Ashamed? They should be.

"We strongly support President Bush’s call for a Constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage, and we believe that neither federal nor state judges nor bureaucrats should force states to recognize other living arrangements as equivalent to marriage. We believe, and the social science confirms, that the well-being of children is best accomplished in the environment of the home, nurtured by their mother and father anchored by the bonds of marriage. We further believe that 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."

-from the Republican Party Platform (emphasis added)

Notice how that last sentence neatly ties into the previous statements to acknowledge that the Republican Party not only rejects gay marriage (as a majority of Americans seem to) but also fully rejects any marriage-like benefits that might be made available to legal civil unions (the marriage-friendly Kerry alternative). Bush has mastered the language of "respect" for all individuals, but clearly the Republican Party has serious issues, not just with gay marriage, but with gays in general. Is it any wonder that the campaign is pissed about the mention of Mary Cheney? I'm sure Dick Cheney doesn't like to be reminded about the dissonance between his personal life and the beliefs of his political party (not to mention his President). No one forced Bush's hand in proposing his constitutional amendment, except maybe his ultra-conservative constituency. Should we be talking about Mary Cheney? No. Should we be talking about the politics of hate and hypocrisy in the Republican Party? Bring it on.