Fridae

President George Bush has chosen gay activist, Scott Evertz to the Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy Coordination.

He is the first gay openly gay person nominated to an executive branch office by a Republican president and the most senior openly gay person to be nominated to the Bush administration.

The 30-year-old who is fundraising executive for a faith-based senior citizens program in Milwaukee, is also the first gay person to head the Office of National AIDS Policy established by former President Bill Clinton in 1994.

Evertz, who has also been reported to be a Roman Catholic anti-abortionist, is also currently heading the Wisconsin state chapter of Log Cabin Republicans, the most influential gay and lesbian lobby group representing homosexual Republicans in the US, according to the BBC.

"The president picks the best people for their jobs, regardless of what their backgrounds may or may not be, and that is why he has chosen Scott," Fleischer told the media.

Gay groups including the Human Rights Campaign, the largest gay political organization have applauded the appointment of an openly gay man to run the Aids policy office.

The Bush administration was fiercely criticised after his chief of staff Andrew Card had suggested only weeks ago that the AIDS office might be closed down.