Barbara Bush Gay Marriage Video: Behind the Scenes
Barbara Bush's video announcing her support for same-sex marriage in New York was produced by the Human Rights Campaign, a gay-rights advocacy group. Fred Sainz, HRC's vice president of communications, told CBS News Tuesday the group was introduced to Bush through mutual friends in New York who knew she supported gay rights.
"When the opportunity became available, we immediately leapt at it," Sainz said Tuesday, of making the video with Bush. "We think she's a very effective spokesman and brings an awful lot of dignity and poise."
"She has spoken quite eloquently about the fact that folks should be able to marry the people that they love," he added. "That sends a message to all Republicans across this country that this does not have to be-should not-be a partisan issue."
Bush, who joins bold-faced names like Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in appearing in videos supporting same-sex marriage, crosses not only a political but generational divide. Sainz said she represents the younger generation of Americans who support same-sex marriage by a wide margin.
"[Bush] is representative of how marriage equality is really a no brainer for younger Americans," he said.
The HRC wasn't privy to any conversations Bush may have had about the video with her father, former President George W. Bush. As Sainz noted, former First Lady Laura Bush vocalized what appeared to be support for same-sex marriage on a book tour last year. Laura Bush said that couples that "are committed to each other and love each other" should have "the same sort of rights that everyone has."
Christine Delargy is an associate producer for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. You can also follow her on Twitter here: http://www.twitter.com/cbswashunplug.
