Bush endorses amendment banning gay marriage

US President George W. Bush endorsed a constitutional amendment yesterday that would ban gay marriage as he leaped into a contentious issue that could energize his conservative base for the November election.

The Republican president expressed alarm at events in San Francisco, where marriage licenses have been issued to gays and lesbians, and in Massachusetts, where the state's highest court ruled gay couples have the right to wed. "If we are to prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever, our nation must enact a constitutional amendment to protect marriage in America," Mr Bush said.

His appearance in the White House Roosevelt Room came a day after Bush abandoned his above-the-fray position and opened a campaign attack on Democrat John Kerry, who is running to challenge Mr Bush in the general election.