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Laura Bush: Gay marriage ad should not include me

The national advertising campaign of print, television and online ads that launched this week featured a quote from an appearance by Bush on CNN in which she says: 'When couples are committed to each other and love each other then they ought to have the same sort of rights that everyone has.'

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LM Otero/AP/File
In this 2012 photo, former first lady Laura Bush is seen in Arlington, Texas. Bush spokeswoman Anne MacDonald said Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013 that the former first lady wants to be removed from a pro-gay marriage group's national advertising campaign featuring prominent people speaking on the topic. MacDonald says Bush 'did not approve of her inclusion in this advertisement nor is she associated in any way with the group that made the ad.'
  • By Jamie Stengle Associated Press

| DALLAS

Former first lady Laura Bush wants to be removed from a pro-gay marriage group's national advertising campaign featuring prominent people speaking on the topic.

The Respect for Marriage Coalition responded that it would start a new ad this weekend. The group, made up of more than 80 organizations supporting the freedom of gays to marry, said Thursday that it appreciatedBush's previous comments but was "sorry she didn't want to be included in an ad."

The national advertising campaign of print, television and online ads that launched this week featured a quote from an appearance by Bush on CNN in which she says: "When couples are committed to each other and love each other then they ought to have the same sort of rights that everyone has."

The ads also include clips of President Barack Obama, former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Secretary of Defense Colin Powell talking about same-sex marriage. The coalition noted that it had used for the campaign public comments from "American leaders who have expressed support for civil marriage."

Bush spokeswoman Anne MacDonald has said that Bush asked to be removed from the campaign after learning that she was being featured. MacDonald has said Bush "did not approve of her inclusion in this advertisement nor is she associated in any way with the group that made the ad."

After the coalition released its statement Thursday, MacDonald said Bush would have no further comment.

Cheney, whose daughter Mary is gay, said in a speech at the National Press Club in 2009 that he supported gays being able to marry but believed that states, not the federal government, should make the decision. The ad campaign that included Bush also featured a clip of Cheney saying at the National Press Club "Freedom means freedom for everyone."

Powell was shown in a clip from CNN saying, "Allowing them to live together with the protection of the law, it seems to me is the way we should be moving in this country." Obama's quote came from his inaugural address this year during which he says, "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law."

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