What worries me about John McCain's inability and unwillingness to use a computer isn't that it's elitist - plenty of average, everyday people have no real clue about how to use a computer, particularly those of McCain's generation.
Francis Wilkinson writes in today's NYT about the fact that John McCain has shown insufficient regard to the GOP base's need for more than his name, rank and serial number in God's Righteous Army:
My knowledge of medical ethics doesn't extend much beyond confidentiality, but it seems that there's a difference between shilling for the great appendectomy you got and shilling for the great facelift you got.
The McCain campaign wants to make good and damn sure that you know they won't stand for voter fraud.
One thing that continues to frustrate me about the pharmacy refusal debates is that all the attention is paid to the rights of pharmacists to religious freedom, and none is paid to the rights of their customers that are being violated. I think in part this is because almost all those refusing service are men and almost all those being refused are women (or gay men, in some cases). And we as a society tend to think first of the rights of men over women. But we're letting the wingnuts frame this argument---by making it about the religious rights of the refusers, we are letting them subtly imply that women are not citizens with full rights worth equal protection by the government. In my latest column at RH Reality Check, I argue that when a pharmacist refuses to serve a female customer because he believes she is sexually active in a way that goes against his religion, he is discriminating her on two counts that are arguably illegal:
UPDATE: The Freeper reaction to the hush-hush meeting is below the fold.
In a get-together not on McSame's public schedule, he met with members of the Log Cabin Republicans. Gee, why wasn't this a big public event -- you know, to help educate the rest of the LGBT community about John McCain being down with the homos, that he's "unashamed, unembarrassed and proud" to associate with the pro-marriage equality gay organization? Gay Patriot received confirmation from LCR head Patrick Sammon:
A source with close ties to the Log Cabin Board of Directors provided information about the meeting to GayPatriot earlier this week. This source disclosed that the Log Cabin meeting was not reflected on Senator McCain’s published schedule in advance and the meeting. A second source familiar with the Log Cabin-McCain meeting reports that Senator McCain has routine personal meetings that are not shown on the Senator’s public schedule....Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon confirmed the meeting with Senator McCain in email correspondence with GayPatriot earlier today:
“We’ve had a series of productive meetings with the campaign since Sen. McCain won the nomination—including a recent meeting with the Senator. We expect to have more conversations with the campaign as we head toward November.” — Patrick Sammon, Log Cabin Republicans President — June 25, 2008
Is this what we call -- ahem -- back-door diplomacy? There's no mention of the meeting on the Log Cabin web site or its blog. Wouldn't this be news his campaign wants to break as part of his outreach to the LGBT community?
Besides, it's not like McCain's going to get Dobson's vote this time around -- if it's truly a big GOP tent in 2008, this should be nice news to promote in the MSM. I'm looking forward to reading the McCain press release on this glorious event, particularly given the news today about Arizona's Senate rejecting a marriage amendment proposal he supported. 
Before we get too smug, a reminder -- Hillary Clinton did the same thing last year, meeting with the Human Rights Campaign, even giving a speech and didn't bother to make any mention of it on her web site, blog or post video on her YouTube page. She was asked twice about why her meeting was not mentioned at all and the response was "You'll have to ask my campaign." So the whole triangulation problem is not solely a GOP problem.
I really don't have a problem with McCain meeting with the LCRs, but I think it speaks volumes that he courts them behind closed doors. If this meeting is to be part of our "education" about his purported fairness, I'd think the LCRs would be eager to share with the LGBT community McCain's plans to address issues of civil equality -- on the record -- not in whispers into ears in order to garner an endorsement.
Clearly if McCain doesn't fear the vitriol of Dobson, he has an opportunity here to effect real change in the "family values" party by calling out the hypocrisy of the religious right that has held the GOP hostage for decades now. He could reject state amendments on the principle of not putting civil rights on the ballot (not punting with a statement about the right of states to do so -- also used by Clinton and Obama).
That's how the rubber meets the road. I look forward to the day when a Republican candidate actually courts the LGBT vote and the primary decision doesn't have to revolve around whether the GOP candidate isn't on a mission to deny or restrict our rights, and it can be strictly about domestic and foreign policy matters.
