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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: PROLIFE who wrote (535532)	2/5/2004 6:05:39 AM
From: jttmab	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 769670

Q The Supreme Court of Massachusetts ruled that only full rights for married couples were -- for married gay couples were acceptable under that state's Constitution. Does that mean now that Bush believes it is necessary to move ahead with a U.S. constitutional amendment? MR. McCLELLAN: The President has always believed that marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman. He firmly -- he is firmly committed to protecting and defending the sanctity of marriage. Today's court ruling is deeply troubling. Q Go on, go on. And? And? Q Will he now support moving forward with a constitutional amendment? MR. McCLELLAN: It is a deeply troubling ruling. We will be reviewing the decision. Activist judges continue to seek to redefine marriage by court order without regard for the will of the people. The President made it very clear in the State of the Union address that it's important that we respect individuals, but that this is a principled stand for one of our most fundamental, enduring institutions. And that is the sacred institution of marriage. And the President reiterated his strong support for the Defense of Marriage Act. And he talked about activist judges beginning to redefine marriage without regard for the will of the people. And he believes it's an issue of great consequence. And that's why he said that the people's voice must be heard, that this is an important debate and the people should have a voice in this debate. And he said at that time, and I will continue to reiterate what he said at that time, that if judges continue to force their arbitrary will upon the people, that the only alternative to the people would be a constitutional process. And that remains his view. Q So is this -- MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, I said that this -- Q -- is this the tipping point? MR. McCLELLAN: -- this ruling is deeply troubling. The President is firmly committed to protecting and defending the sanctity of marriage. He strongly believes that marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman. We are going to be reviewing this decision. It just came out earlier today, but it is deeply troubling. Q Would the issue be joined before some gay couple married in Massachusetts goes to another state and asks them to recognize it? Do you wait for that kind of thing and let it -- MR. McCLELLAN: I can't speculate on all the different scenarios, Jim. But the President made it very clear that it's important for the people's voice to be heard in a debate of such great consequence. Q Does the White House feel like it needs to intervene before that issue is confronted? I mean, you're not challenging the Massachusetts -- MR. McCLELLAN: I know you're asking me to speculate a little bit about some of the timing of matters -- Q No, no -- MR. McCLELLAN: The President, when he outlined his State of the Union, he said that this is an important debate, and activist judges should not be redefining marriage by court order and without regard for the will of the people. And he wants the voice of the people to be heard in this important debate. Q You're saying, it's deeply troubling. I'm trying to figure out if you're just going to stew in those troubles, or if there's actually something you feel needs to be done now, or if it should just wait until it becomes an issue between two states. MR. McCLELLAN: I'm reiterating what the President has said, and what his views are. And we are going to be reviewing today's court decision. Obviously, we haven't had a chance to do that at this point. But I can tell you right now that it is a deeply troubling ruling. Q Scott, your phrasing still leaves open the possibility of state voters or -- of states deciding by themselves to recognize same-sex civil unions, maybe even marriages. Where does the President stand on that? MR. McCLELLAN: The President is committed to protecting and defending the sanctity of marriage. And he has previously -- he said during the campaign, the previous campaign -- go all the way back to four years ago -- he said that as governor of Texas he would not have supported it for the state of Texas. But he has always said, too, that states, obviously, have the rights to determine their own legal, contractual arrangements. And he said that I think, as Terry is nodding, on his network, more recently. Q Would he overturn the Vermont law? MR. McCLELLAN: I think I just addressed that by what I said, in terms of the contractual arrangements by states. whitehouse.gov In simpler terms...Karl Rove needs to commission some polls and focus groups to decide how this might affect the vote in November.