- Laura Bush
Former first lady Laura Bush, who recently said she supports equality for same-sex couples, tells The Texas Tribune she didn’t speak out publicly about the issue while her husband was in office because she was not the elected official and it wasn’t her responsibility. In her recent book, Laura Bush said she asked George not to make gay marriage “a significant issue” and that she “could never have imagined what path this issue would take and where it would lead.” In the interview with the Tribune, she responds to criticism that she didn’t speak up publicly about the matter:
TT: … You found yourself back in the headlines not so long ago for taking positions on gay marriage and abortion that appeared to be at odds with your husband and with the GOP. What do you say to the critics who argue you had a responsibility to come forward sooner, or who suggest you maybe hid those opinions from view?
Bush: Well, I didn’t hide them from view. They were very well known from the first day George was elected, when Katie Couric asked me the question. I’m not elected. I was not elected. George is. He’s the one who’s elected. I was not the elected official. It was not my responsibility, I didn’t think, to speak out in ways to get in some sort of debate with him. I just didn’t see that as part of my role.
Apparently Bush still doesn’t see advocacy on behalf of the LGBT community as part of her role, because she ignored an invitation to attend Dallas’ gay Pride celebration this year. Meanwhile, despite her focus on education, Bush hasn’t said anything about the national teen bullying suicide crisis. Asked at the end of the TT interview about the governor’s race, Bush says, “Absolutely we’re supporting Gov. Perry.”
Give her a break — she is a Republican who now voices her support of Gay Marriage, that is more than most of them will do! She is right — she was not elected to office and from what I have read, she never wanted to be in the public spotlight anyway. Taker her support for what it is and leave her alone.
Give her a break — Laura Bush is a Republican who has spoken out in favor of Gay Marriage — that is more than most of them will do. Accept the support and don’t make her regret that she said anything! And she is right — she was not in elected office and I can see why she didn’t want to get into a public debate with her husband — her husband who was elected to office. From what I have read, she never wanted the spotlight or political life. Let’s be grateful that she is a Republican who is speaking up now and not dictate what she must do to show support.
It’s not your responsibility? Lady Bush, are you on prozac? In the eyes of the nation, you are indeed responsible for everything your husband says and does. G.W. brand of marriage is very traditional. The man leads, the wife follows. You went along with everything, and allowed the gays to be used as a tool for anti-gay “christianity.”
Wake up, and get real. Be useful for once, and admonish anti-gay religion because you have the power to do it.
I don’t remember Hillary Clinton getting into a national debate with Bill Clinton when he signed into law DADT and DOMA, even though she says now that DADT should be repealed. Nor to I remember Michelle speaking publicly about her husbands decision to fight for DADT so that discrimination stays the law. And, please remind me of ONE first lady who has ever appeared in a gay pride parade after leaving office… or while in office for that matter. I’d like to see the pictures. Sometimes it seems like no one can make ya’ll happy.
Justin: Not trying to argue with your points, but I do believe that Hillary Clinton appeared in the New York City Gay Pride Parade as a sitting senator and former first lady.
I stand corrected, Tammye. Thanks for letting me know. Secretary Clinton deserves the credit she’s due. I do wish, though, that she would have been more vocal about her husband signing DADT and DOMA into law 🙂 I hope you’re well, friend.
Baby steps…she’s finally coming out of her comfort zone and the narrow minded GOP Zone!
She is our enemy and will ALWAYS be our enemy. STOP giving her free publicity to promote her books.
Why do we want her approval ? She’s nobody. Do we really still hate ourselves so much that we seek approval from hateful, evil people such as her ?
She and her husband have done much harm to our community. They took pride in it.
ACTIONS speak louder than words. She may say she supports us to get us to buy her books but her actions towards us are the opposite – WAKE UP GAYS !
Hillary Clinton walked in gay Pride parades both as a Senator and as a former first lady. She also continued to work on the Board of many gay charities whilst she was first lady despite people advising her to distance herself from gay rights. Her primary campaign came to the gay bars to get us involved and to include us. THIS is who we should be honoring by inviting to the gay pride parade but because we have such corrupt and biased news in the US they have got us all twisted so that it’s fashionable to attack Hillary and invite our enemy, Laura Bush, to the pride parade instead. Shameful.
EDUCATE yourselves gays & don’t believe the lies in the media.
I get the politics. Hate it but get it. But she has done nothing now? I agree. It’s action that we need. For a former school teacher to not come out and say something about youth is shameful.
Doing the right thing is clearly not her priority. Only the GOP. How sad. I just lost respect for Laura.