Bush versus....Batwoman?!?
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An already beleagered Bush Administration was delivered what some are already calling a "potentially devastating" setback when Batwoman announced this weekend that she is a "lipstick lesbian." Her announcement could not have come at a worse time for the President, who is promoting a Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage.
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While some neocon pundits dismissed Batwoman's self-outing as another ploy by liberals to undermine "traditional family values," White House insiders admitted that her confession further undermines Bush's efforts to regain the public's confidence. With polls indicating that voters' biggest concerns are the Administration's handling of the war in Iraq, rising energy costs and the ongoing debate on illegal immigration, many view Bush's sudden rush to ban gay marriage as a diversionary election year tactic.
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The President made no mention of Batwoman in his speech to the faithful today, which most on both sides of the gay marriage issue agreed was his best tactic in the face of Batwoman's popularity. At 5'10, and closer to 6'2 in those spike heels, she has been the subject of speculation and a tabloid favorite in a record short time, eclipsing even Britney Spears. Unlike Batman, who has not been heard from in the past few months, Batwoman does not shirk from publicity. In fact, recent polls indicate she may be more popular than the President.
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Mr. Bush chose instead to gear his speech to a faction that claims to have elected him--the Religious Right. While he made a valiant attempt to boost the theory that marriage is between a man and a woman only, he failed to address civil issues that confront all couples, regardless of their orientation. His arguments, therefore, fell on largely deaf ears.
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Batwoman's unabashed admission only made the Administration's position weaker in many circles. It's long been known that superheroes are among the most diverse groups in America, and her coming out of the closet only cements that notion. The so-called "Bat Family," while dysfunctional and the subject of lurid gossip for decades now, has nonetheless always connected with the American psyche by doing what they set out to do.
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If it's all PR, the President would be well advised to learn from it.
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