The Rev. G.W. Bush
This is old, and lots of other people have already weighed in. But I have a slightly different take on it, so here goes.
Q: Mr. President, many of your supporters believe that homosexuality is immoral. They believe that it’s been given too much acceptance in policy terms and culturally. As someone who’s spoken out in strongly moral terms, what’s your view on homosexuality?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I am mindful that we’re all sinners, and I caution those who may try to take the speck out of their neighbor’s eye when they got a log in their own. I think it’s very important for our society to respect each individual, to welcome those with good hearts, to be a welcoming country. On the other hand, that does not mean that somebody like me needs to compromise on an issue such as marriage. And that’s really where the issue is heading here in Washington, and that is the definition of marriage.
I believe in the sanctity of marriage. I believe a marriage is between a man and a woman. And I think we ought to codify that one way or the other. And we’ve got lawyers looking at the best way to do that.
-Presidential press conference, July 30
There’s so much wrong with this, it’s hard to know where to start. But here’s my question: what the H-E-double-hockey-sticks is the President of the United States doing talking about who is and who isn’t a sinner, and paraphrasing the Sermon on the Mount, in a press conference? What is he doing talking about the “sanctity” of anything? That really chaps my hide.
A commenter over at Daily Kos was reminded of Helen Thomas’ question to Bush at his first press conference in 2001, after listening to a similar outburst of preaching: “Are you or are you not a secular official?”
Damn good question.
Since the President was being *asked* to speak in moral terms, that he actually *did* speak in moral terms (which, not coincidentally, includes religions terms) is hardly surprising.