Honestly, Steve, I can't get too worked up about defending Dave Dreier's civil rights, as he hasn't done much to defend mine, and he's been in a position to do so for years.

Now he knows, like many of us have known, what it's like to be on the blunt end of the anti-gay stick.

This should be a lesson to us all! The next time this sort of thing happen's let's not shriek like a bunch of little girls, "He's Gay! He's Gay." Next time let's keep our powder dry and after the guy or gal is settled into position, then we can shriek "He's Gay" or "She's Gay," like a bunch of little girls. Heck, maybe after Roberts is confirmed we could do some shrieking?

the bigotry that runs unchecked through a significant quarter of the Republican party.

Only a quarter? I don't think so!

Really, Drier blocked because he is "gay," i.e. sexually dysfunctional? Defying the laws of biology won't score you points with Republicans, but being a MODERATE will definitely sink you in a House leadership position.
Also, he wasn't running around making an issue of his sex life like many gay Democrats seem to as they define themselves by their sexual dysfunctional, blaring at the top of their lungs. I think Dreier was "outed" against his will.
Dreier is AWFUL on stopping illegal immigration and against a constitutional amendment protecting marriage, so where is the red meat for the Republican base?
Finally, if I believe everything I read on the internet as these foaming Democrats try to out everyone, there sure seems to be some gay Republicans in some VERY high places.
If Dreier or any other gay politician would cut my taxes (ok there), cut spending, put the military on the border, get us out of the UN and support a defense of Marrriage Constitutional Amendment, I would vote for him for President.
By the way, I think that gay political guru who made all those ads for Jesse Helms is just SUPER despite his weird private life.

"Now he knows, like many of us have known, what it's like to be on the blunt end of the anti-gay stick."

An absolutely brilliant sentence.

I count at least 3 meanings and two terrific puns.

The next time this sort of thing happen's let's not shriek like a bunch of little girls, "He's Gay! He's Gay."

You think that James Dobson et al. didn't know this already? That's naivety for you.

Robert Morrow is what is known as an "asshole."

Please, CJD, don't insult the asshole. I'm very fond of that orifice.

As to Dreier: I don't think keeping silent now and outing him later would be of any use. Not only would Wolfie and friends keep it quiet then as much as now, but it would open Dreier up to blackmail from lots of folks I'd rather not have pulling his strings.

Well, Steve, you can't say he was blocked for being gay because he's never admitted being gay in a public forum.

When asked directly, he won't discuss his sexuality. So you can hardly write a story about him being denied power because he was gay when he has never admitted any such thing.

Really steve, how PC (which in my lexicon is defined as pious cant)

Eli, I think Steve was being facetious and running through the various excuses that the GOP/Media Axis would use for looking the other way when it came to Dreier's gayness.

Let's play compare and contrast:

In 2004, NJ Governor Jim McGreevey was revealed to have a boyfriend on the payroll. He resigned after a nationwide media orgy/firestorm directed against him.

In 2004, Congressman David Dreier was revealed to have a boyfriend on the payroll. The national media looks the other way.

The difference? McGreevey had a "D" after his name, whereas Dreier has an "R" after his.

Oh, and I think that Dreier's boyfriend pulls down a bigger salary.

Ooh, Steve, you do a really scary imitation of Howard Kurtz.

I respect Dave Dreier because he has lived by the values he set for himself. I know nothing about his skills as a legislator but I respect what he has achieved because like others who are "different" in some way he has to be better to be viewed as comparable.

I will continue to hope that we are closer to being judged by what we contribute rather than positively or negatively by some label. Labels are what lazy people or bigots use because they are unwilling to take the time to know a person.

Last on the lighter side, think of the contrast between DeLay and Dreier. If I were only a cartoonist or satirist...

Thanks for picking this up.

I'd addressed the Times' misleading coverage of this issue here:

http://thurgood.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_thurgood_archive.html#112796766223777613

One last thing, and it should have been my first comment. Thank you Steve.

We need to up the thank you ante. Back in the Bolton days many were willing to buy you a beer whenever you got to their city. As you continue forward it will be one great dinner in each of the cities of your readers.

Great comment. Can you go slap accommodationists like Kevin Drum in the face with this?

