I'm a little late to the story about Newt being so concerned about America that he cheated on his wive(s).
I guess he was trying to say he's a Star Spangled Banger.
More fun with Newt here.
Showing posts with label newt gingrich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newt gingrich. Show all posts
Friday, March 11, 2011
Monday, September 22, 2008
McCain's Senate Chief of Staff
Outed, today, by the usual suspects.
I'm not linking because I don't agree with outing as a political tool.
That McCain's chief of staff is gay tells us nothing new about the Senator - his embrace of the religious right, his opposition to gay marriage while going on Ellen and congratulating her and wishing her well already show him to be a hypocrite and using anti-gay positions to win political support.
Hell, it's not even a new story -- rabidly anti-gay Rick Santorum had a gay press secretary.
And we've seen how Republicans in private are gay friendly (recently, Newt Gingrich movingly eulogizing his gay friend at a memorial service I attended) and how they cynically use homophobia to appeal to voters even while acknowledging the anti-gay policy they espouse is something they personally don't agree with (GOP strategist Rich Galen saying gay marriage might save lives by promoting monogamy instead of promiscuity in a time of AIDS, but GOP candidates should scream "San Francisco values" anyway to get elected. In other words, to his view and in by his own logic, saving lives is less important than winning elections. Disgusting).
This news is simply, well, more of the same.
As for the gay COS. I don't know why he works for McCain and I don't think it's any of my business. I am out socially and professionally and I wouldn't choose otherwise -- but that's my business. We don't know the particulars of his personal life or the reasons he has made the choices he has. Nor should we. He is not the elected official here.
And outing someone -- a potentially personally destructive act -- for policy disagreement, however tempting, is a slippery slope. I know it seems cut and dried in this case, but where does it stop and who draws the line?
I don't think hate crimes laws are necessary. Does that mean the many gays who do are justified in trying to punish me personally? That's what outing is. It may make some gay activists feel good but doesn't change a damn thing.
I'm not linking because I don't agree with outing as a political tool.
That McCain's chief of staff is gay tells us nothing new about the Senator - his embrace of the religious right, his opposition to gay marriage while going on Ellen and congratulating her and wishing her well already show him to be a hypocrite and using anti-gay positions to win political support.
Hell, it's not even a new story -- rabidly anti-gay Rick Santorum had a gay press secretary.
And we've seen how Republicans in private are gay friendly (recently, Newt Gingrich movingly eulogizing his gay friend at a memorial service I attended) and how they cynically use homophobia to appeal to voters even while acknowledging the anti-gay policy they espouse is something they personally don't agree with (GOP strategist Rich Galen saying gay marriage might save lives by promoting monogamy instead of promiscuity in a time of AIDS, but GOP candidates should scream "San Francisco values" anyway to get elected. In other words, to his view and in by his own logic, saving lives is less important than winning elections. Disgusting).
This news is simply, well, more of the same.
As for the gay COS. I don't know why he works for McCain and I don't think it's any of my business. I am out socially and professionally and I wouldn't choose otherwise -- but that's my business. We don't know the particulars of his personal life or the reasons he has made the choices he has. Nor should we. He is not the elected official here.
And outing someone -- a potentially personally destructive act -- for policy disagreement, however tempting, is a slippery slope. I know it seems cut and dried in this case, but where does it stop and who draws the line?
I don't think hate crimes laws are necessary. Does that mean the many gays who do are justified in trying to punish me personally? That's what outing is. It may make some gay activists feel good but doesn't change a damn thing.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Newt Gingrich Attends Gay Friend's Funeral
Today Eli and I went to a memorial service of an acquaintance. I didn't know the deceased, but I know his partner of 23 years.
After I sat down I noticed the man sitting next to us looked familiar. And indeed he was. It was the former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. Turns out he was friends with the departed and his surviving partner. Enough so, that he gave special remarks during the service. Enough so that he choked up delivering those remarks.
Before he stood up and walked to the front to speak, he said to his companion sitting next to him, "I didn't see anyone here who mattered?" And looked to her for confirmation.
Hmm. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he meant someone he should acknowledge, like another Member of Congress. Uh, no. Clearly, in his grief, he wasn't forgetting to be political...although I don't know what he said in his remarks that could have possibly caused any more stir than the mere fact that he was at a gay friend's Memorial Service.
Yes, Right Wing Conservative Republicans have gay friends. They can shed tears for them but they just can't cast votes for them in Congress.
I've no doubt Newt was there because he valued his friendship with the two men. I just wish he would reconcile his personal life with his public life, and tell his friends on the right that their anti-gay policies are a house of cards built on a foundation of hypocrisy.
After I sat down I noticed the man sitting next to us looked familiar. And indeed he was. It was the former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. Turns out he was friends with the departed and his surviving partner. Enough so, that he gave special remarks during the service. Enough so that he choked up delivering those remarks.
Before he stood up and walked to the front to speak, he said to his companion sitting next to him, "I didn't see anyone here who mattered?" And looked to her for confirmation.
Hmm. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he meant someone he should acknowledge, like another Member of Congress. Uh, no. Clearly, in his grief, he wasn't forgetting to be political...although I don't know what he said in his remarks that could have possibly caused any more stir than the mere fact that he was at a gay friend's Memorial Service.
Yes, Right Wing Conservative Republicans have gay friends. They can shed tears for them but they just can't cast votes for them in Congress.
I've no doubt Newt was there because he valued his friendship with the two men. I just wish he would reconcile his personal life with his public life, and tell his friends on the right that their anti-gay policies are a house of cards built on a foundation of hypocrisy.
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