Bush shoots straight
on ‘gay’ marriage

By Les Kinsolving

Editor’s note: Each week, WorldNetDaily White House correspondent Les Kinsolving asks the tough questions no one else will ask. And each week, WorldNetDaily brings you the transcripts of those dialogues with the president and his spokesman. If you’d like to suggest a question for the White House, submit it to WorldNetDaily’s exclusive interactive forum MR. PRESIDENT!

At today’s White House news briefing, WND asked presidential press secretary Ari Fleischer about Israel’s decision not to allow Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to attend the upcoming Mideast peace talks.

WND: Two questions, Ari. Since Prime Minister Sharon and the Knesset have accepted the road map to peace with many strong reservations, while Prime Minister Abbas contends that there can be no such reservations, even as Yasser Arafat has expressed his strong reservations about Abbas being at the summit instead of himself, my question is, is the president glad that the Israelis will not allow Arafat to leave his Rumallah compound?

FLEISCHER: I would just put it to you that the president is looking forward to working with people who are dedicated to peace. And that’s why he is looked – so much looking forward to this meeting.

Next, WorldNetDaily asked Fleischer about the recent passage of a “defense of marriage” bill in Texas and was surprised by the spokesman’s unusually direct response.

The AP reports from Austin that Gov. Rick Perry signed a defense of marriage law, making Texas the 37th state to outlaw same-sex marriages and civil unions. Gov. Perry said, “Like the vast majority of Texans, I believe that marriage represents a sacred union between a man and a woman.” And my question: You would leave us with no doubt at all that the president is like the vast majority of fellow Texans?

FLEISCHER: The president agrees with that position. That was legislation signed into law by President Clinton. President Bush supports it.

WND: Thank you very much, Ari. (Laughter.)

FLEISCHER: Relax, relax, Lester.

WND: It’s a wonderful answer.

FLEISCHER: You’re not going on the Europe trip, are you? (Laughter.)

WND: I’ll be watching your every move.

Submit a question to the MR. PRESIDENT! forum.

Les Kinsolving

Les Kinsolving hosts a daily talk show for WCBM in Baltimore. His radio commentaries are syndicated nationally. His show can be heard on the Internet 9-11 p.m. Eastern each weekday. Before going into broadcasting, Kinsolving was a newspaper reporter and columnist – twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for his commentary. Kinsolving's maverick reporting style is chronicled in a book written by his daughter, Kathleen Kinsolving, titled, "Gadfly." Read more of Les Kinsolving's articles here.


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