North Carolinian politico Kay Hagan garnered some gay sympathy yesterday after it was revealed that her state's Republican party had launched a homophobic campaign against the Senatorial candidate, whom they claim will usher in the fearsome "radical homosexual agenda."

Libertarian candidate and gay man Christopher Cole saw our report and scoffed at the description of Hagan as "gay-friendly." And, to prove his point, Mr. Cole sent us this article, which reads:

The reality is that Hagan has been silent on gay marriage, even when directly asked.

The NC Family Policy Council distributed a candidate questionnaire that explicitly included the marriage issue. The answers clearly distinguish Libertarian Cole as supporting equality under the law, Dole opposed. Hagan? Silent.

Out in Asheville, a gay-market newspaper in the western end of the state, published a voter guide, in which neither Dole nor Hagan spoke to their reporter. Libertarian Cole did, and is quoted strongly in favor of equality under the law.

As an openly-gay man himself, Libertarian Christopher Cole has a personal and moral perspective on the legal treatment of gay and lesbian folks. Maybe that is why the Republicans attack the tongue-tied Hagan, but not the outspoken Cole.

Well, they probably attacked Hagan because she's got more of a shot of beating out Elizabeth Dole than Cole, but what do we know?

Bob Barr obviously believes in selective memory.

The Libertarian presidential nominee told voters last week that he opposes the Defense of Marriage Act, a piece of legislation he wrote while the Republican Governor of Georgia. The turnaround garnered him some praise and gave Libertarian voters hope that their candidate would fight for their free-wheeling, states rights values. Too bad Barr doesn't really buy what he's selling.

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Libertarians sure know how to raise a stink.

Party members in Utah have joined forces for a very vocal protest against Dell Schanze, who wants to be the state's Libertarian gubernatorial candidate.

Former leaders aren't having it and hope to push him from the ticket. And, yes, some opposition rests on Schanze's anti-gay, decidedly un-Libertarian principles. Former party leader Jim Dexter remarked, "If anything, Super Dell is an anti-libertarian. He’s a bully, a bigot and a homophobe who has fired employees because they were gay or non-LDS…"

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Mike Gravel may have some competition! The presidential candidate, who yesterday ditched the Democrats for the Libertarian party, will now have to face off against former Congressman Bob Barr.

Georgian-based Barr told voters that he's "very seriously considering" throwing his name into the ring:

There’s been a tremendous expressed to me both directly and indirectly on the Internet. I take that support very seriously, and I think it also reflects a great deal of dissatisfaction with the current candidates and the current two-party system. So it is something, to be honest with you, that I’m looking very seriously at.

The move's a bit of a queer decision for former Republican Barr…

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Mike Gravel reminded the world of his presidential candidacy today when he announced he'll run as a Libertarian, rather than a Democrat. And he adorably cantankerous politico took the occasion to blast his former colleagues:

The fact is, the Democratic Party today is no longer the party of FDR. It is a party that continues to sustain war, the military-industrial complex and imperialism — all of which I find anathema to my views.

By and large, I have been repeatedly marginalized in both national debates and in media exposure by the Democratic leadership, which works in tandem with the corporate interests that control what we read and hear in the media.

I look forward to advancing my presidential candidacy within the Libertarian Party, which is considerably closer to my values, my foreign policy views and my domestic views.

Good for you, Mike! We appreciate your gumption, party criticism and civi dedication. As for your grasp of reality? Well, that's something else entirely.