Monday is National Hate and Fear Day

Still waiting to hear how the Times rewrites the AP feed, but so far, my expectations are low. In a story on Bush's speech pushing the Federal "We Hate Homos" Amendment, the Times reprints without challenge Tony Snow's lie that ''I'm not sure this is a big driver among voters," and incorrectly states that "Democrats say the amendment is a divisive bow to religious conservatives." It's not only Democrats, folks; it's any reasonable person who believes in personal freedom and the original promise of America. To cast opposition to Bush's horrid, hateful plan as driven by partisanship is insulting to those of us who decry it on the basis of our humanity. If a Democrat proposed this desperate, election-driven mauling of our Constitution, I'd fight it just as much. (The story also fails to mention that a strong majority of Americans consistently oppose the amendment.)

Apparently the Times can afford a front page, above-the-fold hack job on the Clintons' marriage, but they can't be bothered to highlight a high-level policy disagreement within the White House regarding an effort to amend the Constitution. By reserving mention of Cheney's opposition to Bush's plan to the story's last paragraph, and by not quoting Cheney directly on the subject, the Times dims the spotlight on what should be a very important story, particularly for a White House known for its single-minded unity.

Daniela Deane of WaPo is much more forthcoming:

Bush, whose opposition to marriage between gay partners helped power him to reelection in 2004, has been largely silent on the issue since his second term began. This week, though, as midterm elections approach and the president's poll numbers continue dropping, he is returning to a topic that galvanizes an important part of the Republican base.

The all-too brief Post story omits, however, any mention of the vice president's opposition to the amendment, and softpedals the hypocrisy of a president determined to banish Constitutional oversight of the Executive Branch simultaneously proposing a federal solution to a nonexistent problem.