Gay GOP leader warns of a cultural war within party

[G_j]

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/bush/articles/2004/08/30/gay_gop_leader_warns_of_a_cultural_war_within_party?mode=PF

Gay GOP leader warns of a cultural war within party

By Yvonne Abraham, Globe Staff | August 30, 2004

NEW YORK -- Patrick C. Guerriero was standing in the shade beside the MSNBC stage in Herald Square yesterday morning, trying to keep from sweating. The executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans was made-up, camera-ready, and a little edgy.

Recent events have put the head of the nation's largest group of gay Republicans on the front line in the country's current culture war over gay marriage. While the Log Cabin Republicans worked hard for President George W. Bush when he was a candidate in 2000, events since then have put the group at odds with the president.

Guerriero and his members are angry about Bush's endorsement of a federal constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in February and incensed over a GOP platform that not only supports the amendment, but seems to preclude civil unions and domestic partnership benefits. They are angry that such moderates as Governor George E. Pataki of New York and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, showcased as prime-time speakers at the convention, appear to have no influence over the party's official positions on abortion and gay marriage.

The 36-year-old former Massachusetts legislator and Melrose mayor is threatening to withhold an endorsement of Bush this year. An official decision is to be made just after the convention. Guerriero refused to say yesterday which way the group would go. He does not know whether he will even vote on that issue. He has been warning that Bush, in making his pitch to social conservatives, is in danger of losing the 1 million gays and lesbians who cast ballots for him in 2000. Guerriero has been willing to say all of this publicly, and increasingly often.

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[davidinalameda]

1. never did understand gay Republicanse

especially in this day and age

you have the ultra-right wing running the White House and Congress

who cares about cultural wars in the GOP--it can only benefit us

[LiberalVoice]

2. What the hell did they expect?

All of there fellow members HATE them! Fuck stupid people piss me off.

[Jo March]

3. Gay GOP leader?!?

Isn't that a catostrophic success???

LOL!

[Cocoa]

4. beautiful

this is the last thing Rove wants. :toast:

[tandot]

5. If they would have any back bone they all would publicly denounce

Bush and the GOP platform.

How can any gay person support those right-wing fundies who openly hate gays.

[Mike Daniels]

13. I'd ask Mary Cheney that question

If there's anyone who can justify why a homosexual would vote for an anti-gay administration like Bush's she'd be it.

[tandot]

22. Would be nice if she would stand up and speak out against the whole thing

but this is not going to happen. I bet she wants to keep the peace within her family.

However, I don't think her vote will go to the Bush/Cheney ticket.

[truthspeaker]

27. you know she works on the Bush/Cheney campaign, right?

She's doing more than keeping peace within her family.

[tandot]

I don't understand it...

Not speaking up against your own family is one thing...but to help getting someone elected who hates gays and who sees nothing wrong in discriminating against them...I don't get it

:shrug:

[Coventina]

6. Bush has lost the vote of my gay, Republican hairdresser

He told me he'd vote for a chimp before Bush.

He's hopping mad over the gay marriage issue.

He also says a lot of "old style" Republicans that he knows are leaving the party because of Bush's stupid policies.

I hope he's right, and not just yanking my chain.

[sui generis]

10. "gay republican hairdresser"?

that is almost the funniest thing I've ever heard!

[Coventina]

11. He is a funny guy, he's also very nice

and I like him a lot.

[DeadHead67]

15. . . .very nice, but REALLY STOOPID !!!

'Gay Republican' is an OXYMORON!!!

[sui generis]

16. not slamming him, just noting the juxtaposition

many LCR's are nice people, but I can't help thinking, also deluded. Being deluded never kept anyone from being nice.

It's a shame though that the LCR's even have to think about it. There is a republican platform plank that aims to remove even the protections of civil unions from some Americans.

I just want to say to LCR's in general, "why are you a republican? They HATE you. They honestly believe you aren't entitled to the same rights that they are, and you will NEVER change their minds."

It's just sad that usually it's the more moneyed and better connected of our community that become LCR's and give money to the republicans.

[no name no slogan]

21. He's right

At least in MN, we've had a number of ex-GOP officeholders bash the state party-- which has also been taken over by right wingnuts of the worst kind. Our most recent GOP ex-Governor (Arne Carlson) calls himself an "Independent" these days, and another ex-GOP Governor from the 1960s (Elmer Anderson) has publicly stated he's voting for Kerry. Our last "moderate" Repub US Senator (Dave Durrenberger) has also said that he will not vote for Shrubya this year.

Back in the 1950-60s, Minnesota had a REAL progressive Republican party. Guys like Harold Stassen (a U.N. Charter signatory) and Elmer Anderson proved that you could be a Repub and still see the need for anti-poverty programs, equal rights and a strong public education system. Unfortunately, Repubs like these have been steadily evicted from their party, and replaced by zealous wingnuts who believe their God should be in every school and bedroom in the state.

If Shrub goes down hard this year, be prepared for more "ex-Republicans" defecting to our side.

[wryter2000]

28. Hmmmmm

If Shrub goes down hard this year, be prepared for more "ex-Republicans" defecting to our side.

It's always great to have more people join us, but I'd really rather they reclaim their own party. With two reasonable parties, we might get something done in this country besides just cleaning up after conservative idiots.

[SharonAnn]

30. Yep, that's the kind I used to be, but then I'm from Iowa where the

same kind of Republican was common. They were really, really "liberal" by today's standards.

Of course, I left the party more than 20 years ago.

