.
"Senators have made it clear that so long as DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) is deemed constitutional, nothing will happen. I'd take their admonition seriously," Bush told the Post. "Until that changes, nothing will happen in the Senate."
White House spokesman Scott McClellan clarified the President's position as being "willing to spend political capital" on the issue, but that for practical reasons it is not likely to be enough to achieve the two-thirds vote required to pass a constitutional amendment.
Social conservatives were apoplectic at the thought of anything less than full dedication to their cause. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, pointed to the "values voters" who overwhelmingly supported Bush in November.
"Freshly equipped with the demands of the American people, the president should lead the United States Senate in moving ahead to check the pending judicial assault on marriage," he said.
Log Cabin Republicans executive director Patrick Guerriero "is hopeful that the President's comments recognizing the lack of support for the anti-family Federal Marriage Amendment will result in a second term agenda that can concentrate on much needed reform."

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