Barbara Bush, elder twin daughter of former-president George W., just released a video for HRC saying, “I’m Barbara Bush and I’m a New Yorker for marriage equality.” Meghan McCain came out last year in support of same-sex marriage too. And Laura Bush, and Cindy McCain also have come out in support of marriage equality. It’s time for the elder statesmen patriarchs to join them.
George W. Bush just declared he is “through with politics.” He has nothing to lose by joining and supporting the women in his family. Senator McCain just won a tough re-election bid. Changing positions and embracing the future might give him a powerful lobby supporting him, if we can forgive his “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” stance.
But others, like Dan  Savage, are taking a different position. In a post today titled, “Barbara Bush—George Bush’s Daughter—Supports Marriage Equality!,’ Dan asks, “Can we stop falling for this shit, please?,” and adds,
“And in other news…
“Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in Washington D.C.
“Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in Iowa.
“Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in New Mexico.
“Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in Wyoming.
“Actual Republican elected officials move to ban gay marriage in New Hampshire.
“Actual Republican elected officials in Florida plot to enforce ban on adoptions by gay couples despite the law having been declared unconstitutional by the courts.
“Actual Republican elected officials will block gay marriage in New York State despite polls showing solid majority of New Yorkers favor marriage equality.
“Actual Republican elected officials seek to block repeal of DADT.
“Actual Republican elected officials pulling out of CPAC to presence of gays.”
I couldn’t agree more.
There’s a very fine line here.
I think we need all the friends we can get, and straight allies, especially the well-connected likes of Meghan McCain and her mother Cindy, and Barbara Bush and her mother Laura Bush… and gay GOP men like Ken Mehlman. But the candle they hold to equality doesn’t illuminate the hearts and minds of the Republican faithful, which is tacking ever-more to the right.