Dreier was blocked because he has a long-term, loving relationship with someone of the same sex. This has been documented on many fronts and is widely known by members of Dreier's own caucus. If the reality of this blocked Dreier's ascension, then the news has a duty not to keep this matter hidden.

Why do you or anyone else think this is somehow shocking or newsworthy? We're talking about the Republican party. The party of Ralph Reed, Pat Robertson, James Dobbson, Strom Thurmond. These people and their constiuents are hateful racists and bigots. Moreover, a lot of swing voters (of the people who vote regularly, no more than 50% are either hardcore liberals or conservatives) are bigots as well, and they are likely uncomfortable with gay polititians as well.

I hope Dreier throws a few punches back.

Pretty freaking unlikely, isn't it? Now if he were a Democrat, then he would. But he's sold his integrity to the Republican Party, so too bad for him.

Can I get a SING OUT LOUISE !!!!!!

Thanks for the breath of sanity, Steve. Kevin Drum's been acting like a real jerk on this issue.

montague

are you high? "Now if he were a democrat, then he would"? seriously, that is the most profoundly absurd thing i've read in a long time. the following adjectives describe the current dems--feckless, wimpy, afraid, punch-drunk, beaten, timorous etc. etc.

they've been beaten so much that every time they call 911, by the time the cops show up they've had second thoughts--"maybe this time he'll really change."

please. only hagel and mccain are actually capable of taking on the status quo in a national platform, and mccain is a scumbag nonetheless.

We (the people) will probably never know for sure why Dreier got squeezed out. The Dobson-or-his-ilk theory is quite plausible, but my fave is this one:

DeLay being indicted is bad for his public role, for sure. But since DeLay IS the GOP machine (with some help from Norquist, Rove, Abramof, et al.), and he hasn't LOST these connections, does it not make sense that the Hammer is still hammering away, behind the scenes? And if Delay was gonna pressure Hastert into someone else, who better than Rep. Blunt:

http://www.beyonddelay.org/beyond_delay/rep_roy_blunt_r_mo

Another fine representative of the people--er, make that the DeLay machine.

Don't be silly, robert green. I meant if Democrats had done this to him, he would throw punches. But that's unlikely, too, since Democrats are less likely to deny someone the leadership for issues of sexuality.

I'm not fond of the fraidy-cat-ness of current Dems, but they're improving. Are you a Republican?

By the way, yes, I'm high.

"In 2004, NJ Governor Jim McGreevey was revealed to have a boyfriend on the payroll. He resigned after a nationwide media orgy/firestorm directed against him."

Sorry, but the media storm came AFTER McGreevey outed himself and resigned. And the boyfriend was the least of the issues, an ongoing corruption investigation (which didn't even include the boyfriend) was a major reason for his resignation.

The difference? McGreevey had a "D" after his name, whereas Dreier has an "R" after his.

Silly me, I thought the difference was that McGreevey was married.

That's a bit more hypocritical than even Dreier, wouldn't you say?

Robert Morrow? The same RM as the avowed ex-CIA spook? That takes me back!

Nah, picture is too young. Probably another guy.

Today's Washington Post has an article about the failed attempt to appoint Dreier to replace DeLay ("Attempt to Pick Successor is Foiled"). It ignores the possible role of homophobia in the effort by conservatives to keep him out of the post.

Therefore, does the Post's unwillingness to mention this issue constitute: a show of respect for personal privacy or a reporting decision that hides the fundamental role of anti-gay prejudice in Republican decision making?

It reminds me of the tendency among Washington insiders to show deference to Jesse Helms. It wasn't until he resigned that the moderates and conservatives on the Post's op ed began to reveal their belief that he was a bigot.

If hatred plays a role in the ways our laws are made then that's news. And reporters should do more than look the other way.

What is the big deal about Dreier being gay. They had no problem with Roberts.

Amy Goodman covered the Dreier gay issue in depth on Democracy Now today.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/29/1348215

DOUG IRELAND: Well, you have in Roy Blunt a pillar of Republican conservatism and a darling of the religious right whose appointment was hailed by groups like the Family Research Council, the right wing Christian right lobby, as being a wonderful thing. David Dreier, the chairman of the House Rules Committee and one of the most powerful men in Congress, is -- very interestingly, The Washington Post in its story yesterday before when Hastert had first recommended Dreier as the replacement for DeLay, not Blunt, The Washington Post called him “a different kind of Republican” in its headline.

