Bush is clever, very clever. He plays politics at such a refined level the pundits and pols require weeks to understand what he is doing in the world of public opinion.  That is because the pundits and pols do not have roots in, interchange with, or an understanding of Main Street USA.  Bush does.  Take the gay marriage ban amendment and what it symbolizes:

United States President George Bush said on Wednesday that he was disappointed that the Senate had blocked a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage.

“I thank the Senators who supported this amendment, but I am disappointed the Senate did not achieve the necessary number of votes to move the amendment process forward,” Bush said in a statement.

The Republican-controlled chamber failed to endorse the amendment despite a majority of senators backing the proposal in a 49 to 48 vote.

As I believe Ed Morrisey noted (sorry for not providing a link right now) most states have statutes or constitutional amendments walling off same sex civil unions (which I support whole heartedly) from the institute of marriage.  But the broader example is not missed.  Bush has had recent policy failures do to hardline, far right stubborness.  Bush is not up for re-election.  And like most Presidents in their second term – he is looking to history, not party for what he will do in the waning years of his term.

Which brings me back to Gay Marriage. Public opinion is set on this – most oppose confusing same sex unions with marriage.  I agree.  I want desperately for gay couples to share in all the legal benefits hetero marriages do.  I cannot believe visitation in hospitals is not given to a life partner.  It seems inhumane to me.  But Bush just showed where the fault lies in a lack of progress.  And that fault lies in the Reps in Congress!

Immigration failures?  Reps in Congress.  Tax reform failures? Reps in Congress.   Gay Marriage?  Reps in Congress.  Congressional corruption?  Reps in Congress.  Homeland security.

You get the picture.  Reps and Dems are kowtowing to the hardliners on the left and right, and Bush is showing that this is the reason we have no progress.  The media is blind to the maneuvers because of BDS, and the right is blind in their obsessions to tell everyone to do it their where or take the highway.

Bush is the consumate political poker player.  He will give Reps and Dems alike all the rope they need so he can make his mark in history.  Don’t ever believe otherwise.  That is what second terms are all about.