Federal Marriage Amendment on the ropes

Here's an article on the "Mixed Emotions" felt by Bush's Christian base.

Excerpt:

What had attendees at the Christian event most concerned, though, was their feeling that Bush was abandoning his support for a federal amendment banning gay marriage.

President Bush had certainly given them reason to at least question his commitment. Only days earlier, Bush had sounded unusually pessimistic about the prospects for the federal marriage amendment in an interview with the Washington Post.

When asked how hard he would push the amendment to ban gay marriage, he responded, “The point is that senators have made it clear that so long as DOMA [Defense of Marriage Act] is deemed constitutional, nothing will happen. I’d take their admonition seriously.”

Much to the White House’s chagrin, many base supporters appear to have taken the comment as a larger sign.

Former GOP presidential candidate Gary Bauer is at best lukewarm about President Bush at the beginning of the second administration. His expectations are low, to say the least. Conveying the feelings of many, Mr. Bauer says, “It’s almost like a woman who’s constantly disappointed with her husband or boyfriend who keeps forgetting her birthday or anniversary.”

White House officials are well aware of the disenchantment in the base. In what seemed sincere comments, one official stressed that Bush was as committed as ever to passing the marriage amendment. The White House wishes people would be a little more understanding of the uphill climb. “The amendment last time got 48 (votes). It needs 67. You do the math,” another official noted.

As a Republican, I prefer a "state" solution rather than a Federal one. If each state would protect marriage in their own constitutions, Bush wouldn't need to burn political capital that I'd rather him spend on judicial nominees. To me, there's nothing more important on Bush's agenda than conservatives on the Federal judiciary.