Despite what some people think, the majority of the country opposes gay marriage and homosexuality in general. It could be because of the nation's long-standing opposition to the lifestyle, religious convictions that the act of homosexuality is a sin or some other third reason but the opposition is clear and present.

In 2004, voters in 11 states (Oregon, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio and Utah) approved prohibitions of gay marriages or civil unions. Similar bans are expected to be passed this November in Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin and right here in the great state of Virginia.

One person who sees the opposition as well as anyone is President George W. Bush and he is once again working (he did so in 2002 and 2004) to exploit that large collection of Americans to rally not only his base but the GOP base with five months left until critical midterm elections.

Which is why Mr. Bush addressed the issue in a radio address yesterday and should do so again in a scheduled speech tomorrow.

The President is fully aware that not only has he lost the support of most moderates across the nation but also a large number of his conservative base who attack him for the high level of government spending, for not being tough enough with Democrats on issues such as the War on Terrorism and Iraq and for his weak position on immigration that supports granting amnesty to those who have entered the country illegally. If Bush cannot rally the troops prior to November, it is possible that his party could lose seats in Congress, making an already hostile situation in Washington even worse.

The move is not necessarily supposed to garner support with those who lean to the Left but with the conservative base. While it is certainly possible that the President could receive some support from Democrats who oppose gay marriage and civil unions but Mr. Bush is trying to reinvigorate the conservative base which has left in droves since 2004, when the former Texas governor was backed by 91 percent of conservatives, a number much higher than current figures show - just 68 percent.

Initiatives this November certainly will help Mr. Bush's cause - in 2004 moral values were at the top of issues that voters were concerned about among Catholics, evangelicals, blacks and Hispanics - a sizable collection of Americans. As previously mentioned, some election analysts argue that it was the homosexual initiatives that helped get the President back in the White House for four more years, especially in Ohio, which proved to be a key state in Bush's re-election.

If Mr. Bush can rally his base, it would mean a great deal for Republicans who have been hampered for their support of a just war in Iraq and their opposition to illegal immigration and amnesty to illegals already planted in this country. A popular President means a great deal for the perception of his party. A disjointed party is not expected to collect the needed number of votes among those of like minds and among the undecided. Bush has made a good choice going with what has worked for him in the past because it will likely work again.