Bush to try again on amendment

WASHINGTON — President Bush “absolutely” will use his second term to push for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, his top political strategist said Sunday.

Karl Rove, who oversaw Bush’s re-election victory, said the president will renew the effort, which failed in Congress this year but may enjoy new support after 11 states approved bans on same-sex marriage on Election Day.

“Five thousand years of human history should not be overthrown by the acts of a few liberal judges or by the acts of a few local elected officials,” Rove said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “Marriage is and should be defined as being between one man and one woman.” He made similar comments on “Fox News Sunday.”

Rove acknowledged that evangelical Christians were key to Bush’s narrow win over Democrat John Kerry, but said he believed issues of national security loomed larger in voters’ minds than questions of moral values.

“People became concerned about three issues. First, the war, then the economy, jobs and taxes, and third, moral values, and then everything else dropped off of the plate,” Rove said.

Rove said the president’s 3.5 million-vote margin over Kerry does amount to a mandate “to do in office what you said you would do on the campaign trail.” He noted that from near-deadlock four years ago, the nation has moved to a 51 percent to 48 percent Republican tilt, and that the GOP gained seats in both chambers of Congress.

Rove said he also hopes that last week’s election will contribute to a long-term Republican domination of U.S. politics.

“There are no permanent majorities in U.S. politics,” he said, but there are periods of several decades where one party rules. “Would I like to see the Republican Party be the dominant party for whatever time history gives it the chance to be? You bet.”