[wildeyed]

39. So what exactly is a 'progressive republican'?

I came of age during the Reagan years, so I have never seen one of these mythical creatures. Are they kind of like 'new democrats'? Clintonesque?

[DemWitch]

7. So the LCR's are threatening to withhold an endorsement for Shrubya

big frikkin' deal... does anyone think that he or anyone else in the Repuglican party cares? Does Guerriero think for one minute anyone in his party gives two shits what a bunch of homosexuuules thinks? Ask Frist, Hassert, Santorum, Lott, McConnell, Armey what they think of gays and lesbians and there's your answer...

I wish the LCR's would wake the fuck up, and realize no one wants them at the dinner party.

[Fovea]

9. They don't understand

that witholding support will *help* Dubya.
Better yet, they should declare a 'hot gay sex day for Bush'
and act out.

[mac56]

14. No, they DO understand that.

That's why they're doing it.

Said it before: they're all trust fund brats who know what side their bread is buttered on.

[DeadHead67]

20. They don't want them at the Dinner Party, but. . . . .

. . .the hypocritical closeted motherfuckers will meet them in a public toilet down the hall later!:grr:

[onehandle]

8. Why don't you bring it up on the floor of the Garden?

Ha ha! What a maroon.

[sui generis]

12. No love lost for the LCR here

I have some "friends" who are really republican first and LCR second. They're a bunch of very successful doctors and lawyers and they are quite full of themselves - claiming that the only way to change the republican party is "from within".

That is so delusional -- the reality is, they want their tax cuts and they want to keep the cost of their services as high as possible. One of them has even actively lobbied to keep medical bills from being excluded from bankruptcy proceedings.

They are a bunch of egotistical, self-centered, delusional selfish bastards, and it just goes to prove that the republican disease does not discriminate by sexual orientation.

[shrub chipper]

17. If Patrick C. Guerriero were a chicken,

would he endorse Col. Sanders?

[no name no slogan]

18. LCGOP Motto: "A GAY PRESIDENT IN 2068"

As they would say, "we're only being realistic". :D

[mondo joe]

19. Talk about being the last to know.

These guys make me want to scream.

It's one thing to support despicable politicians.

It's another to have despicable politicians who consider you the enemy.

[tanyev]

23. Well, bring it on!

Stop talking about it and just do it.

[napi21]

24. LCR's had a c-span broadcast last week.

I don't remember every panel member, but Mary Cheney was one of the members. It was quite an interesting conversation. They were all aginst shrub, and sure didn't sound like any of them would ever vote for him again.

One of the guys said he had just been at the RNC meeting and they were all worried about 3 things. The stem cell research issue, losing all the gay voters, and losing the senior vote because of the poor excuse for a drug coverage law.

I have to assume someone inside the Kerry campaign heard the same broadcast I did, and will concentrate on these issues. If you can find your opponent's soft spot, HIT IT with all you've got!

[Wright Patman]

25. The LCRs

have got to love the way * has 'come from behind' in the last few weeks.

For those who might consider that in poor taste, I apologize, but the LCRs deserve it.

[Terran]

26. He's threatening to withhold the LCR's endorsement?

Gee, that'll be devastating to Bush's chances; now millions of gays and Lesbians won't vote for Bush. :eyes:

[mac56]

29. My point exactly.

See #14.

The machinations behind this should be obvious to all.

"Don't throw me into that briar patch!"

[AndyTiedye]

31. There Already Was a Cultural War in the GOP -- The Bad Guys Won

So much so that people like McCain and even Buchanan look like voices of
moderation by comparison. That is the GOP today.

I suppose there were "Log Cabin Nazis' in Germany before they all got
rounded up and sent off to the concentration camps.

LCRs should remember the origin of the pink triangle.

[Neecy]

32. uh-huh

This guy has absolutely NO excuse to be surprised over the GOP platform, or our doltish pResident's support of the constitutional amendment.

Where was he in 1992 during the Republican culture war hatefest? The writing was on the wall, fella.

[Democat]

33. Bush will lose less votes than he "won" by over this

Stupid "gay Republicans" think that Bush cares what they say?

[whalerider55]

34. i can't stand pat

Gurriero has had an interesting career here in MA- he was a mayor of Melrose, and his biggest claim to fame was allowing to (oops) illegal dumping of toxi sludge from the big dig near a playground and public golf course. then he was selected to run as Lt. Gov. with Jane not-so Swift, who was acting Governor when Paul ($750,000 in credit card debt and i don't have a gambling problem) Cellucci was appointed ambassador to Canada (google his comments during the run up to the iraq war).

so get this- Swift is a sitting governor, Gurriero is her choice for Lt. Gov, and the state party goes out and recruits Mitt perfect hair Romney, who doesn't even live in the state to run!

this is the party that Gurreiro claims membership in. claims loyalty to. nice buddies pat- but it says more about you than it does abpout them.

and i know and have worked with a number of MA LCR's as well, and found them arrogant, intolerant and unsufferable. not all, but the half-dozen i worked with.

more like "Taken out to the Woodshed Republicans.

whalerider55

[schultzee]

35. Its about time Gay republicans wake up from ****'s sadism against

them. They are in the wrong party.

[G_j]

37. why anyone would belong to

a party that thinks they are going to burn in hell is a mystery to me. :shrug:

[tom_paine]

36. This guy is delusion. As much chance of a Kultur Krieg among these New

Nazis as their was of having a Gay Pride Parade down the streets of Berlin in 1942!

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

38. Listen up, Mary, you LOST the culture war...

.....Pat must not have got the memo. His side lost along time ago.