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In 2004, the Bush/Cheney campaign, following the advice of Karl Rove, exploited anti-gay animus to help win a second term. Ken Mehlman, who managed Bush's 2004 campaign, told my friend Tom Schaller he regrets the strategy.
"At a personal level, I wish I had spoken out against the effort," he says. "As I've been involved in the fight for marriage equality, one of the things I've learned is how many people were harmed by the campaigns in which I was involved. I apologize to them and tell them I am sorry."
It's a welcome sentiment from Mehlman, a partner at a New York private equity firm, who announced in 2010 that he's gay. And if this sounds at all familiar, it's probably because this isn't the only notable candid regret we've heard from the guy -- in 2005, Mehlman, in his capacity as chairman of the Republican National Committee, apologized to the NAACP for his party's reliance on racial division to win elections.
"Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization," Mehlman said at the time. "I am here today as the Republican chairman to tell you we were wrong."
When it comes to LGBT rights, meanwhile, Mehlman's larger point isn't just his compunction about 2004, but also his optimism about the near future:
...Mehlman is encouraged by changes within his party, especially the support among younger Republicans for marital equality and related positions. In 2011, Mehlman personally lobbied 13 New York state Republican legislators to help pass the state's same-sex marriage law, and did the same with 10 Republican U.S. senators during the congressional battle to repeal "don't ask, don't tell." Although he is still a loyal Republican -- he recently contributed to a fundraiser for House Speaker John Boehner, a gay marriage opponent -- a month ago Mehlman published an Op-Ed in the conservative Manchester Union-Leader in which he explained to conservatives and Republicans why supporting same-sex marriage venerates their beliefs not only in individual and economic freedoms, but personal responsibility and family values.
Will Mehlman's efforts within his party pay off? Paul Waldman is optimistic, writing today, "I'll bet that within a decade or two, as support for same-sex marriage spreads, it will become the majority opinion even within the GOP. At that point -- just as they do with race today -- they'll do what they can to whitewash their history and pretend that they were the real advocates of equality all along."
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Should the GOP ever come to its senses and accept gay marriage, I wouldn't let my guard down. After all, we all assumed contraception was a settled matter decades ago.
Sorry I slapped you so hard but it was just my way of getting ahead.
Meanwhile Bush hides while Cheney slides from the lies and false patriotism that will keep them in the history books for a long time. Sorry 'bout that.
Rove of course will never apologize because that is a sign of weakness. Besides loves stirring the pot.
Key phrase: "Although he is still a loyal Republican -- he recently contributed to a fundraiser for House Speaker John Boehner, a gay marriage opponent".
Shorter Mehlman: "Even though I'm gay, I am STILL a homophobic dirtbag."
He's afraid of losing the "mystique" that gay implies.
Note to Mehlman: Call me in 2112, when "your party" has made some visible progress.
Karl Rove's mentor Lee Atwater had a similar revival, although on his death bed, and I wonder what it is that makes hate mongers - from Atwater to Ken Mehlman to Ted Olson - have a change of heart. I'm delighted that they do but what is it about their thought process that makes them realize they have been so wrong for so long?
If only he could have come out to himself before the rest of the world (including Bill Maher and our own Rachel Maddow) figured it out:
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/08/25/4970263-mehlman-gets-around-to-coming-out#c16901860 (h/t @GrrrlRomeo)
Republicans can only win elections by using a "divide and conquer" strategy. Go back and look at the impressive list of "others" they've exploited: Communists, student war protesters, "hippies," blacks, Hispanics, public employees, gays, intellectuals (pointy-headed, of course), welfare recipients, Muslims, union members, and public school teachers, among others.
Their policies are usually so toxic for the masses that they have to distract voters with appeals to fear, hatred, and suspicion. I'd like to think that people will eventually see through this, but fear and hatred are things for which there's always a bull market.
There's something about this piece that reminds me of movies that deal with incendiary racist issues but present it from the point of view from the noble forward-thinking white guy who defends a black guy wrongfully accused of murder or hides runaway slaves. In other words, in the next 10 years, Republican's attitudes about gay marriage probably will change, but it won't be because of the work of too-little-too-late Mehlman, but because the more racist elements of the party are by and large older Americans who will be dying off...
Ken will still probably accept any credit you want to give him, though. He's magnanimous like that.
We started a little war based on lies and deception. Sorry about that .
Give me a break
Reminds me of the Holy Grail sketch where the Sir Lancelot goes in and kills everyone in the wedding party
Who killed who
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxFrXuly_B0
This is a test. The far right evangelical committee is testing the waters to see just how much parting they can create before the tide pushes back. There will be further testing of these waters with each test becoming a little more rigid.
Metal fatigue caused by constant flexing will crack the plow but a re-weld or forging can be done as the seeds sown grow and mature. Thus the plow will once more be ready to break ground for replanting next season.Voter suppression will act as weed control, state's rights will allow micro management of controllable acreage.
The key here is that the ground has been tilled and will be easier to loosen next time. Rocks and stumps have been uncovered and await removal. The soil is well fertilized and aerated. This may be the final rotation of crops though.
The far right can all soften their stances but will still be in the great GOP caucus in hell. I would love to see that movie. As they roast they will still blame the liberal media.
uh so basically Mehlman would prefer to do the "attack first, apologize later" routine. He should know that after even two instances of this tactic, people realize he's just a liar - and apparently, a pathological one at that. His apologies ARE NOT accepted. They're meaningless pap.
He still needs to make the world a better place by jumping out the window of the top floor of his robber's roost (er, I mean corporate office) and join Andrew Dimbart in becoming a "good" Republican.
Meh-lman can kiss my behind.
We need more Republicans to realize and do more than regret what they do, but do the opposite of what they feel guilty for doing.
Do not vote for these people and tell them loudly "you have to stop this". "you are hurting people in the process of pandering for votes". STOP. Sever ties with them, start a new party or vote for the other party, p l e a s e s t o p overlooking these giant blisters that are a result of the problem. The repeated friction you apply to hypnotize voters result in those blisters and bloody hands. By hacking away with an axe, what will be left once you chop down everything in sight?
Treat the problem, take action, extract yourself. Apologizing is a first step, keep going all you folks that apologize (or blame others) for your multitude of blemishes. Do not vote for Republicans, they thrive on pandering to haters and controllers that cry foul when they glimpse some change or person which they disapprove.
I truly hope the voters will not just vote reflexively or to punish President Obama for not being superman. Do what it takes to tell them to STOP it. Why not listen to the truth and see that Obama has not raised taxes and he has been having some success. I am, I would never vote for anti gay Republican party. They will keep doing it.
If Mehlman sincerely wanted to atone for the harm he brought to bear on so many lives he has yet proved it.
First of all his eyes were wide open to the fact that anti-gay marriage and racially polarizing campaigns would adversely affect people's lives, but he chose to set any concerns aside because winning elections take priority over all else, the consequences be damned. In other words he acted in accordance with the Republican handbook, the end goal justifies the means. Until Mehlman admits that, his apologies otherwise won't mean a hill of beans nor will his atonement be complete.
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