We're not easily shocked. We've seen it all, so the sight of 46-year old Steven Cole in a bikini doesn't really raise an eyebrow. But, it certainly did for one Ohio father, who called the coppers after seeing Cole "fondling" himself at a neighborhood park. Police pulled Cole over, found him to be drunk and took him to lock up. Pretty standard, right? Right. We did raise an eyebrow, however, at the Cincinnati Enquirer's account. Cue the screaming children and hysterical women!

Cole was arrested after a Mason father [Troy Harphant] enjoying the balmy spring weather at the park spotted him and called police.

Harphant was at the park with his wife, Wendy, as they watched their daughter, Hayley, 6, zip around on a bike path on her pink Barbie Princess scooter.

At least 100 other adults and children also were at the park, Harphant said.
...
[Harphant] then followed [Cole's] truck as it drove around the park – including by the children’s playground - and called police on his cell phone.

Oh the horror! Those poor children! Steven Cole's a monster! He must be strung up by his testicles so he remembers what it's like to be a man!! And then he must be forced to clean that little girl's Barbie Princess scooter, for it has been tarnished by his sick, twisted ways!

Christ, this shit reminds us of brouhaha in Knoxville. Are we living in the dark age? Well, we're not, but apparently the sun doesn't shine on Ohio. Or, at least, not the Enquirer.

• Rosie O'Donnell glossed over that whole Donald Trump feud with a bitchy snarl. We've never seen her look so good. [TMZ]

• Prince William spent some time talking to the less rich, royal. What a prince. Literally. [BBC]

• Four Roman Catholic bishops told Massachusett's legislators they want another gay-nup vote. What a surprise. [The Boston Globe]

• Super cool lesbian couple Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan appealed Ireland's High Court's dismissal of their Canadian marriage. [RTE News]

• NY psychologist Carol Gilligan and author Angela PhillipsTime Magazine article. Ah, the sweet smell of downfall. [Truth Wins Out]

• Ohio's anti-bullying law were passed on to exiting Governor Bob Taft. He's got ten days to sign it. Cross your fingers. [Gay People's Chronicle]

To kick off The Power Issue, we turn the floor over to homo-journo, Mickey Weems. You may recall that we've featured Weems most recently for his imaginative take on Hell House.

Now, Weems offers us an open letter he wrote to Ohio Secretary of State, John Kenneth Blackwell (pictured).

As you may recall, the Buckeye State served as one of the most important arenas of political strife back in 2004, when 350,000 votes were refused by shady pollsters. Many contend that those discarded votes decided the fierce electoral war between John Kerry and President Bush.

Beyond the close margin of victory, a number of lawsuits brought the state national media attention. So, where does Blackwell fit into all of this? Well, while sitting as Secretary of State, the conservative Blackwell had the dubious honor in 2004 of serving as Chief Elections official of Ohio and honorary co-chair of the "Committee to re-elect George W. Bush." Needless to say, there's a bit of a conflict of interest in holding both seats. Not surprisingly, all allegations of voter fraud were either ignored or dismissed. (For more background, check out this New Yorker article.)

Now, Secretary of State Blackwell's battling it out with Ted Strickland in Ohio's gubernatorial race. Though every single survey taken puts Strickland ahead of Blackwell (most recently by 36 points), more than a few questions have been raised on how much Blackwell's position as Secretarty of State may "influence" the votes.

In celebration of the election – and with scathingly hilarious wit – homo-journo Weems shares his letter to Blackwell: a letter to which Blackwell never responded

Perhaps Blackwell was too busy perverting democracy or, as Weems contends, too caught up emulating Katherine Harris, Florida’s former Secretary of State. It was Harris' ruling, after all, that played a big role in President Bush’s ascension to power, thus ushering in one of the most disastrous political eras of our time.

[Read On ...]

It's not often that we feel bad for Republicans, but we have to admit we're sort of sad to hear that Mark Foley's fag-hag, Deborah Pryce of Ohio (pictured), has suffered in the polls since the scandal erupted.

The New York Times reports:

Ms. Pryce always thought she would have a difficult re-election campaign this year in a state raked by Republican scandals. But since Mr. Foley quit, she said in an interview on a tense day of campaigning here, her own internal polls have measured a steady drop in support under the weight of attacks by Mary Jo Kilroy, her Democratic opponent.

Among those attacks are radio spots on Christian radio stations questioning whether or not Pryce had any role in the Congressional cover-up.

We know politics is an ugly game, but going after someone simply because they're friends with someone seems a little childish. Regardless of whether or not Kilroy's going a bit low, the fact that Pryce's support for Foley has visibily damaged her numbers certainly indicates where things in this country are headed: up.

