SF mayor looks forward to arguing gay marriage before high court
BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer
Mayor Gavin Newsom on Saturday accused President Bush of political showmanship and discrimination after the Social Security Administration announced it wouldn't accept any marriage licenses from San Francisco -- gay or straight -- until the same-sex issue was resolved."I think it was political and retaliatory," Newsom said in an interview after his first town hall meeting since taking office 52 days ago. "The president is not only now discriminating against gay couples, he's discriminating against straight people."


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Speaking to huge town hall crowd, San Francisco mayor slams Bush, defends gay marriages
(02-28) 16:52 PST SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --
Mayor Gavin Newsom accused President Bush of political showmanship and discrimination because of the Social Security Administration's decision to not accept any marriage licenses from San Francisco -- gay or straight -- until the same-sex issue is resolved. Newsom addressed a huge crowd at his first town hall meeting Saturday, 52 days after taking office and a little more than two weeks after he authorized city officials to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Such meetings typically draw a few dozen people, but nearly 1,000 gathered for Saturday's town hall in the Castro district, a predominantly gay and lesbian section of the city. Some in the crowd carried signs reading: "Thank You Mayor" and "Gavin -- Our Hero."


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New York town caught up in gay rights fight
NEW PALTZ (NEW YORK)
THE battle over gay marriage in the United States has spread to a small New York town.
The mayor of the village of New Paltz, about 130km north of Manhattan, began marrying same-sex couples on Friday in the first such ceremonies in the state. The weddings came on the day when California's bid to halt San Francisco's gay marriage blitz was rejected by its Supreme Court.



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More gay couples to marry in N.Y.
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. (AP) — More than 500 same-sex couples have signed up on a waiting list to be married in this village that has joined San Francisco in offering the ceremonies.


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Poll: Most Oppose Gay Weddings