Barney Frank: No to Sam Nunn as VP

[terrya]

This was posted in the GLBT forum. I think it merits how objectionable Nunn is to a lot of people.

Thank you, Barney Frank.

Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told the Rothenberg Political Report Friday that he “would have a hard time voting for the ticket” if Sen. Barack Obama picks former United States Sen. Sam Nunn as his vice-presidential running-mate.

Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and the first member of Congress to announce that he is gay, has expressed those views to Eric Holder and Caroline Kennedy, who are leading the search for Obama’s running-mate, as well as to others close to the Illinois Democrat.

The Massachusetts Democrat cites a number of examples of what he calls Nunn’s “real record of hostility” toward gays, placing greatest emphasis on Nunn’s September 1996 vote against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which failed in the Senate by a single vote.

Nunn, who had already announced that he would not run for reelection in 1996, was one of five Democrats who opposed that bill. The others were Howell Heflin (Ala.), Wendell Ford (Ky.), James Exon (Neb.) and Robert Byrd (W.V.).

http://rothenbergpoliticalreport.blogspot.com/2008/06/barney-frank-definite-no-to-nunn.html

[MrRobotsHolyOrders]

1. Thank god

Sam Nunn's cultural views are despicable, and somebody needs to stop this nonsense in its tracks.

[ronnykmarshall]

2. G'on Barney!

Thank you for speaking up.

This is only nun I want to see on the ticket!

[chascarrillo]

3. k&r

[Maven]

4. K&R

[roguevalley]

5. he's a nasty fossil and if, god forbid he ever ascends to the presidency,

we are all screwed. He's like McCain.

[cbayer]

6. Love Barney Frank.

He is the right person to speak out on this. It would be an unmitigated disaster.

[ruggerson]

7. You go Barney!

[Samantha]

8. Barney Frank wants Kerry chosen because he wants Kerry's seat

That's the same reason he came out and publicly asked Gore not to run in 2004, because he wanted Kerry to be chosen. That worked the best in Frank's interest.

That aside, Nunn is all those things people say he is, and I hope Obama does not choose him.

Sam

[Bluebear]

9. OMG this has nothing to do with Kerry.

Selecting Nunn would be a slap in the face of all gay people.

[Samantha]

12. I agree with your comment about Nunn being considered is a

slap in the face to gay people. Look at my last line in my previous point.

But Barney Frank has developed a pattern of stepping out and protecting his own best political interests. Not only does he not want Nunn, he does want Kerry for the reason I stated. Smacking down a candidate who is against the rights of the gay community while promoting the interests of the Junior Senator from Massachusetts moving up, is a win-win for Frank.

If you disagree with this statement, to what do you contribute his very public request in 2003 for Al Gore not to run in 2004? He and other DLC cohorts publicizing this request did this Country a huge disservice in stepping out and discouraging Gore to make another run. (Gore had had his "turn".) That's all I am saying.

Sam

[JoFerret]

14. And you are certain of this because...

?

[Hippo_Tron]

16. Barney Frank is 68 years old and is one of the most powerful Democrats in the House

There's no way that he would want to start all over again in the Senate. Too much time to build up all of that seniority.

[KAZ]

10. K&R. Though I think the Nunn balloon is just a sop to the center.

[Warren DeMontague]

11. If we lived in a just and sane world, Barney Frank's name would be in consideration, not Sam Nunn's.

Smart, sharp guy, and generally right on. :patriot:

[terrya]

13. AMEN

Smart, smart man...one of the smartest people in Congress....hell, the government itself...period. Fiercely liberal. A damn fine public servant.

Yes, in a perfect world, we would be considering Barney Frank as Vice President. In a really perfect world, we'd be considering Barney Frank as President. But consideration of an openly gay man or lesbian as a serious contender for President is at least 60-70 years in the future.

[Zomby Woof]

15. He is absolutely correct

I will have Nunn of it, so to speak.