My own view is that’s not what decided the 2004 election. I’ve had debates with friends on it. I understand where people are coming from. … No [I don’t regret being part of the campaign]. What I regret is the fact that I had not come to terms with this part of my life and therefore, because I had not come to terms with it, I was not able to do what I was able to do in other areas and work for a more inclusive and broader party.
—Ken Mehlman, the former George W. Bush campaign manager and RNC chairman who just came out, and terrible human being who’s trying to make things right by trying to knock down Prop 8 [via]
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Shorter version:
“I was only following orders.”
The party always comes before equality for homocons.
Sceth
Reminds me of Hannah Arendt’s famous coinage, “The banality of Evil.” But please, Bush was never an ideological conservative; he was a Moralist. Moralist politics cannot appeal to a broad base.
Skeptical Cicada
If you think it advances our movement for closeted gay Republicans to come out, then encourage it. That means cut them some slack when they do come out and opt to work for positive change.
At any rate, Bush is gone now, and the current problem is our own lackluster “fierce advocate” Barack Obama, for which Mehlman bears no responsibility.
wompman
Sorry Skeptical, but the “newly” gay Mehlman is directly responsible for 31 ugly, anti-gay state amendments. That douche-nozzle needs to do a hell of a lot more than a little song and dance and donate to create “positive change.” That repugnant tool has a hell of a lot more to do than that to even begin to try to understand the damage he caused (and got quite wealthy from).
Skeptical Cicada
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I don’t feel all warm and fuzzy toward him. I just think lashing out at him is one of those things that feels good, but is probably counterproductive because it discourages others to follow his lead. I don’t mean to suggest celebrating him, just biting our lips a bit.
wompman
I hear what you are saying Skeptical, but it would be nice for future Mehlmans to come to that realization before they do the kind of horrific damage that unforgivable twat has done.
Okay, now I’m biting my lip!
jd
No. The answer is no. He needs to suffer. He should suffer. That way others (Mary Cheney) will know what awaits them. The idea that these individuals should somehow be embraced is repulsive. Unless, of course, they want to spill dirt now that will guarantee we will never see the likes of them (or Bush) again.
Dave
@wompman:
I’ll never again look at a “douche nozzle” in the same way. Such a worthless fleck as Mehlman does not deserve the comparison.
Condenasty
I feel no pity for the negative reaction he is getting. He chose to hide his gayness to cash-in on a lucrative career with the GOP where he hurt his own kind. Give me a break he is pathetic and he derserves what he gets…
CJ
At least some Republicans are changing their tune.
Meanwhile… Obama is still waiting for the results of his DADT survey.
Sceth
@Condenasty: Hide his gayness? He explicitly stated that he didn’t want know. It’s like Hitler finding out that he’s Ashkenazi.
menlo
Many gays just happen to be brilliant political strategists – witness McCain’s miraculous comeback in Arizona. The fact that their candidates/bosses just happen to espouse discrimination and worse toward their own kind does not seem to phase these people.
reason
His selfishness is just spilling out in the quote, the only reason he would work to support something if it is directly benefiting him. Now that he is ready to hold hands with boys in public and introduce them to his friends he can fight for equality. If he didn’t happen to be gay there would be no reason for him to do anything for us.
@CJ: Are you serious? A gay republican changes his tune on attacking gays as one of the most vile things on the plant and you say some republicans are changing their tune. Thats like saying the devil decided not to kill his brother so the devil is changing his tune on murder.
Qjersey
Somewhere there are dozens of homocons hoping he shows up at the next Log Cabin Republican speed dating event.
WalkderDC
Yeah, his old boss wasn’t a homophobe according to him. So why wait until he wasn’t working for him anymore?
Ken, you waited a long time to come out, don’t compound the error by trying to defend your past behavior. Admit you were basically a colaborator with people trying to do you harm. Then apologize and move on. Trying to defend your cowardly actions that hurt people like you is pathetic.
james_from_the_great_city_of_cambridge
Just die traitorous asshole. Painfully.
DR
You people are vile. Let’s give the man a chance before breaking out the pitchforks and torches.
Some of you have this obsessive need to be angry, I get that, but wishing him dead? That’s just pathetic.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Please give us a break. The only reason this sniveling scumbag came out is there is allegedly very persusavie evidence of him participating in some pretty raunchy kinky activities that was about to come out. He supposdly decided to come out simply to attempt some damage control prior to the revelations. ……..
He is not attempting to mend fences with the Gays nor do any good for our community. The mucky mucks in the repugnatican party must have given the sign that he is finished at any kind of national level position and he is now trying to find a place for his sorry ass at some local levels in a more liberal setting. He is simply attempting to save his own pathetic ass and somehow salvage his employment possibilities.……..
jd
And you, sir, are an embarrassment. He had his “chance” and he blew it. He also helped to negatively impact, if not destroy peoples lives. His actions are inexcusable.
Gary B.
As somewhat of an aside, I’ve been pretty bummed that in the last couple of weeks or so the whole gay marriage debate has died down in the news once the 9th District put California gay marriages on hold. Obviously it will come back, but these waiting/holding periods suck.
AT LEAST this puts the issue back in the national spotlight again by showing yet another prominent gay figure. I’m not saying anything about him personally, but in the end this particular news piece will hopefully only help the cause.
On the humorous side, how many people, back when he was doing what he was doing with Bush jokingly said he’s probably in the closet himself! How right they were…
tjr101
This piece of shit needs to go back into the closet!
Martin Murray
He is a repugnant piece of shit!
Adam Sank
I don’t wish him — or anyone — dead. But I do believe that if every self-hating closet case would stop working on behalf of our enemies today, the country would be a much better place. The entire country — not just our community — would be better off.
And that goes for all you idiots calling yourselves “gay conservatives.” Have some dignity and some pride, for God’s sake, and stop supportng the very people who want to wipe you off the face of the earth.
Jason Jones
@DR: “You people are vile. Let’s give the man a chance before breaking out the pitchforks and torches.” DR, this coming out thing didn’t hit him by surprise. He’s apparently been planning this maneuver for months. There isn’t any reason why expressions of shame and regret couldn’t have been among the first things that fell out of his mouth when he finally made his announcement if he felt that way.
Bob A
Here’s what Mr.(spit) Mehlman’s actual apology SHOULD be:
“I realize that although Gay Americans comprise only 10% of the population, 40% of all youth and young adult SUICIDES in this nation committed by GLBT and questioning young people, a staggering and tragic fact. To all these people who were pushed over the edge by the horrible anti-gay rhetoric promulgated by the Republican Party, as a direct result of my actions and took their own lives… to them and their families I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I am not worthy of of your forgiveness, but I pray some day you may see it in your heart show me the same humanity that I utterly failed to show them…”
GOProud Tea Party Homocon
I just love watching you losers spew your bile. He came to terms with himself, he came out, he is working for marriage equality now. All you can do is whine and complain. He does not owe you jack shit and has no reason to care what you think. Now go whine about your “fierce advocate” Barack Hussein Osama, how is that working out for you?
Jason Jones
@GOProud Tea Party Homocon:
If you’re a person who thinks it’s strange to criticize someone for having done terrible things and doesn’t understand why such a person should feel guilty for it, really, what can one usefully reply? You’ve just demonstrated the clinical traits of a sociopath, so you’re beyond reason.