Former Republican National Committee chair Ken Mehlman says he's gay. Mehlman tells Marc Ambinder that he reached that conclusion recently. Judging from this Bill Maher interview on Larry King from 2006, recently is a relative notion.
Mehlman managed President George Bush's 2004 re-election campaign, the one that was all about the twinned threats of terrorism and the gays. From Ambinder's report:
He said that he "really wished" he had come to terms with his sexual orientation earlier, "so I could have worked against [the Federal Marriage Amendment]" and "reached out to the gay community in the way I reached out to African Americans."
Yeah, imagine that.
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Duh-duh-duh-dun-dun. Another one bites the dust.
I am wondering how much damage he caused....the duplicity is astounding. What he does in his bedroom is his own business, but his policies at that time affected what happens in many of my friends bedrooms.
it's a maxim that the things we most decry in others is what we hate about ourselves. usually. Before I came out, I felt very uncomfortable about lesbians and gays and just thought it was sickening. I was such a bible thumper because I was so not at peace with myself. It wasn't until I went into recovery and got into an atmosphere of grace that I found the space to come out. So when I look at Fred Phelps that nutso westboro guy whose church protests, I think major self-loathing. A lot can be said about other people too.
I have often found that there are things I can't admit to myself until they have been discussed in the national media for six years. I didn't realize I was a cat person until Bill Maher outed me to Christopher Hitchens.
He 'reached the conclusion RECENTLY"??? Who does he think he is kidding? How stupid does he think we all are? Why do repubs lie about this issue constantly? I wonder how long it will take Charlie Crist to come out. Repubs are the most destructive people in the whole country. And hypocritical. But, then again, we all know that, don't we??
And why is this news, again?
This is the result of the gay rights movement. More people can come to that realization without it being... life ending.
I am however perplexed by gay conservatives who are in complete denial that Republicans use gay rights as a wedge issue. On the other hand, Democrats will regret having dragged their feet.
I have a kind of relational memory (I made that up). I seem to remember.... Rachel angry, "sounds like Ken Mehlmen only less gay," Tucker Carlson's mind blown. Ah, there it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQXvjoQJz7I at about 3:00 minutes in.
I believe Rachel outed Mehlman on MSNBC before Mahr did on CNN. ;)
oh, SNAP. Rachel took him down. She's way too smart for Tucker. And I'm amazed at your memory, to recall this after 3 years.
WHAT?
There are hypocrites in high positions in politics?
This is news?
Next you will be telling me there are people in office who are self-aggrandizing, greedy egomaniacs. This is all too much, I thought our politicians were almost perfect people one and all.
hilarious, I've now spent my evening watching old old rachel clips. thanks.
riiiight. B/C you can't oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment unless you're an out gay.
?????
whiskey tango foxtrot. I'm sure the gays don't even want to claim this guy.
Opposing anti-gay legislation and homophobic attitudes is much, much harder if you are a closted Republican than if you are out, or are not Republican.
"The gays" are of mixed opinion as to whether or not to "claim this guy." They are a diverse lot.
Of course whether they "claim him" or not he's still gay.
Someone should tell Ken Mehlman that being a disingenuous liar is something to be ashamed of; being gay is not.
Mike Rogers at BlogActive wrote a great piece about this today. Here's the link:
http://blog.blogactive.com/2010/08/if-i-had-to-say-what-one-thing-really.html
who's next? lindsey graham, ken cuccinelli, sharon angle and ayn rand paul. even money on all four.
Is he coming out as black now too? There's a special place in gay hell for this guy. I think it's called Secaucus, New Jersey. He's only coming out now because Mike Rogers of BlogActive and the folks at RawStory were on the verge of outing him. What a coward.
There are times when I wonder if EVERYONE in the Republican Party is actually a closet lesbian/gay man. They all "doth protest" far too much!!
"hating yourself is the greatest love of all" I think that is one of the most powerful liines I have heard in a long time.
Interesting description of narcissism.
It is unacceptable that this reincarnation of Roy Cohn has been embraced by the American Foundation for Equal Rights (worked to overturn Prop.8 in California).
"Why would someone who's gay, speak out against it?"
Shame. I used to be one, it's a terrible thing. To be so ashamed of who you are because the people around you condemn it, nor do they understand it.
Congrats Mehlman on your coming out.
I'm proud of him that he finally did the hard work of coming to terms with himself. However, I truly hope some of that coming to terms included an honest assessment of the damage he's aided and abetted to real people's lives throughout his political career.
I know there are plenty of "a-list" gay men who will welcome him with open arms. (My experience of that portion of the community is that it is pretty much focused on only those issues which directly affect it, the rest of us be damned.) And while it's commendable that he wants to contribute to the well-being of his "new-found" community, I hope he realizes the vast majority of those of us who've been in the trenches for decades will have an immensely difficult time trusting that he means us well. Indeed, a good portion of us will have trouble not heaping our anger upon him.
In other words, he has to earn his chops the same way we all did - a whole lot of volunteer work, pouring every bit of available resource into the fight, and facing the depredations on our community with implacable courage as the haters of the world take delight in the damage they cause.
Lately, these not-quite-earthshaking "I'm gay" announcements are usually followed by an announcement of a release date for their latest book. Besides, is anyone with gaydar really shocked? My gayday reveals future announcements by Charlie Crist, Linsey Graham, and Ken "The Cooch".
To quote Captain Renault in Casablanca, I'm shocked, shocked!
Jews who collaborated with Hitler can be excused on the grounds they were forced on pain of death or worse. Mehlman collaborated with the Republican homophobic bigots purely out of greed and lust for power. He deserves to be shunned for the rest of his life. He deserves neither "support" nor "understanding".
absolutely. and it had nothing to do with his coming out process. amazing what republicans will do for money.
another queer republican whore, like mary cheney. soulless.
What really ticks me off about the Republicans is that they put all those anti-gay measures on the ballots just to draw their bigoted base to the polls to vote for the Republican candidates. It was not even honest hatred of gays. They threw gays under the bus just to get a few votes.
Doing that stimulated gay bashings, perhaps a murder or two. They take no responsibility for the consquences of selling hate.