Is AMD64 a native 32 bit architecture?

["Steven L. Johnson" <steve@employees.org>]

I've read through the email in the archive.  And while a trivial 64-bit 
port for amd64 has been rejected, I don't recall seeing a similar 
discussion of a trivial 32-bit port being used as a base instead of 
running on top of a i386 port.

What I'm considering is a 32 bit port to _amd64, with a gcc default of 
-m32.  This seems roughly synonymous (at the 50K foot level) with 
changing from _i386 to _amd64 sooner rather than later for the the 32 
bit libraries and 32 biarch tool chain.  Of course the 64 bit (or 32/64 
bit) packages already ported could be added. Does the ability to 
generate a self hosting  _amd64 port (admittedly mostly 32 bit) sooner 
rather than later provide any more traction?

Comments, flames, pointers to where this discussion has happened 100 
times before?

-Steve