Barbara Bush

Barbara Bush (born June 8, 1925) is the wife of the 41st President of the United States George H. W. Bush, and served as First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993. She is the mother of the 43rd President George W. Bush and of the 43rd Governor of Florida Jeb Bush. Previously she had served as Second Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989.

One of former President George W. Bush's twin daughters became the latest in a line of younger-generation Republicans to throw her support behind gay marriage in a surprise statement released on Monday night.

In a video cut for New Yorkers for Marriage Equality, a project of the Human Rights Campaign, former first daughter Barbara Bush fully endorses a campaign to promote marriage equality.

Bush's mother, Laura, has also implied that she supports same-sex marriage, saying in May, "I think that we ought to definitely look at it and debate it. I think there are a lot of people who have trouble coming to terms with that because they see marriage as traditionally between a man and a woman, but I also know that when couples are committed to each other and love each other that they ought to have the same sort of rights that everyone has."

Barbara's statement of support is best viewed, however, through a generational lens. Sen. John McCain's daughter, Meghan, has appeared in a marriage equality ad of her own, in addition to speaking publicly at Log Cabin Republican events and urging the GOP to become more gay friendly.

Many in the party (including former McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt) seem ready to take that step. But not all. The upcoming Conservative Political Action Committee conference has been beset with protests over its decision to include the pro-gay rights conservative group GOProud, with a number of high-profile figures refusing to attend.