SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Mayor Gavin Newsom accused President Bush of political showmanship and discrimination after the Social Security Administration announced it wouldn’t accept any marriage licenses from San Francisco – gay or straight – until the marriage equality issue was resolved.

“I think it was political and retaliatory,” Newsom said in an interview after his first town hall meeting since taking office 52 days ago. “The president is not only now discriminating against gay couples, he’s discriminating against straight people.”

Newsom said his administration looks forward to arguing the constitutionality of marriage equality before the California Supreme Court.

The high court declined a request by Attorney General Bill Lockyer to immediately shut down San Francisco’s marriage for gays and lesbians – more than 3,400 such ceremonies have been performed since the city began issuing the licenses.

Instead, the justices told the city and a conservative group that opposes marriage equality to file new legal briefs by March 5 in response to the attorney general’s petition.

“Not only did two lower court judges ... determine there is no irreparable harm being done, now the Supreme Court said the same thing,” Newsom said.

From the beginning, Newsom said, it was his intention to bring the issue before the high court for resolution.

Newsom lashed out at the Bush administration after addressing a massive crowd at a middle school in the Castro district, a predominantly gay and lesbian section of San Francisco.

Calling Newsom “visionary” and “courageous,” many in the crowd thanked the mayor for allowing them to marry their partners. One even called him “Saint Newsom.”

“It feels like a Woodstock event,” said Marty Monetti, 52, who came out to show support for the mayor. “This is a celebratory movement. He’s a very courageous man.”

“I’m starting to feel that we can do anything in San Francisco if we have the courage to stand up,” Newsom told the crowd.