Bush’s Support Can’t Save a Gay-Marriage Ban

The Senate didn’t approve a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, and many accuse Bush of trying to divert attention from the war in Iraq.

What happened

Despite a strong push from President Bush, the Senate this week voted down a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. The tally, 49 senators in favor and 48 opposed, fell 11 votes short of the total needed to end debate, therefore killing the measure. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said the Marriage Protection Amendment was needed to protect family values from 'œactivist judges' who may view gay marriage as a constitutional right. But Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Edward Kennedy called the amendment an unprecedented effort to 'œenshrine discrimination in the Constitution.'

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