A reader writes:
Think about it this way: Republicans who want to smear a guy are saying that he's insufficiently devoted to gay civil rights.
Sure, they're being hypocritical. But it's still kind of an extraordinary thing. It's been only a few years since gay marriage was cynically used as a bogus wedge issue — something that would gin up fear and mobilize the GOP base. Now they're taking the opposite tack in their cynical use of homosexuality for political ends. People who aren't 100% on board with civil rights are unfit for high office.
The party is still awful and cynical. But it does show real progress.
Another:
I remember being glued to your blog when you were covering Richard Grenell getting booted from the Romney campaign. But I may have missed this, but where was Log Cabin then? What was R. Clarke Cooper saying then?
Here's what he said:
Ric was essentially hounded by the far right and far left. The Romney campaign has lost a well-known advocate of conservative ideas and a talented spokesman, and I am certain he will remain an active voice for a confident U.S. foreign policy.
Hounded by the far right and the far left? You mean: like Hagel?
By the way, this piece in the Washington Blade has some helpful context. Cooper announced his resignation from Log Cabin Republicans the day after the ad came out. They have not found a permanent replacement. Meanwhile:
Asked by the Blade to explain why the Gay City News comments were different from the content of the anti-Hagel ad, Cooper said at that time Log Cabin hadn’t yet reached a final decision on Hagel. "What is consistent is where I’ve been on non-proliferation of nuclear capability in Iran, or Iran writ-large," Cooper said. “When I talked with a reporter from Gay City News a while back, he said, ‘Where are you on this?’ I said, ‘We’re looking at a lot of things with our coalition partners, I worked with Chuck Hagel, but we’re going to be putting out something soon.’”
Who are the "coalition partners"? And did they play a role in this ad?
Again, it reminds me of the NGLTF on the far left, constantly muddying gay issues with other ideological fixations to placate their "coalition partners." Or HRC's long obsession with abortion rights as integral to gay equality. The only similar LCR ad in recent history was one backing marriage equality in the Republican Convention. That made sense. Going out on a limb to torpedo a Republican nominee doesn't.
The Dish 