Why Does The Media Keep Calling Florida Governor-- And Reputed McCain VP Prospect-- Charlie Crist "Single" When They Mean "Gay?"

Maybe not everybody in Florida knows, but it is certainly not a secret, that Florida Governor Charlie Crist is gay. In the 2006 Republican primary, his "family values" opponent, far right hypocrite Tom Gallagher ran a vicious homophobic ad against him. And the "single" Republican Attorney General (and now Governor) has certainly been outed in the press. Type "Charlie Crist, gay" into Google and you come up with 143,000 articles, including some YouTube videos, like this straight ahead one and this nasty TV ad that just hints at it: "Come on Charlie-- It's time to be straight with Florida." Yeah, titillating.

So now John McCain, who desperately needs Florida in his column in November is flattering Crist with hints and innuendoes that he's being considered for the vice presidency. Those sharp and sleazy lobbyists around McCain are certainly not being fooled by Crist's beard and Christ has little more chance of being on the ticket than Crist's former roommate, and bosom buddy, Mark Foley.

All week there were nods and winks from knowing journalists who kept referring to Crist's unacceptability because he is a "bachelor." Yesterday, a religionist right outfit, CBN, grappled with a way of discussing McCain's flirtation with Christ without actually outing him to the sheeple. CBN News claims that "pro-family" leaders and activists (i.e.- homophobic bigots) "all agree that if John McCain picks Florida Governor Charlie Crist as his running mate, there will be MAJOR dissatisfaction among social conservatives." But why? Crist mouths all their nostrums and voodoo and ran as a social conservative?

On neo-fascist yenta, whose claim to fame is his "hefty e-mail list," says, "If the goal of the campaign is to shore up the base of the party, which is still critically needed, that pick would do exactly the opposite and many social conservatives, and conservatives in general, would sit on their hands this election." Why? Why? Why? Come on, be straight with us, wingnuts.

Well, Connie Mackay, the VP of one Republican hate group, FRCAction says he has "concerns" about Crist. "While he claims to be pro-life he has not been an advocate… We would not be supportive of his candidacy for Vice-President… I think it would not help him. McCain needs to continue to try and energize the base. I think that would certainly not energize the base and I think I could go one step further and say it would de-energize the base.” Another fringy kook, Kelly Shackelford from yet another GOP hate group, goes further: "That would certainly put the last nail in the coffin for social and Christian conservatives, but it won’t happen. Sen. McCain has been fairly clear that he will pick a solid conservative. The big question to me is the CA marriage ruling. When will he hit the softball resting over the plate? It is a gift and, so far, he has not taken advantage of it. It combines two beliefs he has-- marriage is a man and a woman AND judges should not be activists-- and he could speak sincerely and with conviction. Silence. It’s baffling so far.” Getting closer...

... And closer: "He has also supported civil unions." And here's a warning from a Republican colleague of Crist's that perhaps he-- and other Republicans-- should pay some attention to. Andy Martin:

If there is one thing Senator McCain does not need it is the embarrassment of another Republican Party sex scandal. Florida, moreover, is a very different place than Kansas. Florida is tolerant in a way that few states are. If Mark Foley had 'come out' early in his congressional career, and kept his attention focused on adults, it is likely he would still be in congress. The bible-pounders were content to vote for him. It was only because Foley insisted on living a lie, and letting himself act in a manner inconsistent with adult behavior, that he was the architect of his own downfall.

One of the problems that men such as Foley and Crist experience is that they start to forget that Florida ain't Fayetteville, and that what goes in Florida doesn't necessarily go elsewhere. That explains why Foley thought he could live a lie forever, and was brought crashing down to earth. Crist may believe that strict celibacy may be a substitute for a family or even conventional social behavior. He may live to learn otherwise.

...The bottom line is that the Republican Party as a party needs to 'come out' and stop pretending that normal human urges and the full range of adult sexual activity do not exist among Republicans. On Capital Hill, there are rumors of more gay staffers on the Republican side than there are among Democrats. Indeed, Congressman Foley may have thought that 'gays in high places' on Capital Hill would always protect him. They cut him loose to save themselves.

Someone pointed out today that in Scotty McClellen's new expose his euphemism for lesbian (re: Condoleeza Rice) is “hard to get to know.” What the hell is wrong with these Republicans? And isn't Scotty a... confirmed bachelor himself?



UPDATE: WHAT DECADE IS THIS?

With a majority of California voters saying they favor the recent state Supreme Court ruling that removes obstacles to equality in access to marriage to all citizens, the press-- and even his opponents-- still tiptoe around the well-known fact that David Dreier is as gay as May. When DeLay was forced to resign from Congress, Denny Hastert-- suspected of being a closet queen himself-- tried appointing Dreier (a 100% rubber stamp in good standing) Majority Leader. You could hear Blunt and the "social conservatives" howling as far away as Faifax County. The gist-- they're not reporting to some fruitcake. But the media rarely mentions it. Take a look at a new website, Frequent Flyer Dreier which details all his trips to exotic gay hotspots around the world (at taxpayer expense): Fiji, Brazil, Iceland, Greenland, Turkey... etc. But the site never mentions how he enjoys all these lovely trips with his (male) chief of "staff"/lover.