Anti-gay marriage petitions

Having attended both a Bush rally and a Kerry rally in Ohio this week I note one thing in common: swarms of people asking for signatures to get an anti-gay marriage question on the November ballot. It made sense to see that at the Bush rally, but strange I thought at the Kerry rally.

An itenerant Michigan activist who happened to be at the Kerry rally started hectoring one signature-taker, telling the crowd that "All she's trying to do is get more Bush supporters to the polls." I didn't quite get that at the time, seeing as how everyone (just about) at the Kerry rally who might have signed the petition is a Kerry voter.

But today's news from Michigan (that both Nader and an anti-gay marriage proposal will be on the ballot) made it clear to me. It's a turnout issue: the Bush campaign hopes to energize its bigot base by putting such red meat on the ballot. Part of their mantra this time is the only reason Bush didn't win more decisively last time was that the DUI charge hurt turnout among fundies.

Not so sure that such a question might rather energize the civil libertarian turnout though.