Former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman Comes Out as Gay

Image from Democratic Underground

There were rumors about Ken Mehlman being gay years and years ago. The reason he may not have been all-the-way outed back then may have been because the gays didn't want him.  After all, he played a key role in some of the most homophobic years ever for Republicans, culminating in state after state enacting state constitutional amendments banning gay marriage.  With the assistance of Karl Rove (another one rumored about, but not wanted), Mehlman really put the screws to gay people, so to speak.

Most of the reactions from the gay blogosphere--at least what I've seen so far--has been far from positive. We still don't want him.  So, I was surprised to find that AmericaBlog (my spiritual blogfather) and its spin off AmericaBlog Gay has a more positive spin to it.  And there is merit for the idea that a person like Mehlman can be redeemed.  Maybe he could turn out like David Brock, who came from the belly of the Republican beast, and became one of the primary forces on the left.  Or gay-adjacent Arianna Huffington who pulled a similar about-face.  Nobody knows the inner workings of the diabolical right-wing spin machine than Mehlman does.  Let's hope he doesn't end up in GOProud or Log Cabin.  If we have to claim him, we need him where he can do the most good.

By the way, I in no way believe that Mehlman has just arrived at the conlusion that he's gay in the last few months.  Those rumors had to start somewhere, and they've been around for years.  People used to stay closeted to the ripe age of 43, but today? I'm not buying it.

[Excerpt]


Former RNC chair Ken Mehlman comes out as gay man

Ken Mehlman, President Bush's campaign manager in 2004 and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, has told family and associates that he is gay.

Okay, my thoughts.


Good for Ken. I know a lot of people will want to criticize him for heading up the GOP as a closeted gay man. He says he only recently came to terms with being gay. I suspect he always knew he was gay, but recently came to terms with accepting it, and embracing it. And good for him. He's now doing the right thing, helping support marriage equality. I'm not going to fault him for that. Coming out is a horrendously difficult and complicated thing. It's not rational. . .

Read more at: AmericaBlog Gay