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09/24/2008

Okay, we don't need to say 'homophobic' -- we'll just say 'not AT ALL with us on our issues!'

by Jeremy Hooper

The Log Cabin Republicans are all kinds of mad at Mike Rogers and Michelangelo Signorile because of the Mike-y duo's decision to highlight the fact that an openly gay man, Mark Buse, serves as John McCain's chief of staff. Speaking to the matter, LCR's Scott Tucker has posted the following to LCR's official blog:

[T[his political stunt by Mike Rogers just proves what Log Cabin has been saying for years. John McCain is an inclusive Republican who hires the best people, regardless of sexual orientation.



Also, can we please stop childishly lobbing the “homophobic” insult at Republicans who don’t agree with us on every issue? Rogers and his crowd keep saying McCain is “homophobic” or “anti-gay.” Words mean things. Calling John McCain homophobic doesn’t make it so. The truth is, Sen. John McCain is anything but homophobic. This is a man who has a record of hiring gay staff members–as evidenced by this recent “bombshell.”

And you know what? We would actually agree that "homophobic" is sometimes misused. But let's not sidestep the real issue in order to gain political ground. And that issue, regardless of terminology? That John McCain, despite what LCR desperately wants you to believe, is not a Republican who simply doesn't "agree with us on every issue." John McCain is a Republican who is against VIRTUALLY EVERY GAY RIGHTS MEASURE ON THE TABLE:

Translation: If a few more states obtain marriage equality -- which they will in the next our to eight years -- and DOMA goes away -- which the vast majority of gay people would like it to -- it is a near certainty that you would see a President McCain who supports some sort of an FMA. You know, because we wouldn't want "armageddon."



-Palin scares us even more



And hiring gay staffers does nothing to negate these points. In fact, it can be argued that the hirings make his record and positions worse!

So while we have not and will not weigh in on the merits of the Buse "outing," we also will not stop calling LCR into question for trying to paint McCain-Palin as an "inclusive" ticket. To us, THAT "political stunt" only highlights the Log Cabin Republican's willingness to throw in the interest of partisan politics. And quite frankly, it has made this site lose CONSIDERABLE respect for an organization with which we have always had an amicable relationship!

The Politics of Personal Destruction at its Worst [BlogCabin]

Your thoughts

I also agree the term "homophobic" is misused. Or should I say many gay rights leaders, such as the HRC, tackles so-called "homophobes" who don't amount to a hill of beans = the best example being Isaiah Washington. Who cares about him, and who cares that he called somebody a slur on the set of some show? TR Knight is a big boy, can take care of himself, and makes enough $$ that he doesn't even need the rights of average GLBT citizens. Knight can BUY his gay rights. And besides - since when has TR Knight stood up for us little people? It's a shame many gay rights leaders won't even bother with the REAL homophobes, likely because (a) they're chicken, and (b) going after anti-gay politicians won't be a star-studded event. It's also self-defeating that HRC handed money over to the Log Cabinettes, which surely got funneled right into McCain/Palin's campaign. I've already warned my roomie (a loyal Obama supporter, unlike myself) that if I catch him writing another check to HRC, he's going to forfeit his hand.

Posted by: Scott | Sep 24, 2008 1:36:00 PM

HMMMM Blog Cabin doesn't allow even monitored comments? Gee how rational is that. Good piece JH... you won't need you PM cuppa after getting that worked up.

Posted by: LOrion | Sep 24, 2008 1:38:07 PM

I agree. Whatever your opinions about gays supporting the Republican Party, it is infinately worse to be selling out your values just to make political hay (or meet other hot Republicans? Who knows anymore.) John McCain is no friend of the gays and rather than abstain or God forbid, support Barack Obama, the LCR negates all of their talk about "working from within" by actively supporting a completely anti-gay ticket! LCR seems to think that since the GOP isn't arresting, firing, or lynching gay people that they are inclusive and open. Sorry, my limbo pole is set a lot lower than that. In this situation, can't you smell the whiff of the GOP supporting Palin - when only days before she was nominated the GOP was the party of Steady Experience, War Heroes, and International Cred? What happened to these smart people? They completely sold out and lost all all integrity when they saw they were losing. Shameful. All my Republican family members feel the same way; though they're not thrilled about Obama they are disgusted with the way these Republicans flushed their essential identifying characteristics - their conservitism - and became the media whores they lambasted in the Democratic Party.

