Ken Mehlman Confronted Over Past

Activist Jon Winkleman tried to get former RNC chair Ken Mehlman to own up to his role in numerous anti-gay campaigns, but Mehlman wasn't having it. Clip description:

I ran into Bush's former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman who oversaw the anti-LGBT campaigns and ballot questions Bush used as wedge issues and to throw red meat to his base. Mehlman claims he came out after Bush left office, though it was widely known in DC that Mehlman was gay at the time. He knew what he was doing and that it was hurting other LGBT Americans. I know he helped with the efforts to pass marriage in NY but he still supports those who do us harm. Also his cynical anti-LGBT campaigns at the RNC fanned the flames of hate and violent hate crimes increased in the districts they focused. LGBT people were hurt...physically, because of Mehlman's actions. So of course I had to go over and say something.

Ken Mehlman: Why Republicans Should Support Same-Sex Marriage

Yeah, that's nice now. But don't ever for one minute forget Mehlman's leadership role in the many anti-gay marriage referendums that swept the nation during his tenure as head of the Republican National Committee.

Ken Mehlman Speaks To GOProud

Just posted to GOProud's YouTube channel is this clip of the repulsive Ken Mehlman speaking at Saturday's fundraiser in the DC home of former Cheney staffer Mary Matalin. Mehlman: "We must follow the tradition of what GOProud is doing, which is to say, 'We will define conservatism by what your mind tells you, not by arbitrary characteristics that you were born with that you can't help."

Photo Of The Day - Mehlman & Matalin

Former RNC chairman (and 21st century Roy Cohn) Ken Mehlman attended Saturday's GOProud fundraiser in the home of former Dick Cheney adviser Mary Matalin. GOProud has posted dozens of photos.

Keith Olbermann Mocks Ken Mehlman

In a piece parodying that ridiculous phone call to Anita Hill by the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Keith Olbermann used Ken Mehlman as example of some other people who have no right to apologies.

HomoConQuotable - Charles Winecoff

"Like slavery in America, there is no moving on from gay Republicanism. Robert 'KKK' Byrd can be forgiven. Jim 'I-am-a-gay-American-cheating-on-my-wife' McGreevey can be forgiven. Dean, Clinton, and Obama can be forgiven for their hollow promises to the LGBT community. Hell, even Fidel Castro can be forgiven for his homosexual re-education camps. And, of course, it wouldn’t be 'nice' to criticize Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan for a single one of his many offensive remarks, such as: 'It’s the wicked Jews, the false Jews that are promoting lesbianism, homosexuality.' As Robot B9 would say, that does not compute.

"No, for Ken Mehlman, eternal damnation is too lenient. Because of his 'bad' political choice, he’s not allowed the freedom of personal evolution that 'good' gays enjoy. He’s not allowed to change. And spitting wouldn’t satisfy the intolerant community’s need to obliterate his existence. In cases like his, the only thing that could possibly appease the oppression-obsessed gay Left would be… well, frankly, some torches, pitchforks, and a public execution. Maybe they can all convert to Islam while they’re at it. Surely, paradise can’t be too far away." - Homocon Charles Winecoff, writing for wingnut Andrew Breitbart's Big Government.

NOTE: Sen. Robert Bryd's history with the KKK was indeed largely "forgiven," but that forgiveness came after decades and decades of public service and, by Bryd's own words, "thousands of personal apologies" delivered face-to-face to the people he had wronged. Ken Mehlman has only just revealed the rainbow lining in HIS white hood and has yet to issue a single apology. Maybe after a few decades of contrite service like that delivered to the nation by Sen. Byrd and some well-publicized and believable apologies, we'll forgive Ken Mehlman too.

NEW YORK: Quisling Ken Mehlman Backs "Pro-Family" GOP U.S. House Candidate

Newly out and still not sorry for damaging the lives of millions of LGBT Americans, Quisling Ken Mehlman is co-hosting a fundraiser for Randy Altschuler, the "family values" candidate for the U.S. House on Long Island. Altschuler, who has also been endorsed by Newt Gingrich, says that his family values will have the "single greatest influence" on his voting record, should he be elected. He also launched a petition campaign opposing the so-called Ground Zero mosque and supports building a ginormous fence to keep out them dirty Mexicans.

HomoQuotable - Rich Tafel

"It pisses me off that people will put their ambition ahead of the truth, and then, when it’s convenient, play the gay card and hope that everybody [can] raise money and get money and then expect everybody to say, ‘Everything is great.' You do have to show moral courage in coming out when you work in politics. And if the message is stay ambitious, and stay in the closet, even work with anti-gay stuff, and then come out and everybody’s supposed to forgive him — I’m just not there."

“There were people always coming up to me saying that he hit on me, or I know someone who knows someone — so I don’t know if it’s anything but gossip. But the whole thing strikes me as a little almost picture perfect PR timing to do it now when it’s probably going to affect his social life if he wants to live in New York and go out and date and so forth, so I’m a little suspicious." - Former Log Cabin Republicans head Rich Tafel, speaking about Ken Mehlman to the Washington Blade.

