San Francisco Mayor Exults in Move on Gay Marriage | NYT

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San Francisco Mayor Exults in Move on Gay Marriage
By DEAN E. MURPHY

Published: February 19, 2004


Peter DaSilva for The New York Times
Mayor Gavin Newsom in his office 42
days after becoming San Francisco's
mayor and one week after allowing
same-sex marriages. He said he based
his decision on equality guarantees
in the State Constitution.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 18 — Mayor Gavin Newsom, the man behind San Francisco's week-old policy allowing same-sex marriages, sported a wide grin on Wednesday.

Opponents of the policy had fared poorly in the courts, and the line of gay and lesbian couples waiting for marriage licenses at City Hall remained long and boisterous.

Beneath the smile, the mayor, 42 days into his job, was feeling the weight of his decision to place the city and his young career at the center of a heated national debate.

In Washington, President Bush told reporters that he was "troubled by what I've seen" in San Francisco. Some of Mr. Newsom's supporters were worried that he had veered off course. Even some same-sex couples in line for marriage licenses questioned Mr. Newsom's motives.

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