Mehlman: 'I understand people are going to be angry'

[sabra]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) – Former Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman is responding to criticism of his role in a Bush political operation that called for a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage.

"It was something about my life I was having a hard time accepting then and I can't change that," Mehlman said in a phone interview Thursday with CNN Chief National Correspondent John King, before adding "I understand people who are going to be angry."

Mehlman told "The Atlantic" he was gay in an article published Wednesday.

Mehlman told CNN on Thursday he now regrets not reaching out to the gay community during his tenure, but said he has to "look forward" and "do what I think is right." Since his announcement he has received both criticism and support from members of the gay community.

...

Mehlman is one of the most prominent members of the Republican Party to say he is gay, and is now raising money for the pro-same sex marriage effort in California, and also offering strategic advice to proponents.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/26/mehlman-i-understand-people-are-going-to-be-angry/

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Too little too late

although I'm gratified that Mehlman has finally come out - if only to expose the hypocrisy that exists at the heart of the Republican party.

Confused by one statement in the article: 'Mehlman is (not 'was') one of the most prominent members of the Republican Party to say he is gay...' You mean to tell me that he's *still* a GD repug? I'll never in a million years be able to figure out the Log Cabin Republican!

[CanonRay]

2. I think he'll find out a lot of his old funding sources

have dried up.

[UTUSN]

28. Even if he was a VIRGIN?!1 Warning, Virgin-MEHLMAN graphic here:

**********QUOTE********

http://gawker.com/5623711/is-ken-mehlman-the-44+year+ol...

Is Ken Mehlman the 44-Year-Old Gay Virgin?

The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, while fielding questions about his recent revelation that ex-RNC chair and Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman is gay, has dropped another interesting nugget: Mehlman claims to be a virgin.

(QUOTE: ) Ambinder: People were suspicious of Mehlman's sexuality for years. Who knew? The people who "knew" are the people who Ken had sex with. But Ken says he had sex with no one, and told no one, because he didn't want to tell anyone, because he was uncomfortable with that part of his life. ( :UNQUOTE)

And the race is on, gents! (No, but really, stay away from this guy.)

(via The Awl; photo illustration inspired by Choire Sicha)


Send an email to Jim Newell, the author of this post, at [e-mail] .

********UNQUOTE********

[superconnected]

3. He's a hypocrite trying to make the whole country conform to his sick ideals

but it's fine because, he had personal issues.

Got it.

"Not reaching out"... does he mean like in 2004 when the group he's with tried to make gays a hate target to wedge the presidential election on?

[izquierdista]

4. One thing is for sure

This is one way to find that rough top that he has never been able to find.

[SkyDaddy7]

16. You may be right!!! LOL!!!

[HillWilliam]

19. Gannon wasn't rough enough?

Sick turdlets. Flush them all together.

[Ian David]

5. His new thing is, "Muslims hate gay people! Gay people should be Republicans to hate on Muslims!" nt

[David Zephyr]

6. No, Ken, you CHOSE to further your own ambition and wealth by harming GLBT Americans.

Ken, you will never be "off the hook" for what you did. You are a very wicked man. The fact that you are admitting you are gay when your beloved GOP is out of power only underscores what a weasel you are. Ken Mehlman, you are a very sick and disturbed man.

Ken Mehlman, go the fuck away.

[Happyhippychick]

14. +1

You are comparable to a black man who captured slaves and a Jew who gave information to the Nazis. Fuck you, go away and fuck you again.

[hatrack]

30. BIN-

-GO Couldn't have said it better myself!

:toast:

[hlthe2b]

7. Had he denounced (and renounced) his former pollitical party...

that might make his "epiphany" a bit more palatable. He is nothing more than an opportunist and will have to live with his hypocrisy and the public disdain that comes with it.

[crim son]

11. They're going to denounce and renounce him.

He's going to learn what it means to live honestly and he won't like it.

[No Elephants]

15. I wonder if any Party officials will denounce him.

[crim son]

18. Probably not publicly, no.

But his social life is over.

[nightrain]

8. I'd have to ask Mehlman to address his own self-loathing.

[W T F]

9. Another closet gay republican except this time.........

He walked out of the closet instead of falling out of the closet.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[hatrack]

22. Or tapping his foot at the bottom of the closet . . .

:hi:

[Bluenorthwest]

10. Ken never fooled anyone, he's a liar who lies to gain money

And anyone who is willing to be scum can make that money. He attacked his own people for his personal advantage.
He is one of the most vile figures in politics. Ever.

[katty]

12. hey Kenny, you don't get a 'pass'- you deliberately engaged

and made profits from your active targeting of the gay community-you may be 'out' now, but you are still a first rate hypocrite.

[Cronus Protagonist]

13. I think I know someone who would like to put a log in his cabin

After checking out his wide stance, of course...

:evilfrown: :evilgrin:

[No Elephants]

17. Constitiutonal amendments against gay marriage in HOW many states, Ken?

Just to GOTV for Dummya. Come to terms, my ass. Be accountable for the full consequences of your actions.

And he's still saying he learned of his homosexuality only recently, so he still can't bring himself to be honest, any more than he can bring himself to be accountable.

Learn this, Ken.

[cyr330]

20. Too fucking late. . .

Self loathing, delusional queer homophobe: really the worst type.

[LynneSin]

21. I'd like to think that some good could come out of this vile man

Now is the time to do something about the horrors he has committed as oppose to saying "Whoopsies I did a bad thing".

I know that many of you here at DU will never be convinced to forgive this man and honestly, I can't blame you either. But what I do know is that sometimes even the vilest can realize their wrong and then do something to make a difference - to try and repair/correct the damage or even make it better. I hope that this would be the case with Ken Mehlman but honestly, he's got alot of work to do and not sure if he's even willing to try.

[David Zephyr]

27. HItler played the violin. There's nothing good that can come from this creature.

Some people are beyond redemption. He's not sorry. He's looking for spotlight and attention.

When he's worked for 10 years in a shelter for gay kids, when he's spent 10 years working with people and children with AIDS, when he's quietly "made it right" with GLBT Americans through his works, not his words, then I might consider something good could come from this man who has real blood on his hands.

All this is about for him is attention.

[Chicago dyke]

31. i know, right?

<i>All this is about for him is attention.</i>

so totally true. this is the big ol queen who can't accept that she's over the hill, and the pretty young things don't really care that he knows Everyone and goes to the right parties anymore. i've seen this over and over with the big drama mamas, the guys who really struggle to let go of youth obsessions. if Kohnnie Boi here were just your average, new money party princess, all the fresh, hot meat would be over on the other side of the room, joking about what a fool she's been acting since hitting 38...

everyone should take a spin around the gay blogosphere (pam's, Joe, etc) the comments on Kohn are hilarious. what's particularly funny is how much he's going to regret this. there won't be a gay household or couple or party that won't be making jokes about him, for *years* to come.

[mitchum]

23. Scumbag

[closeupready]

25. +1

n/t

[closeupready]

24. You should be angry with yourself. And how are you going to explain your activities

to your children or nieces and nephews? When a book is eventually written about you, do you want to be known as the 21st Century's Roy Cohn?

[tourivers83]

26. If he has someone he loves?

Maybe we should ask his partner what kind of person he is? My partner and I can’t marry in this state but she understands that. Sometimes you have to make compromises and give some things up so you can have what really matters. And I would give up anything for her. :pals:

[sofa king]

29. Yet more evidence for a genetic component of homosexuality.

If a highly motivated amoral person without conscience can't bend his sexuality to suit his own agenda, then nobody can.