Sirius XM At 2pm: Michelangelo Signorile Hosts Special Panel On Ethics Of Outing

On SiriusOutQ at 2pm today, Michelangelo Signorile hosts a special discussion on the ethics of outing. The show will be broadcast live from the convention of the National Gay & Lesbian Journalists Association, which is taking place this week in San Francisco.

Our panel includes Mike Rogers of Blogactive, who was at the forefront of reporting on Senator Larry Craig, Congressman Mark Foley, Ken Mehlman and many others; LZ Granderson, columnist for ESPN Page 2, host of the web-based ESPN360 talk show “Game Night” and a frequent commentator for CNN.com; and Michael Triplett, a contributor for the media analysis site Mediaite, assistant chief of correspondents for the Bureau of National Affairs, and a board member of NLGJA. They and other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender NLGJA members in the audience, journalists from across the country, will be participating, asking questions and commenting, as will be listeners from coast to coast calling in.

You can stream the show online for free. (Registration required.)

Joe Solmonese Clarifies On Mehlman

After reading last night's JMG post about his Hardball appearance, HRC head Joe Solmonese sends us this clarification on his position on Ken Mehlman.

"As the community has digested the news of Ken Mehlman’s coming out, I believe it’s important for us to move forward and use this opportunity to expand the circle of Americans supporting marriage equality. Last night on Hardball with Chris Matthews I gave a short answer regarding Ken’s coming out saying, ‘the past is the past.’ While I do believe we have to turn the page at some point, I should have given a more thorough response saying that we cannot forget the past and while many are finding it hard to forgive, our future is far more important."

HomoQuotable - Sean Bugg

"We all bear responsibility for the choices we make, especially when one chooses to improve one's own life at the expense of others. Mehlman's plea for understanding that it was 'very hard, personally,' rings hollow when compared to the lives of those who chose to live their lives honestly, even when that choice ended careers or divided families.

"Choices have consequences. The consequences of Mehlman's choices are enshrined in the constitutions of multiple states -- including my own home state of Kentucky -- a web of treachery that will take decades to undo (absent a Supreme Court decision for marriage equality, which no one should hold their breath for).

"Where some may see in Mehlman a pragmatic tool for the hardball political arena, I see a political blood diamond, a commodity so tainted by its past that it's odious to employ in the present. The fight for LGBT equality has to be about more than political warfare, more than collecting checks from rich benefactors. Pragmatism has its place, yet so does principle. Mehlman may someday find redemption enough to cleanse the taint of his past, but that redemption should be earned, not bought." - Sean Bugg, writing for Metro Weekly.

HRC's Joe Solmonese And Some Log Cabin Guy On Ken Mehlman's Coming Out

Joe Solmonese: "The past is the past. We certainly don't have the luxury at this point in our movement to turn away any offer of help." No mention from either of them on the trail of hate crimes, homeless teens, suicides, and broken families left in the wake of vicious Mehlman-led anti-gay ballot measures in twenty-one states. The past is the past and Hitler liked dogs.

Former McCain Campaign Manager Steve Schmidt Endorses Marriage Equality

The avalanche of prominent Republicans endorsing marriage equality continues today as former McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt jumps on the bandwagon. Schmidt is now listed as a co-sponsor of Ken Mehlman's AFER fundraiser.

"There is a strong conservative case to be made in favor of gay marriage," former McCain campaign manager and fellow same-sex marriage fundraiser Steve Schmidt told the Huffington Post on Tuesday. "Marriage is an institution that strengthens and stabilizes society. It is an institution that has the capacity to bring profound joy and happiness to people and it is a matter of equality and keeping faith of one of the charters of the nation, the right to live your life. "More and more conservatives are saying that opposition to gay marriage would not be a litmus test for membership in the GOP," Schmidt added. "And more conservatives are making the case that no more do you want big government conservatives in the bedroom than big government liberals telling you how to live your life."

Towleroad notes that in 2005 Schmidt attacked Mike Rogers as a "bottom feeder" for claiming that Mehlman is gay.

VERY FUCKING RELATED: John McCain's current campaign manager, Mark Buse, is an openly gay man working to elect one of the most powerful enemies of his LGBT brothers and sisters. As reminder, McCain voted YES on DOMA, NO on hate crimes, NO on ENDA, supported Prop 8, and expressed opposition to gay adoption. And of course, war hero McCain opposes the DADT compromise repeal. When is Quisling Mark Buse going to join his predecessor Steve Schmidt and come out for LGBT rights?

Here's My MSNBC Clip

Thanks to everybody who sent the clip this weekend. Obviously I had a LOT more to say, but thanks to Paris Hilton and the Titanic, they cut our segment very short. But do check out how the LCR idiot tries to spin Ken Mehlman as a some kind of superhero gay mole working within the GOP. What a fuckload of lying crap.

