Baltimorean Mehlman, former RNC chair, comes out
Ken Mehlman, the Baltimore native who served as a campaign manager for President George W. Bush in 2004 and chaired the Republican National Committee from 2005 to 2007, has told family and associates he is gay, the Atlantic reports in an online article.
Marc Armbinder, politics editor at the Atlantic, calls Mehlman “the most powerful Republican in history to identify as gay.”
Mehlman tells Armbinder that he agreed to answer questions about his sexuality he wants to become an advocate for gay marriage and anticipated that questions would arise about his participation in a fundraiser next month for the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the group that supported the legal challenge to California's ban on same-sex marriage.
"It's taken me 43 years to get comfortable with this part of my life," Mehlman says. "Everybody has their own path to travel, their own journey, and for me, over the past few months, I've told my family, friends, former colleagues, and current colleagues, and they've been wonderful and supportive. The process has been something that's made me a happier and better person. It's something I wish I had done years ago."
As Armbinder writes, Mehlman's ascent in the GOP came at a time when the party was stepping up its anti-gay activities:
Mehlman said at the time that he could not, as an individual Republican, go against the party consensus. He was aware that Karl Rove, President Bush's chief strategic adviser, had been working with Republicans to make sure that anti-gay initiatives and referenda would appear on November ballots in 2004 and 2006 to help Republicans.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.
"It's a legitimate question and one I understand," Mehlman said. "I can't change the fact that I wasn't in this place personally when I was in politics, and I genuinely regret that. It was very hard, personally."
Indeed, Mehlman’s coming out already has sparked debate in the gay community.
“The three people most responsible for the anti-gay actions of the Bush reelection campaign are Mehlman, Karl Rove and Bush,” blogs gay activist Mike Rogers, who had long pressed Mehlman to clairfy his sexual orientation. “Ken Mehlman is horridly homophobic and no matter how orchestrated his coming out is, our community should hold him accountable for his past.”
The executive director of Log Cabin Republicans said the organization was “supportive and appreciative” of Mehlman’s disclosure. Log Cabin Republicans says it promotes legislation to provide basic fairness for gay and lesbian Americans and works to build a more inclusive GOP.
"As a fellow Bush alumnus, I look forward to Ken helping me and our colleagues build a stronger and more inclusive Republican Party,” executive director R. Clarke Cooper said. “I am happy that Ken has come to a place where he can take a stand with integrity, and I welcome him as yet another conservative, common-sense voice to join with Log Cabin Republicans and all Americans in this important dialogue."
"The process of coming out, and certainly coming out in the public eye, is never an easy one, but I am glad that Ken has decided to take this step and am glad that he is doing so on behalf of the fight for equality," added Republican former Rep. Jim Kolbe.
"Ken joins a chorus that includes Laura Bush, Dick Cheney, Ted Olson, and countless others advocating for the American value of inclusion," Kolbe said. "This is not a time for playing politics; it is a time for us all to join together – Republicans and Democrats – to repeal the failed 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, to pass workplace non-discrimination, and to recognize all committed relationships."
Comments
Looking around the internet, it seems the only ones who care are the liberal progressives who are supposed to be the tolerant ones! Go figure!
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2010 1:51 PM
And this is news because? Does it add or detract to what he did in the past or will do in the future? I am tired of people celebrating this. Maybe I should come out tomorrow that I am heterosexual. Would anybody care? Should anybody care?
Posted by: just wondering | August 26, 2010 2:09 PM
Anonymous...HUH?
Posted by: Woodie | August 26, 2010 2:11 PM
This again shows how hypocritical many in the Republican Party leadership is and has been over the years. This party will do and say anything to get in and remain in power. Unlike the party of the 50s, 60s, and even the 70s - this present Republican party is with a moral center even though it professes to be for "family values".
Posted by: Douglas Miles | August 26, 2010 2:27 PM
Who cares?
Posted by: chuck | August 26, 2010 2:33 PM
Just wondering...you are right. No one should care about your heterosexuality because you are accepted in society. Homosexuals have to show their presense in society and should strive for acceptance just like any other minority. The world would be better place if some individuals would stop judging and worrying about others and start focusing on themselves. Diversity is not dirty word.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2010 2:44 PM
His personal choice is his personal choice. Thus "who cares?" Watching Lefists going into hysterics to "out" this "sinner" is almost more hypocritical than I can stand.
Posted by: Knight of Malta | August 26, 2010 3:24 PM
The problem here is that this is THE guy who stood on the Bush soapbox time and time again denouncing gay marriage and calling for a constitutional amendment against it. And it got Bush reelected, to the detriment of all of us.
The Republican Party leaders of today are nothing more than hypocritical political prostitutes.
I am a republican, correction, former republican. The party has turned itself into a complete joke.
Posted by: David | August 26, 2010 3:37 PM
David, I have some bad news for you...Just about ALL party leaders are hypocritical political prostitutes, no matter what their party is. We can't believe anything our so-called leaders tell us. We just need to do research and find out truths for ourselves because we can't rely on politicians or our govt. They like to keep the masses ignorant
Posted by: Kim | August 26, 2010 4:28 PM
David,
Nice try, acting like you were ever a Republican! Libs like you think posts like this will help the Democrat cause.
What a fool you are.
Posted by: Dennis | August 26, 2010 4:37 PM
Does being gay automatically mean that you support gay marriage? I know plenty of heterosexuals who are in long-term relationships and could care less about marriage.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2010 4:55 PM
"family values" my ass.
Posted by: jojo | August 26, 2010 6:10 PM
Your life is defined by who you choose to have sex with?
Posted by: RobertJ | August 26, 2010 7:03 PM
In Queer as folk when Brian Kinney was working for Vangard as an advertising executive he created an add campaign for Police Chief Jim Stockwell who was closing gay clubs in Pittsburgh. But Brian's young lover, Justin, helped him see the hypocrisy of his ways.
Life imitates art.
He's not bad looking.
Posted by: Dana LaRocca | August 26, 2010 8:32 PM
August 26, 2010 2:44 PM says: "The world would be better place if some individuals would stop judging and worrying about others and start focusing on themselves. Diversity is not dirty word. "
Isn't that EXACTLY what thay are doing to this guy? Hateful comments from OTHER GAY people as well as others. Look around, read the blogs, its hate for him because he is a republican AND GAY!
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2010 9:07 PM
August 26, 2010 3:37 PM said
"The problem here is that this is THE guy who stood on the Bush soapbox time and time again denouncing gay marriage and calling for a constitutional amendment against it. "
Ahhhh, there is the core issue. He is a gay who is against gay marriage! The ULTIMATE sin for a fellow gay to oppose the entire homopromo lobby.
Now were getting somewhere the more the tolerant left comments.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 26, 2010 9:10 PM
Equality Maryland is very unhappy with him.
I have a mixed view. We (LGBT folk) made some of our biggest strides while the extreme right was in power. The backlash exposed them for what the were.
And then we had such a good buddy Bill Clinton who gave us DADT and DOMA, two of the biggest obstacles to equality.
Posted by: Dana LaRocca | August 28, 2010 1:59 AM