GOP national chair avoids question about his sexuality

[truthpusher]

Hypocrite or not, I still don't think this is a question anyone should have to answer.

March 25, 2005
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GOP national chair avoids question about his sexuality
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by Eric Resnick
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Akron--“ have asked a question people shouldn’t have to answer,” said Republican National Committee chair Ken Mehlman to a reporter asking if he is gay.

(snip)

Mehlman managed the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign and, according to the campaign’s Ohio co-chair, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, directed Ohio anti-gay activists to mount the campaign to put the Issue 1 marriage ban amendment on the ballot.

Internet bloggers have pointed out that if Mehlman, 38, unmarried and never with female companionship, is gay, he is a hypocrite.

Activist and blogger John Arovosis says Mehlman should be outed if he is gay because “Mehlman has already said publicly that the gay issue is fair game for politics. If it is fair game, then the same rules apply to him.”

Arovosis opines that in addition to Mehlman defending George W. Bush’s anti-gay policies, “the Republican National Committee makes no bones about using gaybashing to help Republican candidates.”

More: http://www.gaypeopleschronicle.com/stories05/march/0325054.htm

[Racenut20]

1. Hey, someone is responsible for the gay guy in the press room with the

fake name

[davidinalameda]

2. the FMA isn't anti-gay?

I would ask how he can say this with a "straight" face but never mind

I want this guy busted out of the closet if he is gay so bad

[BrklynLiberal]

3. He would not have to answer it if he were not pushing an antigay agenda

[calimary]

10. Bingo. As kkkarl rove would say "fair game."

If Mehlman doesn't want his sexuality questioned, then he should have his Butt-in-ski Party butt OUT of people's privacy and sexuality issues. AND their choices for marital partners and legalized lifetime commitments. HE and HIS made this bed. Seems he just would rather not have to lie down in it.

[truthpusher]

17. KKKarl does not write my book on fairness. nt

[WI_DEM]

4. When he decided to attack the rights of gay people

he lost the right not to be upfront about his own sexuality, imo.

[LiberalFighter]

5. For that matter if he is a good "Christian" he should be married

Actually if he is a good "Republican" he should be married at his age.

Maybe he isn't gay.

MAYBE he is a slimey bastard that lives with his mommy.

[Zhade]

6. If he fights against equality for GLBTers IN ANY WAY, I disagree.

Otherwise, I agree.

[Babel_17]

7. Hypocrisy is always an issue and warrants questions

If the DNC chair promoted attacking non-vegetarians then he would have to take questions regarding reports that he was seen at an all you can eat barbecue.

If the DNC chair promoted attacking politicians that didn't give money to charities then questions regarding his generosity can be expected to come up.

If the DNC chair promoted attacking republicans that were soft on steroid abuse he might be expected to explain his 20" biceps.

But I'm not saying that every frivolous thought a reporter dreams up is deserving of a response. And in all honesty I think that just because someone hasn't been seen with a woman isn't grounds in itself for any speculation. And I do take into account the hypocrisy issue when I say that.

But it's NOT, imo, "a question people shouldn't have to answer".

It's a question that an honest person answers with "that's a frivolous question". If the reporter has evidence which takes it to a level beyond frivolous then that is the time to weigh in with it as the issue of potential hypocrisy is relevant.

The media has to do a balancing act weighing a public person's right to some privacy versus the times when a person's private life has a bearing on their role in the public sector that the public should know about.

I'm not that familiar with the details here. If a real reporter has grounds to ask the question then let them ask it. Ideally they should call first and lay the situation out. If they get stonewalled on it then let them ask it in public.

The question should be clearly laid out and the reporter should be sure enough of his sources to lay his credibility behind the question.

In other words, ask a real question that meets the standards of your profession and don't let go until you get a meaningful answer.

If all we have here are whispers and vague rumors then perhaps we should let this issue go.

[Joey Liberal]

8. Another Gay Anti-Gay Republican

Why are republicans such morons? The Gay bashing party seems to have a lot of gay bashers who are also Gay. Go figure.

[donco6]

9. Definitely family

<gaydar alert clanging loudly>

[IowaGuy]

11. Don't know much about this stuff...but for what its worth..I'm thinkin'

he's asexual....

[FreepFryer]

12. He's not gay, but his paid Press Corps boywhore is.

The GOP cannot play this both ways.

To presume gays are 'valid targets' for political purposes while claiming personal privacy is untenable.

The GOP's Clinton-era invasions of privacy put sexuality firmly on the table. The GOP's relentless abuse of gays puts homosexuality firmly on the table. So, let's discuss.

Fact: gays are violently assaulted and even murdered, on a regular basis.

Fact: the GOP used Gay Marriage (or fear of same) to mobilize an entire sector of their constituency with intense hatred and disrespect.

Fact: the GOP campaign against the rights of gays has direct precedent in the GOP campaign against civil rights.

Fact: Mehlman represents that organization.

He is not entitled to such privacy when his party politicizes this issue and he stands by complicit.

Don't even get me started on Guckert.

[barbaraann]

13. Also, if he's gay he's not practicing abstinence.

I would like to know if all of the never-married people in the Bush administration are virgins if they are going to oppose pre-marital sex.

[Plaid Adder]

14. "Avoiding" = answering

Let's face it, any time a straight person is asked that question, the answer is, "Fuck no! Sorry, 'scuse my language." Mehlman just thinks that if he doesn't actually explicitly admit it, he won't be 'fair game,' for some reason. Dude. The closet is not protecting you. Your powerful friends are protecting you, but they won't be able to do it forever, and then someday, you're gonna want all the advances we've been fighting for, and it'll be too late, because you'll be on the cattle cars with the rest of us.

Ah well,

The Plaid Adder

[Sparkly]

18. He's in the closet with his eyes closed.

You know how little kids do that? They think if they close their eyes, you can't see them.

It's dark! Everything's gone away!

[POAS]

15. I thought Republicans aren't allowed to have sexuality........n/t

[ruggerson]

16. Is it also verboten to ask someone if they're married? Have kids?