America Rejects The GOP’s Divisive Politics
EVEN REPUBLICANS KNOW IT WAS THE WRONG MOVE
First Lady Laura Bush: Gay Marriage Amendment Should Not Be Used As Campaign Tool. First lady Laura Bush cautioned against politicizing the issue of gay marriage. "I don't think it should be used as a campaign tool, obviously," she said. "It requires a lot of sensitivity to just talk about the issue - a lot of sensitivity." [Knight Ridder, 6/2/06]
Vice President Cheney: Same Sex Marriages Decision of States. During the 2004 campaign, Cheney said he believed decisions about same-sex marriages should be left to each state. [Los Angeles Times, 6/3/06]
Senator McCain: McCain Declared Marriage Amendment "Antithetical In Every Way To The Core Philosophy Of Republicans." McCain said the Federal Marriage Amendment proposed in 2004 was "antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans" because it "usurps from the states a fundamental authority they have always possessed." McCain explained his reluctance to change the Constitution, saying, "the Constitution is the most sacred and enduring contract between a government and its people in the history of mankind. I'm very reluctant to amend it." [Tucson Citizen, 2/25/04; Senate floor statement, 7/13/04; Boston Herald, 4/1/04; ABC News, 3/7/04; Washington Post, 7/15/04]
Senator Sununu: Marriage Best Governed By States. John Sununu of New Hampshire opposed the amendment, saying marriage is best governed by states. [Centre Daily, 6/3/06]
Senator Snowe: Constitutional Gay Marriage Amendment Is Unnecessary. Olympia Snowe of Maine said, "I don't see it as necessary to be revisiting the issue of a constitutional amendment defining marriage. I just don't see it necessary when we have a statute in place that has worked." [Bangor Daily, 6/5/06]
Senator Hagel: Gay Marriage Amendment Is Needless. Hagel views the gay marriage amendment as a needless intrusion into "a state issue." [Knight Ridder, 5/19/06]
NEWSPAPERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY CALL IT
"DIVISIVE" AND "DISTRACTING"
Trenton Times (NJ): "A Political Ploy." In a political ploy that is as transparent as it is reprehensible, the Republicans who control Congress are preparing to vote again this week on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. Now Congress hopes to use the same red-flag issue to distract public attention from the serial blunders and omissions that have brought its own approval ratings, and the president's, to record low levels. [Trenton Times, 6/4/06]
St. Petersburg Times (FL): "Arrogance, Hypocrisy And Pandering." "As if most Americans needed any further evidence that Congress is out of touch with reality, Washington is underscoring that point this week with all of the arrogance, hypocrisy and pandering it can muster... Instead of developing a coherent energy policy or a real health care package, the Senate is burning up time debating a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. With that agenda, it's no surprise the political debate has turned from talk of a permanent Republican majority to whether the GOP will still control Congress after the November elections." [St. Petersburg Times (FL), 6/7/06]
Louisville Courier Journal (KY): The Debate Is "Misguided And Mean-Spirited." "It's a shame any time elected officials exploit an issue for political gain. It's especially disturbing when they do so at the expense of a minority group. But that is exactly what President Bush and the Senate GOP leadership have done by dredging up the proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. The federal amendment is misguided and mean-spirited. The Senate will reject it, and should be ashamed of itself for even considering it. [St. Petersburg Times, 6/7/06]
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA): Issue Used To Pander To Conservatives. "Confronted by a wide range of serious national challenges, from the quagmire in Iraq and corruption in Washington to a runaway federal deficit, illegal immigration and a long-term energy crunch, President Bush and his allies in Congress are trying to rally the country with a new message: 'Look!! Over there! Gay people getting married!!' Except, of course, the message isn't really new at all. It's 2006, an election year, so gay marriage is once again being resurrected by conservative Republicans as a dire threat to dismantle Western civilization." [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 6/7/06]
Middletown Journal (OH): An Attempt To Distract Americans. "Casualties in Iraq continue to mount, while allegations of atrocities by American soldiers surface. The loud national debate over 12 million illegal immigrants rages on. International tensions over Iran's nuclear program are building. Gas prices are at all-time highs. Yet what is apparently the most important issue in Washington? You guessed it - gay marriage. The question is - whatever opinion of same-sex marriage that you hold - whether Americans are going to allow themselves to be farcically distracted by this obvious misdirection ploy one more time - in order to protect GOP majorities in the House and Senate." [Middletown Journal, 6/7/06]
New York Times (NY): Used To Divert The Nation's Attention. "The aim of the president's radio address - which darkly warned that Massachusetts and San Francisco (nudge, nudge) are going to destroy marriage - is the same as the Republican leadership's plans to trot out one cultural hot button after another in the coming weeks. After gay marriage comes the push for a constitutional ban on flag burning, a solution in search of a problem if there ever was one. All this effort to divert the nation's attention to issues that divide and distract would be bad enough if the country were not facing real, disastrous problems at home and abroad. But then, if that weren't the case, Mr. Bush probably wouldn't feel moved to stoop so low." [The New York Times, 6/5/06]
Boston Herald (MA): Bush Can't Lead But He Can Pander. "The Bush White House can't get Republicans in Congress to cut spending, can't make 'em deal with fixing Social Security, can't even get them to agree on an immigration bill, but when it comes to pandering on a hot-button issue like gay marriage, well . . . welcome to the Rose Garden. The states through their own democratic processes have proven themselves perfectly capable of defining marriage as their own voters see fit. And frankly they haven't needed Congress and its world-class grand-standers to tell them how to do it." [Boston Herald, 6/5/06]
Waco Tribune (TX): An Example of "More Division And More Distraction." "Budget balanced. Surplus growing. Overseas debtors getting paid. Iraq stabilized. Troops home and safe. Immigration puzzle solved. Social Security rescued. Veterans' needs met. Influence peddling made a thing of the past. Congress apparently has completed everything on its "to do" list, and more. Why else would the U.S. Senate this week devote two full days to debating a constitutional amendment that has no chance of passage. One would wish that the president would urge leaders to focus on onerous tasks that truly need their attention. Instead, it is the president who urges the Senate to take up same-sex marriage. What this country needs, apparently, is more division and more distraction." [Waco Tribune, 6/7/06]
