Ken Mehlman and Friends Soon to be "Out" and About?

[Crankie Avalon]

OUT AND ABOUT TO GET UGLY
How many closet cases does it take to reelect a president?

By Michelangelo Signorile

IF YOU DRIVE a Volvo and you do yoga, you are pretty much a Democrat," the Bush-Cheney campaign manager Ken Mehlman—soon to be the head of the Republican National Committee—reportedly told a meeting of Republican governors last week. "If you drive a Lincoln or a BMW and you own a gun, you're voting for George W. Bush."

Since he's so confident labeling people based on outward characteristics, Mehlman must understand why his being a 37-year-old "bachelor" who refuses to answer questions about his sexual orientation is a tip-off to many that he's a pathetic closet case, and a pretty vile one at that, having used antigay hatred (aka "moral values") to help elect Bush. Mehlman was actually boasting to the governors about his slick new strategies, telling them that the Bush-Cheney campaign studied voters' consumer habits—basically snooping into voters' personal lives—in targeting them.

"We did what Visa did," Mehlman bragged. "We acquired a lot of consumer data. What magazine do you subscribe to? Do you own a gun? How often do the folks go to church? Where do you send your kids to school? Are you married? Based on that, we were able to develop an exact kind of consumer model that corporate America does every day to predict how people vote—not based on where they live but how they live."

Surely Mehlman can't complain now that people are talking about his marital status and how he lives—right? Last week, the blogs were abuzz with stories about Mehlman, who refused to tell the Washington Blade when asked several weeks ago if he or others who worked in prominent positions in the campaign are gay. Reporters, according to long-time activist John Aravosis on his Americablog.org, have in recent days been popping the question to White House officials, now that Bush has chosen Mehlman to lead the RNC. They're apparently being told off the record by the White House that Mehlman is straight, and thus the reporters aren't running with anything. But if Mehlman really is heterosexual, why wouldn't the White House—and Mehlman—say so on the record? It would certainly end the speculation and calm the suspicions and fears of the irrepressible leaders of the Christian right, who now believe they're in the driver's seat.

Of course, if the White House or the RNC went on record saying Mehlman is straight, it would invite the media to study the issue further and report facts they may find to the contrary. By not saying anything, the White House keeps the topic off-limits entirely. The scared-shitless press corp wouldn't dare go there and thus be accused of invading Mehlman's privacy. And that still invites the question: What is the White House hiding, and why don't reporters see it as relevant to discuss in a year in which the Republicans gay-bashed their way to victory?

Continued: http://www.nypress.com/17/47/news&columns/signorile.cfm

[Hello_Kitty]

1. Gay or straight, he's 37 and not married

Which should make him suspect to the legions of god-fearing, family values Bush-bots. Doesn't he know that the only acceptable lifestyle in Murka is the patriarchal nookular family. Married couple with kids and the father firmly entrenched as the leader.
One meme that we liberals need to pound into the consciousness of the people is that if you are single, divorced, cohabitating, non-white, non-hetero, non-Christian, or differ from the 'norm' in any way (in other words, the majority of the population), you are not acceptable to the Repukes. They'll take your votes and your tax dollars but don't expect anything from them in return.
People like this Mehlman guy should have to answer prying personal questions at every turn. I have no sympathy for them if they want to work for the very political movement that derides people for being different. Ann Coulter should be constantly grilled about the fact that she's not married and doesn't have children, given her rabid anti-feminist commentary. She should be ironing her husband's shirts instead of running her mouth off on TV. Rush should be pilloried for his 3 divorces and his childlessness at every conceivable opportunity. I don't have or want children myself but I don't try to force traditional views on everyone else. People who do should get it back in spades.

[goclark]

2. I totally agree!

It's not about outing Mehlman it's about speaking OUT against injustice wherever it is found!

Mehlman is not the only gay running around the WH and why we keep tipping around the issue is beyond me.

What the hell do we have to lose?

Where is Larry Fynt now that we need him!

All these Christian values words that are coming out of CNN and FOX are full of it.

I bet that O'Reilly has more stuff in his closet.

They have destroyed many of our leaders by saying they are this or that --- let's get the TRUTH out there. Notice I said only the truth,not lies.

[stella2cat]

3. Gay or straight, he's 37 and the most aesthetically challenged of all! n/t

[n2mark]

4. Never thought

I was not prejudice before but may be I am....any male who is 37 not married is usually gay, have some mother issues, sexual issues or a priest, multiple choice. I'm a female, what do males think?

[Stinky The Clown]

5. I am fundamentally against "outing" but can easily compromise my

principles in cases like this. As someone said, this isn't about outing Mehlman, per se. It is about shining light on the hypocrosy. I hope this guy gets outted in a spectacular way ... film at eleven kinda stuff.

On a side note ...... I never knew I could harbor such hateful thoughts as I have come to harbor lately. Everywhere I turn there's more reason to simply, viscerally, reflexively "hate". I am capable of controlling the urge to act on this hate, but it is clearly there. Does anyone else feel this way?