Gay Marriage’s Unlikely Hero

[NYCGirl]

And who is it? Our old friend, Ken Mehlman.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/06/25/bush-republican-party-leader-ken-mehlman-unlikely-hero-of-new-york-s-gay-marriage-vote.html

Mehlman was quick to credit New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo with leading the charge to victory, and downplayed his own role. “I’m a guy who follows others,” he said. But the veteran political operative did his fair share, making an argument unthinkable just a scant six years ago: that gay marriage should be reframed as a family values issue, and therefore belongs squarely in the wheelhouse of the Republican Party.

On May 6, Mehlman traveled to Albany to attend a meeting with the leaders of New York’s GOP-controlled legislature, and make his pitch. “There’ s a strong Republican and conservative case to be made in favor of the right to marry,” Mehlman told the room. “If we are all endowed by a creator with unalienable rights including the pursuit of happiness, how can that not include marrying the person you love?” And like any good campaign strategist, he buttressed his argument with poll data: nearly 60 percent of New Yorkers said in recent polling that they support same-sex marriage. The GOP should not, he hinted, wind up on the wrong side of history.

On June 6, two weeks before the legislative session was officially set to end, Mehlman was back in the state capitol to drive his argument home. He met one-on-one with 13 lawmakers, including the four Republican state senators who eventually voted in favor of the bill. Mehlman took pains not to draw too much attention to his efforts. As his friend, Bill Smith, political director at the Gill Action Fund, a gay-rights organization that orchestrated the conservative lobbying in New York, puts it, “he has been careful not to leave many fingerprints, like people who are looking for credit.” But the four Republican votes ended a deadlocked legislative session and made New York the sixth, largest, and most influential state to adopt same-sex marriage.

New York was not his first gay-rights campaign. Last fall, Mehlman teamed up with the White House and progressive lobbyists to press Republican senators considering voting to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the policy to that forced gay members of the U.S. military to hide their sexuality. Mehlman lobbied 10 GOP senators. Eventually, six Republicans voted to repeal the 17-year-old policy. When the White House invited Mehlman to attend the bill’s historic signing, he balked.

MORE AT LINK

[Taverner]

1. Quite a few Republicans are in favor of marriage equality

It seems to be one of those issues like gun rights and abortion where the majority of America is in favor.

Hell, even some dyed in the wool fundies I know are for marriage equality because "gays should be held accountable too" - whatever THAT means.

[NYCGirl]

2. Mehlman (insert Jerry Lewis impression here) has turned out

not so bad.