Sep 17, 2004  |  By: JOE CREA  | COMMENTS     

members of the Austin 12, like Scott Evertz, the former director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, said that while he disagrees with President Bush on the need for the FMA, he says he supports his re-election, “so that he can continue to make progress in the many other areas in which I am very supportive.”

“I wouldn’t want to look in the eyes of those in the bush in Africa who have literally asked me to thank President Bush for helping them get medicines [to treat their HIV] and say that I did not support the president because I disagree with him on same-sex marriage,” Evertz wrote in an e-mail message.

Evertz works as special assistant to Secretary of Health & Human Services Tommy Thompson, making him a Bush political appointee. He wrote in his e-mail to the Blade that Bush pointed out during the Austin 12 meeting that marriage was one area “on which we would have to agree to disagree.”

Maestri said she doubts she’ll vote for Bush on Nov. 2.

“It would take something remarkable to change my mind at this point” to enthusiastically cast a ballot for Bush, she said. But like many lifelong gay Republicans, Maestri said she can’t vote for Kerry.

Hutch agreed, noting that, “John Kerry has not earned my vote” and suggested that gays should “dissent all together this year” and not vote for either of the major candidates.

For many of the Austin 12, the damage that the president has caused is irrevocable and little can be done to regain their trust.

“There’s nothing that Bush can possibly do right now to regain the support of gays and lesbians,” Hutch said. “He would have to publicly go on television, repudiate his position on the amendment and acknowledge that he was wrong to get involved in the process. And he would probably have to go further than that. I just don’t see it happening.”

Joe Crea can be reached at jcrea@washblade.com.