Gay couples in New Jersey register for domestic partnerships for the first time:

Hundreds of same-sex couples gathered to register domestic partnerships on Saturday, the first day of a new law in New Jersey that gives gay partners some of the same rights as married couples. More than 200 people attended a morning ceremony marking the law going into effect. Many arrived hours early, sitting on the municipal building’s steps or on lawn chairs while filling out domestic partnership applications. `This is a very great day in New Jersey’s civil rights history,” said Mayor Fred Profeta. `The civil rights achieved today are very important — don’t anyone doubt that.’

Meanwhile, Bush continues campaigning on his stillborn Federal Marriage Amendment:

“What they do in the privacy of their house, consenting adults should be able to do,” Mr. Bush said. “This is America. It’s a free society. But it doesn’t mean we have to redefine traditional marriage.” Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic whip, said Democrats would not mount a filibuster against moving to a final vote on the amendment as long as Republicans agreed not to offer changes to the proposal…If Republicans accept the Democratic approach, the Senate would face a vote as early as Wednesday on the amendment.

…Senate Democrats said they calculated that more Republicans would join them on a vote against the proposal itself rather than a procedural fight where Republicans opposed to the amendment might side with their leadership. But some Republicans might still prefer to force a procedural vote, which could allow them to try to paint Democrats as obstructionists while decreasing the margin of defeat.