A Wisconsin voter got all sorts of riled at a John McCain rally today.

Telling the Republican presidential candidate that he's "mad" at the "socialist taking over our country." The man then went on to blast those "hooligans" Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi. The crowd at it up - and so did McCain, who concluded, "Well, I — I think I got the message. Could I just say, the gentleman is right. The Democrats have been in the majority for the last two years. Have we seen any improvement?" The crowd replied with a boisterous "no."

Yet again, McCain allows questionable language to be released at one of his events.

[via TPM]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently sat down to gush about gay marriage, which, if her enthusiasm is any indication, she thinks is just the best thing ever.

While she's proud of her home state of California's decision to give same-sex love the green light, she's very firm in her belief that nuptials should remain a state-based issues. She's hopeful, however, that younger generations will stamp out institutional discrimination and squash down anti-gay marriage laws.

Gotta love that optimism!

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has some 'splaining to do!

Former American soldier Jason Knight, who was booted under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, submitted this video to CNN's Situation Room asking Pelosi what she intends to do about the discriminatory policy.

In an effort to build his case, Knight reminds Pelosi that she defended lesbian lawmaker Tammy Baldwin's right to bring her lover on Congressional trips. Why, then, can't she stand up for gay military men and women?

Pelosi appears on the show tonight, so she has some time to think of a measured - and hopefully progressive - response.

The Democratic Party claims to have the gays' backs. Why, then, are they not actively pushing against Don't Ask Don't Tell. Well, there are a few reasons, according to the Associated Press.

One, they don't want rile the right-wing during this crucial election season. Two, they're afraid of botching the job a la Bill Clinton. And, perhaps mostly importantly, the party's not entirely sure they can get it done, but that doesn't mean they're not committed to the cause:

The party's reluctance to champion the cause also is a matter of political reality: Democrats lack a veto-proof majority in Congress.

"We know this is an issue that would not be met with a lot of enthusiasm on the part of the administration. That's a big reality," said Rep. Susan Davis, D-Calif., chairwoman of the House Armed Services personnel subcommittee. "You want to spend time on the things you can move."

Davis and other Democrats now say opportunity is on the horizon, especially if Obama is elected president. (Whereas Obama supports allowing gays to serve openly, the GOP presumptive nominee John McCain backs the current policy.)

Davis said she plans to convene a hearing on the issue by the end of the year. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she supports the creation of a panel of military experts to study the issue.

While a number of military analysts have come out against the discriminatory policy, Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen thinks it's up to Congress to decide the matter.

Missouri-based politico Sam Graves recently released this video decrying opponent Kay Barnes' so-called "San Francisco Values." You know what that means: loving the gays.

PS: This is the most low budget campaign commercial we've ever seen. Ever.

The United States government's queer discrimination runs deeper than we thought. Politico reports this morning that the Pentagon attempted to block Tammy Baldwin from traveling with her long time lover, Lauren Azar, with whom she exchanged domestic partner vows in 1998.

While Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his cronies claim Azar doesn't count as a "spouse," Speaker Nancy Pelosi came out in full force for Baldwin.

In appealing to Gates, Pelosi aides said their boss was simply asking the defense secretary to follow a precedent established by her predecessor, former Republican Rep. Dennis Hastert of Illinois. Pelosi told Gates that Hastert had allowed Baldwin to take Azar on a previous trip abroad.

Gates, who was apparently unaware of any earlier trips, told the speaker that she was responsible for the House travel rules and had the authority to make an exception, according to officials on and off the Hill. His only requirement was that Pelosi send him a letter authorizing the trip. Pelosi sent such a letter moments after the phone call ended, and Azar was allowed on the plane.

The Department of Defense makes clear to Politico that their decision simply reflects a deal with Pelosi and should not be taken as a precedent. Aren't they charming?

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Mark Foley still hasn't been properly investigated for his salacious exchanges with underage Congressional pages.

The case hit a roadblock last summer when House lawyers refused to turn over Foley computers. Hoping to cut through the red tape, Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to grant them access. She refused. Instead, Pelosi passed the matter on to the House Office of General Counsel. Said a spokesman: "The speaker referred the commissioner's request to the House Office of General Counsel, and that response is the response of the House."

The Palm Beach Post ain't happy with Pelosi's shenanigans - the editors published a scathing letter this morning, which reads:

Rep. Pelosi should allow the FDLE access. Foley should be allowed to declare which files he thinks are protected. If a judge agrees, those files would be withheld.
…
A lawmaker's legislative materials should be off-limits. But we already know that Foley sent all those lewd messages to former pages. In a milder exchange, he said of a teenager's shorts, "Love to slip them off of you." That remark has nothing to do with lawmaking. The public deserves to know whether it had to do with law-breaking.

And, if nothing else, Foley's guilty of supremely tacky lameness: "Love to slip them off of you"? Who says that?!

• Out's February issue proves what we already knew: Richard Simmons is the queen of all queens.

• Lauren Williams hung out with Phylicia Rashad and the rest of the cast from the Debbie Allen Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and all we got was this incredible post!

• Hummer inspired by NYC-based fag rag HX? Wouldn't be the first time…

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Judy Shepard ain't shutting up about the House's decision to ditch hate crimes legislation. Nor should she.

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The NY Times wags an editorial finger at the House of Representatives for last week's hate crime turn around. The piece, entitled "Caving In On Hate Crimes," includes some sharp words for Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

Congressional leaders, who have disappointed frequently this year, have done it again. This time, the House leadership has failed to find a way to get a bipartisan law against hate crimes passed and signed into law. Racial, religious, sexual and other minorities have waited long enough. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has to do more than just express her support for the bill; she must find a way to make it the law.
…
President Bush has suggested he would veto the bill. It’s an unfortunate threat, but one he is certainly capable of carrying out. House and Senate leaders planned to get around that threat by attaching it to a Department of Defense Authorization bill, which Mr. Bush would have had trouble vetoing. But House leaders decided last week that since some liberals did not want to vote for the defense bill and some conservatives did not want to vote for the hate crimes bill, they could not piece together a majority to get it through.

Ms. Pelosi says she is still committed to getting the Matthew Shepard Act passed, perhaps early next year. That’s nice, but it is time for her to explain how she intends to do it — and then to make it happen.

That goes for the rest of the Democrats, as well.