WASHINGTON - May 30 - In a column for the conservative magazine The Weekly Standard, Executive Editor Fred Barnes broke the news that President Bush has decided to bow to the weeks of demands from the right-wing extremist groups and hold a press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House to reiterate his support of the Federal Marriage Amendment. According to Barnes, the Rose Garden press conference is scheduled for Monday, June 5, a day before the Senate is expected to vote down the constitutional amendment.

“It’s a national disgrace that President Bush has yet again bowed to the far-right extremists. Instead of addressing the real challenges facing American families — from record-high gas prices, bankrupting health care costs and an endless and costly war in Iraq — the president will further divide this country and put the far-right extremists’ interests ahead of the American people’s well-being,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

In his article this weekend, Barnes wrote, “As for Bush, he will appear on June 5 in the Rose Garden before a gathering of amendment supporters and, a White House official says, ‘strongly support’ the amendment. The president has rarely mentioned the amendment in the past. The choice of the Rose Garden as a venue means he is raising the marriage amendment to a higher level on his agenda, his wife’s advice notwithstanding.”

This news comes after weeks of intense pressure by leading right-wing extremists groups calling on President Bush to immediately speak out on the Federal Marriage Amendment. These groups attacked the White House over the fact that the only voices speaking out on the amendment were First Lady Laura Bush and Mary Cheney’s comments against using the Federal Marriage Amendment’s push for political purposes.

Solmonese continued, “Rose Garden addresses have historically been reserved for occasions of unity and justice. Unfortunately, President Bush will break with history and use the Rose Garden as a backdrop to promote discrimination against a group of Americans. The president should stop playing politics with our Constitution and use his speech as an opportunity to lay out an agenda to fix what’s really wrong in America.”

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

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