Gay-rights opponent Santorum stands by outed aide

[Ian David]

Posted on Fri, Jul. 15, 2005

Gay-rights opponent Santorum stands by outed aide

BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN

Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - (KRT) - The senior spokesman for Sen. Rick Santorum, R- Pa., Friday confirmed to a web log that he is gay.





According to PageOneQ, an online gay and lesbian publication, director of communications Robert L. Traynham, said that he was an "out gay man who completely supports the senator."





Santorum, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate leadership has been an outspoken opponent of homosexual rights and a leading proponent of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.



"You know, Traynham, some men prefer to eat both oysters and snails..."



Santorum, who was traveling in Pittsburgh, released the following statement:



"Robert Traynham ... is widely respected and admired on Capitol Hill, both among the press corps and among the congressional staff, as a communications professional. Not only is Mr. Traynham an exemplary staffer, but he is also a trusted friend confidente to me and my family. Mr. Traynham is a valued member of my staff and I regret that this effort on behalf of people who oppose me has made him a target of bigotry in their eyes.








"It is entirely unacceptable that my staffs' personal lives are considered fair game by partisans looking for arguments to bolster my opponent's campaign. Mr. Traynham continues to have my full support and confidence as well as my prayers as he navigates this rude and mean spirited invasion of his personal life."





More:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/politics/12144709.htm





See also:

Rick Santorum's Communications Director confirms to PageOneQ he is gay
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1629791






Santorum's Communications Director says he's been gay and "out"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=221&topic_id=13850&mesg_id=13850





Raw: Santorum has a gay aide
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4103230

[The Doctor.]

1. OH. MY. GOD.

Not only is your presentation magnificent, but your subject matter is terribly disturbing.

How remarkable it is that someone who has vied for the invasion of privacy in order to outlaw 'abhorrent behavior' now stands up for 'the private life' of one of his head operatives.

Does no one on the right understand hypocrisy and what it says about someone?

[countmyvote4real]

21. "his head operatives"

Maybe nobody else bit it because it was too easy. Otherwise, I’d say it’s brilliant subterfuge that I’m biting.

Or maybe it was just a happy accident.

[mondo joe]

2. Beautiful photo references!

[Ian David]

5. Thank you. Does it get a "greatest" nomination or what? n/t

[The Doctor.]

7. For those who truly know no shame of their own...

Of Course it does!

Such a well-constructed, time-consuming, and artful presentation deserves no less.
(And it really can't hurt for an artist to get behind his own work either.)

[Ian David]

9. That's what Gay Bobby (Robert Traynham) says about Santorum

He likes to "get behind his work."

[The Doctor.]

19. ....

:hurts: :spank:

[Neshanic]

22. Agree, those are great. Love the North by Northwest .

[dArKeR]

3. I just heard an Air America girl say she thinks Santorm and Rove are

closet homosexuals.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. That's it.

Santorum is nuts. Insane. Delusional.

[The Doctor.]

8. I think we have yet another two 'Conservative Idiots' for this week.

Though I secretly believe that many very clever and well-disciplined gay and lesbian operatives have made their way into the highest ranks of Republican servitude in order to discredit them from within.

And that most certainly takes discipline... :spank:

[Ian David]

12. I suggested just that sort of thing in another thread

Could Gay Bobby be deliberately trying to sabotage Santorum?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1629791&mesg_id=1630805

[Robeson]

6. Republican's credo: Do as we say, not as we do.

[sonicx]

10. Gays for Santorum = Jews for Hitler. Recommended.

[The Mafia Squirrel]

28. That's dead on

It's terrible to imagine supporting someone who insists you're a second class citizen and an abomination. Blacks for Strom, Women for Newt, et al.

[Miss Chybil]

11. Is there a college class somewhere that teaches people how to speak

out of both sides of their mouth like this guy does? And why would Traynham back Santorum? I don't get it. Is he that desperate for a job?

[Ian David]

14. Maybe Santorum is a really good bottom that Gay Bobby can't live without

He just can't stop spreading Santorum.

[anotherdrew]

13. how cute, are they holding hands too?

Question for the Senator: "Given your statements on the senate floor that legitimizing homosexuality will lead to man-on-dog sex, Does senator think he would like to let his outed aid walk his dog?"

[Ian David]

15. Wow, more press....

Homophobic Senator's Chief Of Staff Confirms Gay Rumors
365Gay.com - 6 hours ago
... Prior to joining Santorum, Traynham served as Political Director for Black America’s Political Action Committee (BAMPAC), an organization whose mission is ...
http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/07/071505santorum.htm

Gay-rights opponent Santorum stands by outed aide San Luis Obispo Tribune
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/politics/12144709.htm

Spokesman for antigay senator says he's gay The Advocate
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid18876.asp

all 16 related »
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&ncl=http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/07/071505santorum.htm

Lawmakers Ask Santorum to Apologize
Washington Post, DC - 1 hour ago
... Rick Santorum, R-Pa. A spokesman for Santorum said Friday that the senator stands by his comments. Spokesman Robert Traynham said it was very sad that Sen. ...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/15/AR2005071502093.html

The ideologue who squeaked Boston Globe
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/07/15/the_ideologue_who_squeaked


all 237 related »
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&ncl=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/15/AR2005071502093.html


In sanctum Santorum
Boston Globe, MA - Jul 11, 2005

He {Santorum} talked about ''man on dog" sex in once explaining to a reporter his opposition to homosexuality. He told The New York Times that gay marriage ''absolutely" threatens his own marriage.


http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/07/12/in_sanctum_santorum

[anotherdrew]

16. "you'd have the right to do anything" must be frightening for such folk

"gay marriage 'absolutely' threatens his own marriage."
must be a weak as hell marriage I guess


I'll have to remember that about the 'man-on-dog stuff being separate from the senate speech, thanks for the clue there.

