▁open ly ▁gay ▁man ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁his ▁administration , ▁Scott ▁E vert z , ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁National ▁A ID S ▁Policy . ▁In ▁addition , ▁during ▁Bush ' s ▁first ▁term , ▁his ▁nom ine e ▁as ▁amb assador ▁to ▁Roman ia , ▁Michael ▁E . ▁Gu est , ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁open ly ▁gay ▁man ▁to ▁be ▁confirmed ▁by ▁the ▁Senate ▁as ▁a ▁U . S . ▁amb assador . ▁The ▁first ▁open ly ▁gay ▁amb assador , ▁James ▁H orm el , ▁received ▁a ▁re cess ▁appointment ▁from ▁Bill ▁Cl inton ▁after ▁the ▁Senate ▁failed ▁to ▁confirm ▁the ▁nom ination . ▁ ▁Ra cial ▁divers ity ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁CNN ▁exit ▁poll , ▁Bush ' s ▁support ▁from ▁African - Amer icans ▁increased ▁during ▁his ▁presiden cy ▁from ▁ 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁black ▁vote ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 1 1 % ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁An ▁increase ▁in ▁Ohio ▁( from ▁ 9 % ▁to ▁ 1 6 %, ▁each ▁ ± ▁about ▁ 5 %) ▁may ▁have ▁helped ▁give ▁the ▁victory ▁to ▁Bush ▁over ▁Ker ry . ▁ ▁Although ▁Bush ▁expressed ▁appreci ation ▁for ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ' s ▁r uling ▁u ph old ing ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁college ▁applic ants ▁for ▁purposes ▁of ▁divers ity , ▁his ▁Administration ▁file d ▁brief s ▁against ▁it . ▁Bush ▁has ▁said ▁he ▁oppos es ▁government ▁san ction ed ▁and ▁enfor ced ▁quot as ▁and ▁ra cial ▁prefer ences