Posted by: Sykler | Sep 24, 2008 2:25:50 PM

I am surprised that the Dupont Pig still has a job. I have been waiting for the press release: We were shocked and saddened to learn that for several years we have unwittingly had in our employ the infamous Dupont Pig! We thought that the leather sling in his office was just a therapeutic device for an old back injury. We have since taken swift action to rectify this situation! Thank you, and vote Palin-McCain on Nov. 4.

Posted by: Dick Mills | Sep 24, 2008 2:49:58 PM

McCain is SEFL DESTRUCTING right before our eyes...well not on Friday, cuz now he's wants out of the debate...can't think of two things at once.

epublican John McCain said Wednesday he wants to delay Friday's debate with Democratic rival Barack Obama and temporarily put aside their partisan campaign to resolve the nation's financial crisis. ...and why would they need he and his lobby cronies in Washington??? To get their cut of the pie I guess, after all they are the ones that caused all this to begin with. ...also reported is that entire campaign is stopped...and he does not look well.

Posted by: LOrion | Sep 24, 2008 3:41:10 PM

And how about this one on WAPO

BOLD step from McCain. He does really care about the people and not his own personal ambition. I am a Hillary supporter, and was not sure who to vote for. This seals my vote for McCain. I believe in his slogan now, Country First. Posted by: J Smith | September 24, 2008 3:25 PM

-------------------------

Oh my goodness, there is someone dumber than Sarah Palin??? Great one! CLUCK,CLUCK,CLUCK...can he even spell chicken??

Posted by: LOrion | Sep 24, 2008 3:44:37 PM

New Washington Post/ABC News poll out: "The poll found that, among likely voters, Obama now leads McCain by 52 percent to 43 percent."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/23/AR2008092303667_pf.html Polls are notoriously unreliable! But, since 2006, there has been an increase in the number of registered Democrats of 2,000,000 and corresponding decrease of 344,000 Republicans (in the 28 or 26??) states that register based on party affiliation. All of these factors seem to bode poorly for the Palin/McCain ticket. And, since McCain has just pulled out of the Presidential Debate, and has places a "moratorium" on his attack-ads, it begs the question, "Has the old man given up?" Granted, there are a lot of reasons that could contribute to his decision to pull out of the debate. He may suspect that it will not be beneficial to his campaign - since the more he talks, the more voters abandon him. Or, maybe he is exhausted physically, I mean, he is a really ollllld man. Or, maybe he wants to seem more like he is "in charge" of this financial meltdown, though the phrase that I would use in more like "at least partly responsible for" this financial meltdown. Or, maybe he wants to seem more like he "gives a crap" about the economy. And, there are probably a dozen other possible reasons for pulling out of the debate. But none of them would answer why he wants to stop his campaign, or stop his attack-ads. The cynical side of me wants to muse upon the notion that the old man is convinced that he is going to lose, and is saving up his war-chest for his retirement. But, at the same time the possibility that he is planning some kind of all-out assault for the end of October also enters my mind. I guess time will tell, but it certainly is an interesting turn of events.

Posted by: Dick Mills | Sep 24, 2008 5:59:49 PM

Sorry, but your comments don't make any sense. Log Cabin has already issued a statement saying Buse wasn't "outed" at all since he has always been open about his orientation. GayPatriot and GayPatriotWest quickly made similar pronouncements. Of course, they then immediately decried liberals for being monstrous and vicious in this outrageous form of "politics of personal destruction." Notice anything? The only way the Cabinette's victimhood makes sense is if you assume that merely being gay is something extremely nasty and horrifying. By definition, Cabinettes are perpetuating some of the most homphobic stereotypes imaginable.

Posted by: Hal | Sep 25, 2008 2:44:09 AM

"Sorry, but your comments don't make any sense." Whose comments, Hal? And why? I don't understand your point in the first paragraph.

Posted by: G-A-Y | Sep 25, 2008 7:17:05 AM

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