Bill Maher In 2006: Ken Mehlman Is Gay (VIDEO)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Bill Maher In 2006: Ken Mehlman Is Gay (VIDEO)

First Posted: 08-25-10 10:58 PM | Updated: 08-25-10 11:04 PM

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/25/bill-maher-ken-mehlman-gay-larry-king_n_695072.html

During a live broadcast of CNN's "Larry King Live" in 2006, Bill Maher suggested to Larry King that Ken Mehlman, then-chairman of the Republican National Committee, was gay. Nearly four years later, Mehlman confirmed Maher's statement.

WATCH: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/25/bill-maher-ken-mehlman-gay-larry-king_n_695072.html

Partial transcript of Bill Maher's appearance on Larry King Live:

BM: A lot of the chiefs of staff, the people who really run the underpinnings of the Republican Party, are gay. I don't want to mention names, but I will Friday night...

LK: You will Friday night?

BM: Well, there's a couple of big people who I think everyone in Washington knows who run the Republican...

LK: You will name them?

BM: Well, I wouldn't be the first. I'd get sued if I was the first. Ken Mehlman. Ok, there's one I think people have talked about. I don't think he's denied it when he's been, people have suggested, he doesn't say...

LK: I never heard that. I'm walking around in a fog. I never...Ken Mehlman? I never heard that. But the question is...

BM: Maybe you don't go to the same bathhouse I do, Larry.

When CNN re-aired the interview later that night, they edited out Larry King and Bill Maher's discussion of Mehlman's potential homosexuality.

[LaurenG]

1. See - I don't think he should have done that

It's no ones business what gender I prefer and if I want to stay in the closet why is it OK for someone else to force me out? And who cares anyway?
edit: typo

[Heidi]

2. He actively supported the GOP's anti-human rights (ie gay rights) agenda for years.

Hypocrisy is why it's an issue. Basically, he threw the gay community under the bus in order to further his career and keep the world from knowing he's gay. I don't have harsh enough words for someone who'll oppress others like that.

Staying in the closet is one thing, but working actively to limit other people's human rights is reprehensible.

Mehlman acknowledges that if he had publicly declared his sexuality sooner, he might have played a role in keeping the party from pushing an anti-gay agenda.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/08/bush-campaign-chief-and-former-rnc-chair-ken-mehlman-im-gay/62065/

[LaurenG]

3. I can't disagree with your information

I can't even defend my original thoughts on this.