Bush--mollify right by backing gay marriage ban and outlawing flag burning

[eppur_se_muova]

Bush tries to mollify right by backing gay marriage ban and outlawing flag burning

· Plan is to divert attention from Iraq war, say analysts
· Slump in polls five months before congressional vote

Julian Borger in Washington
Tuesday June 6, 2006
The Guardian

***
George Bush declared his backing for a ban on gay marriage yesterday in what sceptics said was part of a broad campaign by the US president to win back disillusioned conservatives and divert attention from the Iraq war.

With five months to go before congressional elections, Mr Bush and his party have slumped in the polls, pummelled by the flow of bad news from Iraq, high petrol prices and a series of political scandals. But the Republicans are just as worried about disillusion spreading among conservative activists, whose high turnout clinched the party's victory in 2004 and who have their own list of grievances.
***
Republican leaders in Congress also plan to put forward a ban on flag burning and vote to abolish inheritance tax.

The highlight of the swerve to the right came yesterday, when Mr Bush met a group of conservative activists to pledge his support for their proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. He also devoted the weekend's radio address to the nation to the issue.
***
Democrats derided the measure as a distraction from more serious problems and a desperate effort to stir up socially divisive issues to stave off defeat in November. "A vote for this amendment is a vote for bigotry, pure and simple," Senator Edward Kennedy, the party's leading voice on social issues, said yesterday.
***
more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1791129,00.html

OK, the Guardian definitely deserves a prize for most plainspoken headline of the day.

And a prize to Kennedy for the quote above.

WARNING! WARNING! There's a (gag) Condi 2008 ad halfway down. I don't wanna know more.

[C_U_L8R]

1. We're laughing at him

and his silly little freepers too !

This is so pathetic & lame it's ridiculous !