What's Up With AFER Donor Paul Singer?

This weekend the New York Times reported that Wall Street financier Paul Singer, who calls himself a "Barry Goldwater conservative," has secretly donated millions to LGBT causes. Singer will be hosting the upcoming Ken Mehlman fundraiser for AFER in his Manhattan home.

But Duncan Osborne reports on his blog Herd & Scene that Singer has also been a heavy backer of anti-gay GOP candidates around the nation.

When Mehlman came out in an August 25 story in The Atlantic it was clearly timed to coincide with the fundraiser so as an organizer of the 2004 campaigns it would seem that he was doing penance for those earlier anti-gay efforts. Singer and Thiel bring plenty of their own right wing baggage to this fundraiser. Call me cynical, but the same people who helped Mehlman spin his coming out may be helping Singer. For years, Singer has been a reliable and generous donor to many state and federal Republican political organizations, candidates, and office holders including some of the most anti-gay members of that party, such as Rick Santorum and Bill McCollum, who lost a bid to become the Republican nominee for Florida’s governor’s office on August 24. Singer has also supported moderate Republicans and has donated to Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat. In New York, he has donated to Democrats and Republicans, but his largest donations have gone to the state Republican and Conservative parties. In 2008, the Paul Singer Family Foundation gave $275,000 to the Manhattan Institute, a right wing group that has Singer as the chair of its board. Plenty of the experts at the institute have opposed gay marriage and other gay causes. The foundation gave the institute $30,000 in 2007. Also in 2008, the foundation gave $50,000 to the Witherspoon Institute.

Duncan Osbourne: "This fundraiser for the American Foundation for Equal Rights looks increasingly bizarre. When donors to a gay group must hire publicists to plant stories about the alleged secret philanthropy of one to gay causes or another’s struggle with his gay feelings as he attacked the gay and lesbian community it seems to me that the message is that they have doubts about their commitment. Or they think the rest of us will question their motives. The solution would have been to approach Mehlman’s coming out with some humility, but I doubt he knows what that is."

In a follow-up post today, Osborne examines Singer's donations to anti-gay candidates in Virginia such as Gov. Bob McDonnell and AG Ken Cuchinelli.

HomoQuotable - R. Clark Cooper

"Mr. Mehlman’s recent revelation that he is gay is actually good news for the party. He joins a growing chorus of elected Republican officials and well-known Republicans who support full civil rights, including former Vice President Cheney, former Solicitor General Ted Olson, former First Lady Laura Bush, as well as my former State Department colleagues Ambassador John Bolton and Ambassador Mark Wallace.

"Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do – it is also smart politics. Today’s voters believe that people should be judged by the content of their character, not by their sexual orientation. This is entirely consistent with the traditional Republican respect for the individual. Promoting that value will help us win in at the ballot box. Also, openly gay Republicans running for office like L.C.R. member, Richard Tisei, candidate for Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor, and former L.C.R. Board Member, Steve May, candidate for the Arizona Legislature, help personify diversity in the party.

"Fortunately, the Republican National Committee and the campaign entities, the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee are making strong efforts to focus on common conservative themes. These entities have reached out to Log Cabin Republicans to help revitalize the party. Inclusion will help Republicans rebuild the party base and regain a majority in Congress that can benefit all Americans." - Log Cabin Republicans executive director R. Clark Cooper, writing for the New York Times.

About MSNBC

Well...THAT could have gone better. The host apologized to me twice, but they just spent too much time on that Titanic segment so we got what, two minutes? (She was very sweet to me, I should say.) But I had SO much more to say. Rats.

RELATED: That Log Cabin guy is quite the tool, eh?

New York Times Compiles LGBT Bloggers' Responses To Ken Mehlman's Coming Out

New York Times op-ed editor Tobin Harshaw has compiled bloggers' reactions to Ken Mehlman's coming out, quoting Pam Spaulding, Melissa McEwan, and this here website thingy on the left, and the usual Quisling apologists on the right. Pam Spaulding nails it:

"While it’s nice that Ken has finally come out of the closet as an advocate, it’s really hard to forgive him for the damage he did to the community by working actively against it for pay for years. That he can coast on the gains for our community by supporting AFER’s stellar work on Prop 8 on the backs of many during his tenure at the RNC who bore the brunt of homophobia, those who died as a result of hate crimes, the activists who were assailed professionally is unbelievable. Yet here we are in 2010 watching it unfold. As a human being Mehlman owes the community a serious apology for fomenting homophobia for political gain.”

GOProud's Chris Barron On Ken Mehlman

Tomorrow On MSNBC: Me

Tomorrow morning at 9:30am I'll be on MSNBC Live with host Alex Witt to discuss the Ken Mehlman story. Also on the show via satellite will be Charles Moran of the Log Cabin Republicans. The segment should run about fifteen minutes. Guess I better go get my hair did.