Bush launches anti-gay campaign
03/06/2006 16:31  - (SA)  

Bush backs gay marriage ban 'Christians oppose gay marriage'

Washington - United States President George W Bush kicked off his campaign for a constitutional ban on gay marriage on Saturday.

Bush's campaign seeks to consolidate the Republican political base ahead of the November congressional elections and shift the national debate to what he sees as winning themes.

His passionate plug for a constitutional amendment - that would formally define marriage as the union between a man and a woman - was delivered in a weekly radio address.

The US senate is set to vote on the measure next week.

Bush said: "Ages of experience have taught us that the commitment of a husband and a wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society."

He said the issue required "a national solution" because of "activist judges".

The "activist judges" have "struck down laws upholding traditional marriage" in the states of Washington, California, Maryland, New York and Nebraska.

'We have no other choice'

Bush said other states could be soon "forced to accept matrimony between homosexuals".

"An amendment to the constitution is necessary because activist courts have left our nation with no other choice," he said.

The measure lacks the votes for passage because constitutional amendments require support from two-thirds of the members of either the senate or the house of representatives.

But a formal roll call, Republican strategists hope, will allow them to cast Democrats as supporters of gay marriage - a possible win for votes in November.

A Gallup opinion poll, conducted in the US last month, found that 58% of Americans believe gay marriage should not be recognised by law .

About 39% thought it should be.

The poll said 50% - versus 47% - supported a constitutional amendment to uphold "traditional" marriage.

Democratic senate minority leader Harry Reid said he considered the issue untimely because it distracted politicians from more pressing issues like the war in Iraq and the skyrocketing costs of energy.

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