The Gay Thing: Leading Gay Conservative Quits GOP

I've said before that I do not understand the concept of a gay Republican. I can see having some conservative leanings, I can see agreeing with some issues or concerns that are typically seen as conservative or Republican. But given the nature and state of the modern day GOP, I cannot fathom how a self-respecting LGBT person could belong to it.

A gay couple we used to hang out with were archly conservative, and fell pretty much in line with whatever FOX "News" had as their daily outrage, and the talking points. But they'd assure me that they were fiscal conservatives, but socially more liberal. Which sounds good in theory, but is another in practice. Because the GOP has shown very little propensity for actual fiscal conservatism. [story continues below]



Despite my lack of understanding, gay conservatives do exist. I've argued with a few, particularly GOProud and its Nevada affiliate RightPride. The latter seems to have faded away, and GOProud has lost its original leaders, got booted from CPAC, and has very, very little currency in the GOP itself. And now, one of those leaders has left the Republican Party itself, and rather publically.

Road to redemption? Publicity stunt? Not sure. And I'm not sure the gay community will take him, nor the right wing base care that he's gone.

Lawrence O'Donnell Shreds Rudy Giuliani

Rarely do you see the brutal honesty displayed by Lawrence O'Donnell from Tuesday's Last Word. With the 10th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001 coming up, there are a lot of memories being stirred up. There are also a lot of whitewashed stories being told, most recently by George W. Bush and his Vice President, Dick Cheney.  Oddly--though most of us can remember many details of our lives that day--Bush's and Cheney's stories don't quite match.

But those guys aren't the only ones known for the parts they played that day. Rudolph Giuliani, then the Mayor of New York City, made his name on 9/11. He parlayed it into a failed run for the Presidency in 2008, and a rumored possible attempt for 2012. And all along the way, he never lets us forget that he was the "Mayor of 9/11." But what did he really do to make that a good thing anyway? Listen to Lawrence, and find out.

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