Q. What are your feelings about the Bush administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina and Bush’s statements of Sept. 15?

A. I agree with what Molly Ivins said — this is where you really understand that policy has consequences, There are two trains of thought on this subject — one that it was bad policy — like putting someone in a position with FEMA to do a job who really wasn’t qualified — and the other — that George Bush doesn’t care about poor people or black people. I think it’s the former.

I think it is a classic example of a party in power problem that has been brought on by the administration.

Q. What are your thoughts about the rising tide of evangelical politics?

A. I think in the history of this country, there are periods of increased influence of religion. It sort of ebbs and flows and we’re in one of those periods. The last time this happened it was around the turn of the last century and it was a much more sort of rural phenomena, it wasn’t something we saw so much in the cities. On the other hand, I do think, an element of this, the ferocity of it, as it is directed towards GLBT Americans, has a lot to with the gains that were made. I think there are two ways of looking at this — we’re either very far along or we’re in a bad place. The ferocity of the backlash is bad, but look where we are now compared to 10 years ago. I think that scares some people — the religious right in particular. The more they see us making gains, the more they’re going to step up their efforts against these things.

Q. Do you see this country headed toward a theocracy?

A. I think the pendulum swings back and forth in this country. Something always happens to bring the meter back in this direction. Our work is about making the pendulum swing back even faster.

Q. I think John Roberts will probably be appointed to the Supreme Court, although I don’t support him. Who do you think will be appointed to replace O’Connor?

A. I heard today there was a lot of talk about Edith Jones — I believe she’s the one from Louisiana. I think if you look at the precarious situation the president is in right now — it’s not likely we’re going to see him appoint a white male again. I think his decision to pass over Justices Scalia and Thomas for Chief Justice says something about the president’s posturing right now. I think if you factor in the kind of outcry that would have happened if he had promoted one of those two and the effect of the storm, someone like Edith Jones would make sense.

Q. Do you see the Federal Marriage Amendment as a real possibility now?

A. I think the Federal Marriage Amendment gets rolled out by this administration when it is useful. I think it was useful when they rolled it out the last time. The timing, like everything else done like that in this administration — was perfect. Right now there is no appetite in this country for George Bush to come out and revisit the idea of rolling back the Constitution. I heard on NPR the other day that this is no time in Washington for people to be mean. Even the ones that are inclined to be mean everyday. So I don’t think there’s an appetite for it right now — but that doesn’t mean that next spring or next summer that this administration might not say ‘what do we need to pull out of our arsenal today to reshape the political landscape going in to the next election? The Federal Marriage Amendment!’

Q. This is a difficult time for gays and lesbians in this country. What do you think are positive developments that have occurred that could provide encouragement for our community?

A. I think — number one — corporate America. Corporate America is light years ahead of the rest of the country. We’re working really hard to make a place like Michigan a better place for people to live, but we’re working just as hard to make Ford Motor Company a better place to work. So regardless of what’s going on in Michigan, if you show up for work everyday at Ford Motor Company, you get the same rights and benefits if you’re a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered person, as you would if you’re a straight person. So I think corporate America, which has a huge influence over this country, sometimes even moreso than the government, that to me is a hopeful and inspiring thing. There’s also what’s happening in individual states. I know there are some challenges on the national level, but if you look within the individual states, we’ve made some pretty significant gains. Look at North Carolina, for example. North Carolina is holding the line on the legislature and is not going to let this anti-marriage bill onto the ballot — that’s happening in more than a dozen states. A perfect example of the good that we as a community have accomplished on the state levels is Massachusetts. They voted overwhelmingly for the second time to kick back the constitutional amendment. I think it is a tough time as far as the national atmosphere — but if you go one step below that there’s all sorts of good things happening.