John Lynch tries, admirably, to be the governor of everyone in New Hampshire. And while this week's passage by the New Hampshire House of a bill allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into civil unions has inspired a lot of speculation that Governor Lynch would veto the bill, I hope he doesn't. It would really be a failure of John Lynch's style of governing and a loss for the state.

The approach that Lynch has used since being elected in 2004 has been one that avoids ideological concerns and focuses instead on the reality of how New Hampshire's families live their lives. From his work on school funding to his efforts to help people rebuild after last year's floods, he has avoided scoring political points. Instead, Lynch has chosen to keep uppermost in his mind the real help that real families need. He faces emerging realities and adapts — politically and administratively — to those new realities.

Gay and lesbian families are a part of New Hampshire's new reality. These families buy homes, attend parent/teacher conferences, and pay their taxes. In short, they help build the kind of state in which we all want to live. That their families deserve to be recognized and protected by the law is obvious to everyone not blinded by political goals or ideological absolutism. The comfortable margin it enjoyed in the House is proof. It would be an extraordinary change in Governor Lynch's approach to governing for him to veto this bill in the face of widespread support.

By contrast, Dick Cheney presents a different approach to emerging realities — angry denial. His daughter, an out lesbian, is pregnant with a child that she will raise with her long-time partner Heather Poe. In response to this Cheney, the second in command of proudly anti-gay administration, refuses to discuss his daughter publicly and bitterly denounces people who attempt to explore his apparent hypocrisy as 'attacking his family.'

This would be sad in any family, but is appalling from the vice-president of the United States. While his daughter works to build a stable, loving family in the context of long-term committed lesbian relationship, his administration and party continue to marginalize and diminish their efforts. Cheney's desire to protect his daughter from the paparazzi is understandable, it is difficult to ignore the fact that the Bush White House and Republican Party have consistently made other gay and lesbian families feel attacked — and feel attacked for good reason.

This approach is the polar opposite to Lynch's governing philosophy. Governor Lynch has an opportunity to make clear that New Hampshire values families — all families – and that the state will support them. It is an opportunity he shouldn't miss.