From The Telegraph, 1/30/05:

Christians give Bush ultimatum to ban gay marriage

By Philip Sherwell in Washington

Conservative Christian leaders who played a key role in securing
President George W Bush's re-election have given the White House an
ultimatum over outlawing same-sex marriages.

In an indication of tension among Mr Bush's backers, a new coalition
of powerful Christian groups issued their warning last week in a
letter to Karl Rove, the President's chief adviser.

Mr Bush has said that "nothing will happen" for now on the proposed
federal amendment leading to a constitutional ban on gay marriages.

He did not mention the amendment in his inaugural address and the
issue was not listed in the 10-point legislative agenda unveiled by
Republican leaders in Congress last week.

The Arlington Group, comprising some of the President's most important
conservative backers, reacted by threatening to withhold much-needed
support for one of his top domestic initiatives -- overhauling
America's pensions system -- if he does not vigorously push their own
political cause.

"We couldn't help but notice the contrast between how the President is
approaching the difficult issue of social security privatisation,
where the public is deeply divided, and the marriage issue, where
public opinion is overwhelmingly on his side," the leaked letter said.

"Is he prepared to spend significant political capital on
privatisation but reluctant to devote the same energy to preserving
traditional marriage?

"If so, it would create outrage with countless voters who stood with
him just a few weeks ago, including an unprecedented number of
African-Americans, Latinos and Catholics who broke with tradition and
supported the President solely because of this issue."

The debate was raging ahead of the annual State of the Union address
on Wednesday, in which Mr Bush will outline plans to introduce
personal investment accounts to part-fund pensions, reform America's
complex tax code and curb soaring compensation claims.

The Arlington Group has played a sharp political card in threatening
to withhold support for social security reform.

It is a priority for Mr Bush and Mr Rove, but several leading
Republicans in Congress have questioned whether the system is heading
for bankruptcy and needs a radical revamp, as the White House argues.

Same-sex marriage was a key issue during the presidential election
campaign, when 11 states backed local votes to ban it.

Mr Bush drew strong support from conservative voters for backing a
renewed attempt to pass a federal amendment that failed at its first
attempt in the Senate last year.

Shortly after the election, Mr Rove said that the President would
place the proposed amendment at the top of his domestic agenda.

To the Arlington Group's dismay, however, Mr Bush recently told the
Washington Post that he would not aggressively lobby senators on the
ban.

He said that many believed that the Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA), an
existing law, which allows states not to recognise gay marriages
enacted in other states, was sufficient.

"Senators have made it clear that so long as DOMA is deemed
constitutional, nothing will happen," Mr Bush said.

"I'd take their admonition seriously."

In a further signal that he does not want to be bogged down in
controversial social policies, Mr Bush has given little indication
that he will pursue anti-abortion legislation.

Thousands of protesters who gathered in Washington last week for the
annual March for Life rally, were disappointed to receive only a
telephone message of support from Mr Bush.

Gary Bauer, the president of the conservative group American Values
and a Republican presidential candidate in 2000, told The Sunday
Telegraph last week:

``Many of us did a great deal to help with President Bush's
re-election. One of the reasons we could motivate so many people was
because of his strong stance on same-sex marriage."

He said:

"If the White House wants us to rally our troops like they need for
social security reform, a subject on which our people are very
divided, that is going to be very difficult if the President does not
come out strongly in favour of the constitutional amendment."

Mr Bauer said that many people, whom groups such as his persuaded to
vote for Mr Bush, were from lower middle-class and working class
families, and ethnic minorities.

These, he said, were most worried about the introduction of stock
market investments to the pensions system.

Trent Duffy, a White House spokesman, said that Mr Bush "remains very
committed to a marriage amendment" and "was simply talking about a
situation that exists in the Senate, not about his personal commitment
or willingness to push this issue".

At the recent Christian Inaugural Eve Gala, however, many guests at
the black-tie party expressed frustration that the President in office
was not the President Bush they had seen on the stump last autumn.

James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family and one of the
leaders of the Arlington Group, warned of future battles.

"If Republicans do what they've done in the past, which is say,
'Thanks so much for putting us in power: now we don't want to talk to
you any more', they will pay a serious price."

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"The basis of your cockeyed political beliefs is some sort of damage to
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Mr Bush has said that "nothing will happen" for now on the proposed
federal amendment leading to a constitutional ban on gay marriages.