[IndianaGreen]

17. I see nothing wrong in the outing of any GLBT rightwinger

particularly one that works for someone as odious as Santorum. You know, many of Hitler's storm troopers were self-hating gays that saw nothing wrong in sleeping with young men at night, while beating drag queens in the daytime.

[assclown_bush]

23. I totally agree with you. OUT OUT damn spot!!!

If you are a self loathing gay person working for the vilification and oppression of your fellow GLBT brethren (ala Mayor West of Spokane), you are going to get Outed...sooner or later...the information is sadly too juicy to ignore in this day and age. The only way to avoid this is to be OUT from the beginning. If Sanctum Santorum will want you to work for him as an openly gay person, then go with god. But I doubt that scumbag would want any openly gay person working for him...Let's just see how long it takes for Santorum to lose Gay Bobby.

[wildwww2]

36. I think Santorum will stick with Bobby. This is just to cloud the issue.

It is an effort to seperate Santorum from his hate filled words about gays in the past. Santorum is getting whipped in the polls. They have to get the election close enough to steal you know. It is the GOP mode of operation after all.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[wmills551]

30. It is wrong

Digging into the private life of support staff to damage someone politically is bullshit.

[sonicx]

31. the aide said he was already out.

There was no digging.

[wmills551]

32. If he was out then why is this a story?

It is one thing to be out, and another thing to be front page news. It was wrong to do it to him no matter how good it feels. He is not a senator, he works for a senator, and his private life should be off limits to the press unless he draws attention to it himself.

[mitchum]

34. BULLSHIT! No quarter for the GOP and the house queens who work...

for their oppressive agenda.

[Misunderestimator]

38. Why is it a story? The same way it would be a story if a black man worked

for the head of the KKK. Why WOULDN'T this be a story?

[assclown_bush]

37. Exposing hypocrisy is something we MUST do.

Closeted gays who work for rabidly homophobic employers are fair game. If the closet-queens have nothing to hide then what have they got to fear from public exposure? Sanctum Santorum has equated gay sex with bestiality. Any gay person who works for him should be dragged out into the light and publicly ridiculed. Not for being gay....but for aiding and abetting the enemy.
Gay republicans are traitors to the cause of civil rights and the just treatment of GLBT people.

ASSCLOWNBUSH

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

43. No, it's not.

Not as long as they work for a clown who would deny GLBT people full rights under the law. Period.

[mondo joe]

18. And Col. Sanders PR director is.... A CHICKEN!

Oh the humanity!!

[IndianaGreen]

20. and Goebbels's press secretary was Jewish!

Excellent chicken analogy, mondo joe!

[anotherdrew]

25. so that makes Scott McClellan a....

??? is he part iraqi ?

[despairing optimist]

24. All that these types care about is loyalty. Not truth, not logic, not

consistency or equanimity or justice. As long as you are a loyal, trusted servant, you can eat newborn infants live and they will find a way to vindicate you. Such is the nature of the decline and corruption of our body politic today. For some there is infinite mercy, and for the rest nothing but a living hell. These people suck doggy dick.

[Gregorian]

26. J. Edgar Hoover

It's such a brilliant thread, I hope this isn't inappropriate. But I just couldn't get that name out of my head.

And like someone said up above- What is it about hypocrisy that these people don't get? It would be so entertaining if people's lives weren't being ruined.

[jobycom]

27. I mean... what... ? I'm just at a loss

Bigotry? "I regret that this effort on behalf of people who oppose me has made him a target of bigotry in their eyes"?

But he says... and the people who oppose him...

That word can't mean what he thinks it means.

[Jade Fox]

40. I know....

The ablility of people like Santorum to come up with twisted logic is nearly
unbelievable.

So, I guess it is NOT bigotry when Santorum attacks gays for BEING GAY.
But it IS bigotry when people point out that an employee and friend of
his is gay.....

Forget it. Every fuse in my head just blew.

[PittLib]

29. From what I've seen, not only is he gay but ...

African American as well. Looks like a bit of a double whammy. Hmmm ... self loathing in deed.

[CJCRANE]

33. The problem with self-loathing types

is that they usually hate everyone else as well.

[hippywife]

35. "But, but, but...

he's my gay."

[Karenina]

44. BINGO!

THAT is the dynamic.

[ticapnews]

39. It would be terrible if some of Man-on-Dog's constituents...

...when calling his office, and when an aide answered, asked in a quiet voice: "Are you the gay one? I really want to talk to the gay one." Or, if they were supporters of Senator Sanitarium, "I really don't want to talk to the gay one. Might catch AIDS or something over the phone line."

That would be terrible.

[wallwriter]

41. Santorum stands behind him...

[pfitz59]

42. "Senator Sancto-rectum bends over backwards.......

in support of his gay AIDS!" Asked to comment, the Senator said "I find it reprehensible that the Lieberal media should make an issue of Gay AIDS! Gay AIDS are no laughing matter! I have Gay AIDS, and stand behind them every day!"