] The amendment that Ms. Musgrave and other lawmakers are
] backing in the House says: "Neither this Constitution or
] the constitution of any state, nor state or federal law,
] shall be construed to require that marital status or the
] legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried
] couples or groups." The White House spokesman, Scott
] McClellan, said just before the president's announcement
] that Mr. Bush believed the Musgrave measure "meets his
] principles."
]
] Mr. Bush said the amendment he envisioned "should fully
] protect marriage while leaving the state legislatures
] free to make their own choices in defining legal
] arrangements other than marriage."

If the law says that the legal incidents of marriage cannot be conferred upon unmarried couples, then how can this "leave the state legislatures free to make their own choices in defining legal arrangements other than marriage?" These two statements, presented right next to eachother by the NYT, seem mutually exclusive. Either Scott McClellan is out of line in his statement to the press, or Bush is lieing.

Congress Is Urged to Begin Process to Amend Constitution