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An ABC transcript of Good Morning America anchor Charlie Gibson's interview with President Bush (aired today and yesterday) reports that Bush said, "I don't think we should deny people rights to a civil union, a legal arrangement, if that's what a state chooses to do so."

Gibson noted that the Republican Party platform opposed civil unions.

"Well, I don't," Bush replied. "I view the definition of marriage different from legal arrangements that enable people to have rights. And I strongly believe that marriage ought to be defined as between a union between a man and a woman. Now, having said that, states ought to be able to have the right to pass laws that enable people to be able to have rights like others."

Gibson asked, "So the Republican platform on that point, as far as you're concerned, is wrong?"

"Right," Mr. Bush replied.

Does this mean Bush rejects the Republican Party platform language his party just endorsed at its August convention?

The Republican platform language adopted in New York in August states, "legal recognition and the accompanying benefits afforded couples should be preserved for that unique and special union of one man and one woman which has historically been called marriage."

Does this mean Bush now opposes the 8 of 11 state amendments that threaten civil unions?

Eight of the 11 anti-gay marriage state constitutional amendments on the ballot November 2 go beyond banning same-sex marriage and also ban or threaten any form of partner recognition, including domestic partner health insurance and civil unions. States with proposed amendments that would prevent civil unions are: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Utah. Does George Bush now oppose these proposed constitutional amendments? Will he urge his supporters to vote against them?

Does this mean Bush now opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would prevent another ruling like that of the Vermont Supreme Court in December 1999 which led to civil unions?

The first version of the Federal Marriage Amendment (H.J. Resolution 56), which Bush endorsed in February 2004, would have prevented state legislatures as well as state and federal courts from creating or mandating civil unions policies. In March 2004 the FMA was rewritten; in its current form, it would still prevent courts from mandating civil unions policies based on an interpretation of state or federal constitutions. This would prevent a second state supreme court from ruling as Vermont's high court did five years ago. Does this mean Bush now opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would prevent court-mandated civil unions?

Does this mean Bush no longer endorses Marriage Protection Week and the 29 anti-gay/religious right groups that backed that?

Marriage Protection Week organizers asked politicians to sign a pledge to oppose domestic partnership and civil unions.

In October 2003 President Bush issued a proclamation endorsing Marriage Protection Week, a week of anti-gay family events sponsored by 29 religious right organizations, including Focus on the Family and the Traditional Values Coalition. Marriage Protection Week called on elected officials to sign a pledge not only opposing marriage equality for same-sex couples, but also opposing civil unions and domestic partner benefits. Does this mean Bush now opposes Marriage Protection Week and the agenda of its 29 co-sponsoring organizations?

Civil unions do not afford same-sex couples equality under the law. Couples in civil unions can access the same state benefits as married couples, but none of the 1,138 federal benefits. Civil unions are not portable, so if a couple moves from Vermont to another state they are legal strangers according to that state's laws. Gay and lesbian couples in civil unions cannot file joint federal income taxes, cannot access Social Security survivor benefits, are not eligible for workers compensation or pensions, can't stay in the U.S. together if one is a citizen and the other a non-citizen, and can't take unpaid leave from work to care for a sick partner under the Family and Medical Leave Act. For what other groups of Americans does George W. Bush believe separate and unequal is appropriate public policy?

Does this make Bush a flip flopper?

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The mission of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is to build the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. We do this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and by building the organizational capacity of our movement. Our Policy Institute, the movement’s premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter right-wing lies. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis and Cambridge.