What were they thinking?

Rich Tafel has an article on NRO this morning, explaining why he thinks Bush got more votes from gays this year than he did in 2000 (1.5-2 million, up from 1 million). Here's what he says about those gays who voted for Bush:

"Their primary concern was the war on terror. They believed that we are
engaged in a war for the future of our country and our way of life. They
believed that the rise of militant Islam is a real and deadly threat. They
believed that our country, with all its faults, is a force for good in the
world. They believed that our enemy cannot be reasoned with. They believed
that
we needed a leader who understood the world in terms of moral values,
and they
didn't scoff when the president used the words "good" and "evil" to
describe the
battle against terror. They realized we've made mistakes, but
also realized that
the only thing worse than making mistakes is not even
trying. "

In other words, gays voted for Bush for the same reasons straights did. The lesson here, for politicians who think they must always tailor themselves to the perceived interests of any particular group they are addressing, is that gays are full human beings, with concerns outside of "gay issues". Just like black Americans have concerns outside "black issues" and women have concerns outside "women's issues". Worth remembering.