In case you didn't know, there's a battle raging for Ohio's soul. In one corner is Rod (ironic, no?) Parsley and his hate-mongering Reformation Ohio and in the other is Equality Ohio. Parsley's group aims to purge all anti-Christian elements from the Buckeye Sate, while Equality Ohio works to bring people together.

We've just received this link to an Equality Ohio video comparing the two movements. If you're not up-to-date on the 513 and its political woes, check it out. The elections in November will have a huge impact on who gets the KO in RO v. EO. It's a battle worthy of pay per view. We'll give you on guess as to who we're cheering for...

For more information on both groups, follow their respective links.

• In Britain, tabloid The Sun apologized for yesterday's cover story showing Prince Harry grabbing a girl's breasts at club. Not only did the rag get the nightclub wrong, they got the date of the photos wrong: They were taken in August 2003, not August 2006. [Guardian]

• In Ohio, a gay rights group has abandoned its effort to have Cincinnati voters decide whether gay men and women should be protected under the city's anti-discrimination ordinance after many of its signatures were acknowledged to be forgeries. [AP]

• In Kansas, two boys have confessed to stealing the rainbow flag – yes, that rainbow flag – waving outside a Meade bed and breakfast. The boys' father last week brought them to the B&B to apologize to the owners. [Out Q News]

• In New Mexico, the beating an 18-year-old gay man in Edgewood last month is now being attributed to the attackers' wanting to "scare him straight" after he allegedly touch the butt of one of the suspects. [Out Q News]

• Marcia Cross is still fuming over Barbara Walters asking her whether she is a lesbian. The question came during a live The View segment — and beforehand backstage, Walters told Cross she would have to ask her about it. [Scoop]

• In Wisconsin, tourism officials are worried that the industry will take a hit if voters in November greenlight a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. [AP]

• In Estonia, police launch a formal investigation into the attacks on the gay pride parade held in the nation's capital Tallinn over the weekend. [Advocate]

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Thanks to Queerty cage slave Richard, who sent in the above footage from Columbus, Ohio's gay pride parade. After the jump, check out a few more videos (and photos) from the Midwest celebrations!

[Read On ...]

We've never been to Cleveland, but from the looks of these pictures, they know how to throw quite a Pride bash. Our buddy the Gay Guru has given us an inside look at the festivities from Saturday, which include not just a parade, but a big "Pride festival" that drew a big crowd. Performing at the festival was Paul Lekakis (of "Boom, Boom, Boom. Let's Go Back To My Room" fame) who presumably has a new single out that must have garnered him enough cash to avoid all that facial work.

Check out the rest of GG's photos for a more detailed glimpse into midwestern gayness.

MEME Mondays, Cleveland Gay Pride Festival (part 2) [Gay Guru]

If you haven’t yet heard of Merrill Keiser you should. He’s a trucker running for U.S. Senate in Ohio and wants to make homosexual behavior punishable by death. Believe it or not, he’s a democrat. Yep. We can’t even see red staters voting for this guy.

Keiser showed up on the queer radio show The Edge Show to spew his hate. It appears as if he could do without one of our favorite musical queens.

Host Chad Larson: Elton John, he comes to the state of Ohio, he’s gay and proud, you want him dead? Should he be killed?

Candidate Merrill Keiser: I would prefer that he repent

Larson: Obviously, he’s not repenting, should he be killed?

Keiser: Well he’s worthy of death

And what about trigger happy Vice President Cheney’s dykey daughter?

Larson: So you are saying Mary Cheney …So you are saying Mary Cheney should be killed for being a homosexual.

Keiser: Why don’t we….What’s wrong with drugs?

We have no idea what Keiser meant by that final comment. Was he suggesting she be drugged like Larson later inquires? Or was he asking a genuine question about the acceptance of drugs in general?

Maybe Keiser was on drugs during the interview. No, that would be giving him too much credit.

Click here for the juicy audio clip.

US politician says Elton John should be executed [Pink News]

• Three out politicians were elected in Ohio last night. We thought that only happens in San Francisco.

• Texans approved a ban on gay marriage yesterday and in Maine the voters upheld a law giving protection from discrimination to homosexuals. We are thinking a fall foliage trip to Maine is in order.

• Bradford’s hometown of Baltimore needs a makeover. Somebody call Simon Doonan stat!

• London Terrace Towers in Chelsea has some new rules: "No one may touch or fondle [themselves or] another person in any part of the Pool or the Health Club facility.” Famous residents Annie Leibovitz and Debbie Harry are probably happy with the new policy. Matthew has yet to comment. Via Gawker.

• Sharon Osbourne says Madonna looks like an old hooker. She would know. Her daughter looks like a fat hooker.