Bush and Civil Unions

It seems the president has parted ways with many in his own party, regarding civil unions:

"I don't think we should deny people rights to a civil union, a legal arrangement, if that's what a state chooses to do so. ...

"I view the definition of marriage different from legal arrangements that enable people to have rights. And I strongly believe that marriage ought to be defined as a union between a man and a woman.

"Now, having said that, states ought to be able to have the right to pass laws that enable people to be able to have rights like others," Bush told ABC's Charlie Gibson in an interview broadcast Tuesday on "Good Morning America."

I agree that this should be a state issue, not a federal one, since that is consistent with our Founders' intended republican form of government. But Bush's rationale is strange. According to him, marriage is a sacred institution between one man and one woman; but people of the same sex should be able to unite in a civil ceremony, so that they may "have the same rights as others." Isn't this just parsing words? It comes across as Bush moving further to the left to appeal to disenchanted Democrats who aren't particularly fond of Kerry. Already, everyone has the right to live with whom they will, sleep with whom they choose, and will personal estates to whomever they choose. I can give the person I deem worthy power of attorney over my finances and properties, and no one is standing in my way. I can have whatever visitors in the hospital that I want. So this appears an attempt to look compassionate and tolerant--and that's all. I see little substance to the argument.