Gay Marriage Initiative Strategist Says "There Will Be No Gay Bashing" in Campaign

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

It will be a kindler, gentler campaign to ban gay marriage, Frank Schubert, who will manage the effort to approve the initiative, told a meeting of the American Association of Political Consultants in Sacramento on Monday.
 
Predicting it will rival the presidential race for attention, Schubert said he will run a "positive, uplifting campaign."
 
"There will not be any gay bashing in our campaign," he said. "If other supporters try it, we will do everything we can to stop it."
 
Schubert noted that more than 500,000 signatures were gathered by 27,000 volunteers (not paid signature gatherers) and he expects a coalition of 100,000 supporters at the state, regional, and local level to organize to promote it. Although he wouldn't put a dollar figure on the race, he expected significant sums to be spent on both sides, with much of it coming from online sources.
 
The GOP consultant said about one-third of the electorate is up for grabs on the initiative, and his side will run a focused campaign focusing on messages to reach this group. Although he wouldn't get into specifics, he noted that "every culture in the history of mankind has recognized it (marriage) as between a man and a woman."
 
Maggie Linden, repsenting the NO side, said her campaign has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support to oppose the initiative. She read the surprise editorial in the Orange County Register opposing the initiative. She too predicted an overwhelming number of volunteers and a broad coalition that would oppose it.