Well, that's kind of amusing, because Dreier is a different kind of Republican. He's a closet gay man, who has lived with his Chief of Staff, Brad Smith, in a relationship for many years and a closet case. Dreier consistently votes against full rights for gay people. He has voted against, just within the last ten days, the inclusion of gay people in the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. He has voted against the Housing for People with AIDS program, which helps poor people with AIDS to have a place to live. He has voted against allowing gay couples in the District of Columbia to adopt children. Just -- and he has opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which the Congress has yet to pass, which would prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment. So, -- and all of these things, of course, Mr. Blunt is in agreement on this homophobic political line that the Republicans used to win the election last year.

JUAN GONZALEZ: So, Doug, there were several press reports that did indicate that there was concern about the most conservative groups within the Republican Party about Dreier taking the lead role in replacing DeLay. So, is it your speculation or your sense that despite his consistently conservative record, that there were those who were opposed to him because of his own gay relationship?

DOUG IRELAND: The fact that Congressman Dreier is gay and in the closet is pretty widely known in the Republican House Conference. I think that there were multiple reasons why the Conference, the Republican Conference, rejected him in favor of Blunt. Yes, I think that the fact that Dreier is a gay closet case was a contributing factor. So was the fact that Dreier in one of his huge divergences from the conservative Republican line is pro-choice, although he favors a lot of limitations on abortion.

montague

fine fine fine i get it. and hell no i'm no republican, yuk.

just making an obvious point. and i'm high too, if vicodin counts.

Anyhow, Clemons, you and Duncan Black are a pair of weasels. You don't care that Dreier is entitled to his dignity and privacy; you just want to ask the question aloud because you're so concerned about the complicity of Big Media in the hypocrisy of the Republican Party.

Phogna balogna, jack.

Doesn't just the fact that you are gay or for that matter black in the Republican Party already qualifies you for being a closet case?

What self respecting gay or minority could make their bed with those homo-hating, hiding behind Jesus racist.

So, Drier is gay. But he's faithful. Instead, we get Blount the adulterer who slept with a lobbyist before divorcing his wife of 31--repeat 31 years--to marry the lobbyist. (She must have been really good in bed.)

If I had my druthers, I'd rather a faithful gay man to an adulterous heterosexual.

Drier..

It sickens me that someone like, Drier, or any other politician would sell their soul for power.. Drier, like many other policians on both sides of the aisle are gay, and can't and won't come out. Yet, would hold the very community that would support him or her, by supporting anti-gay legislation..

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/09/hastert-to-pick-closet-heterosexual.html

Drier, who is 53 yrs of age, and is supposed to be single, and lives with his "FRIEND??" Brad Smith, Drier's Chief of Staff... Hmmm!!!

http://direland.typepad.com/direland/2004/09/strongthe_outin.html

Drier, is on a list of other politicians who are gay haven't spoken up regarding Gay and Lesbian issues, like McGreevy, Scott McClellan, Ken Mehlman, Ralph Reed, Rick Santorum, etc. The only one to step up to ever step up to the plate, Barney Franks..

Would be nice if we lived in a culture, where this wasn't really an issue, and for the names I placed above who are GOP members, you have a monster to deal with, since your party caters to the White Christian Evangelical wing..

Robert, you lost me with your comment below.. So, if Drier didn't support the defense against marriage act, then you wouldn't support? So, what if Drier, decided he wanted to marry his boyfriend, Brad Smith? Would you vote for him?

-David..

Finally, if I believe everything I read on the internet as these foaming Democrats try to out everyone, there sure seems to be some gay Republicans in some VERY high places.
If Dreier or any other gay politician would cut my taxes (ok there), cut spending, put the military on the border, get us out of the UN and support a defense of Marrriage Constitutional Amendment, I would vote for him for President.
By the way, I think that gay political guru who made all those ads for Jesse Helms is just SUPER despite his weird private life.

Posted by: Robert Morrow at September 29, 2005 02:09 AM

NYT today did mention that Drier may have been rejected by repubs because he's "homosexual." I agree with Joe. It's hard to care about Drier's rights when he doesn't care about mine. Also...about him living his principles... PLEASE. What self-respecting gay man would throw his weight behind this administration and make a total fool of himself covering Bush's ass (which, in fact, Drier does regularly and publicly)?