This epically long election season has clearly taken a toll on John McCain.

The Republican Senator screwed up royally in Western Pennsylvania yesterday when he accidentally sided with Democrats who have called the region racist. Said McCain: "You know, I think you may have noticed that Senator Obama's supporters have been saying some pretty nasty things about Western Pennsylvania lately. And you know, I couldn't agree with them more." Whoops!

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Presbyterian minister Janet Edwards finds herself in the hot seat this week as a nine-person church court weighs whether Edwards violated the organization's constitution by blessing a same-sex union in 2005.

Edwards, who has always been forthright about her involvement in the lesbian nuptials, pleaded not guilty, while her lawyer blasted the panel's inquisition: "Never before have we seen such a concerted effort to prosecute a minister for a loving act, faithfully performed and permitted by the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA)."

A former Pennsylvania state Superior Judge, Justin M. Johnson, took the stand in Edwards' defense, saying he could find no language in the religion's constitution prohibiting same-sex blessings.

The trial continues today.

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This short clip, courtesy of FOX News, makes us laugh hysterically. The "fair and balanced" network went to a Pennsylvania diner to see who was voting for Obama and who was voting for McCain. After a show of hands, the reporter declared it "a split," although it totally wasn't. At all.

[via MG]

As children, we're taught that good always vanquishes evil. Unfortunately, that's not always the case.

Evangelical schmuck Michael Marcavage and his right wing pals are celebrating after Pennsylvania's Supreme Court struck down a gay inclusive amendment
to the state's hate crimes law:

Along with six other member of his Repent America organization, Marcavage sued a handful of state officials, including Gov. Ed Rendell, claiming the law was passed in violation of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
…
In its ruling last week, the Supreme Court essentially signed on to the opinion authored by Commonwealth Court Judge James Gardner Collins.

Collins said the bill signed into law by then Gov. Mark Schweiker in December 2002 "did not retain its original purpose as it moved through the enactment process."

In its original form, House Bill 1493 addressed "agricultural vandalism" and the "criminal offense of agricultural crop or livestock destruction." By the time it reached Schweiker, however, the bill had been gutted and rewritten to broaden the state's hate crime law.

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Good news for Pennsylvania's lavender set. The state's Senate yesterday tabled a bill that would have banned gay marriage:

The state Senate this evening voted to table a bill that would have amended the state constitution to ban gay marriage.

The main sponsor, Sen. Michael Brubaker, R-Lancaster, said it had become clear to him that the bill would not pass in the House and he therefore saw no point to a lengthy debate in the Senate.

The bill might have passed the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans 29-21.

Up to 14 amendments were planned on the bill, which would have meant a long night.

Cheeky politician Vincent Fumo's no doubt pleased - he tacked on one of those fourteen amendments: a ban on divorce.

Pennsylvania politico Vincent Fumo certainly got cheeky today.

In an attempt to squash a gay marriage amendment, which went to the state's Senate yesterday, Fumo hopes to add on his own stipulation:

[Fumo's] amendment would "outlaw the dissolution of most marriages in Pennsylvania," he said in a news release. That would mean there would be few legal ways for the divorce of a married couple, a man and a woman.

Mr. Fumo, who leaves the Senate on Nov. 30, said the stated goal of Senate Bill 1250 is to "protect the sanctity of the marital institution" by defining a legal marriage as only between one man and one woman.

The next logical step, according to Mr. Fumo, is to also outlaw divorces, except for five specific reasons: if one spouse "willfully or maliciously" deserts the other; if one spouse uses "cruel and barbarous treatment" on the other; if a person endangers his or her spouse's health or life; if one spouse is found to be a bigamist; or if one spouse "imposes indignities to make the other spouses's life intolerable and burdensome."

The Republican controlled Congress ain't likely to approve his amendment to the amendment, but he gets our useless vote for trying!

Liberal democracy just took another hit!

Pennsylvania's Senatorial Appropriations Committee today voted 18-8 to put a gay marriage amendment to a vote, which will likely happen tomorrow. Many of you are probably thinking, "Wait, doesn't Pennsylvania already have a law banning same-sex marriage?"

Well, yes; yes, it does, but conservative politicians think that an amendment's needed to ensure nothing like civil unions can be legalized. Because even pseudo-queer-equality's yucky!

The amendment reads thus: "No union other than a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as marriage or the functional equivalent of marriage by the commonwealth." Baaarf!

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Hillary Clinton's campaign lives again!

The Senator from New York tidily won a victory in today's Pennsylvania primary. Only about 85% of the votes have been counted, but early results give Clinton 55% over rival Barack Obama's 45%. That's a ten point victory and more than enough to fuel Clinton's continuation.

The Democratic candidate made sure to highlight said continuation in her victory speech, telling voters that the "tide is turning."

Some counted me out and said to drop out, but the American people don't quit. And they deserve a president who doesn't quit, either.
…
Because of you, the tide is turning.

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All eyes are on Pennsylvania as the Democratic presidential hopefuls make final appeals ahead of tomorrow's primary. And the candidates are preparing for the best - and the worst.

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