We all win when our votes are not discounted (GOP) or taken for granted (Dems).
NOTE: And on the flip side -- an event not behind closed doors -- a media advisory from the the Democratic National Committee:
Michelle Obama will keynote the Democratic National Committee's June 26th Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council (GLLC) Gala at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, New York First Lady Michelle Paterson, and Providence Mayor and President of the National Conference of Democratic Mayors David Cicilline are among the other speakers at the dinner.
And here is the Freeper response to McCain's hush-hush LCR meeting...
Actual Freeper QuotesMcLame is shaking down fools for campaign cash since he’s getting the big zero from the grass roots. Cash n Kerry Juan McAmnesty.
Good for McCain. Homosexuality is wrong. However, all people are equally love by Christ. Love the sinner and hate the sin.
What BS is he telling them. What fools conservatives are to ever allow these POS to become leaders of this ONCE great nation.
Pretty transparent attempt to keep the LCRs from voting for Obama, and perhaps bring middle-of-the-road Democrats across the line (the ones who are okay with gay rights but not okay with Obama's socialism). Whether this is a winning plan is a whole different question.
Gotta give him credit for trying.
“Or is there no game at all and he’s simply acting out of decency towards a GOP constituency?”
I think McCain is acting out of decency. The LCR’s are admirable in that they put national security and freedom over their personal issues. I am glad McCain is reaching out here.
Frankly, I have no trouble with this. I don’t care what two consenting adults do in their bedroom. My problem is with the leftist anti-family “homosexual agenda.” And the Log Cabin Republicans by and large oppose that agenda, too.
I agree with you and applaud you for being brave and standing above the crowd....it’s not for us to judge and I also applaud McCain on this...
I live in a neighborhood with a huge gay popoulation. I Don’t agree with lifestyle but there are many I speak with who are republicans and a few who are dems who can’t vote for Obama and voting McCain. there are also gays I have talked with who also don’t agree with the recent marriage decision here in Calif. Also know several who are gay and in the military.
Appeasement never wins. These perverts offer nothing to the GOP or McCain. Just one more click on the path to my non-vote in this election.
If the alternative were Clinton (either), Kerry, Gore, or even Carter, then I’d sit this one out. We would survive them. Problem is the alternative is Obama, the dims answer to Chavez and Imadinnerjacket. Bad as McCain is, we CANNOT let that happen.
is that meeting with the LCRs could actually cost him votes among the most strident members of a social conservative base that’s not real keen on him to begin with and even less so after he dumped Hagee and Parsley. The associations with the Log Cabin Republicans or his disassociation with Parley and Hagee mean little if anything to me. He lost my vote because of his associations within the snakepit of treachery known as the United States Senate. He sleeps with Teddy Kennedy as in McCain-Kennedy.
Believe in redemption. Hate the sin, not the sinner. Whether you believe it or not, Christ loves these people(gays) as much as he loves you. Reaching out to them is extremely Christ-like. Check who Christ spent his time with.
Wow, McCain is doing his best to make it very difficult for any Conservative to vote for him. First he meets with La Raza, now he meets with the Log Cabin Republicans(perverts). Please tell me why I should vote for the lesser of two evils.
I most certainly do believe in the powers of redemption and pray that practicing homosexuals come to the realization of their sins against God and nature. Catering to the unrepentant homosexual agenda by politicians, such as McCain in this instance, does nothing but embolden them in their quest for recognition and legitimacy. Neither is deserved. By the way, this group doesn't merely wish to "be left alone in their bedrooms." Read up on them and then come back and let us know what you find in terms of their agenda.
At least he refuses to meet with Evangelical Christian conservatives.
I know gays I like and some I don’t like so much. I think it’s not for me to judge their soul if they live their lives decently like most the rest of us.
In 2004, the candidates on the ballot in region of the U.S. were George W. Bush for President, Alan Keyes for U.S. Senate, and Ray Wardingley for U.S. Congress. Our Log Cabin "Republicans" in Illinois supported Kerry over Bush, Obama over Keyes, and Bobby "black panther" Rush over Wardingley. Why? Because none of their "fellow" Republicans on the ballot supported special rights for gays.
I don't care what they call themselves, the Log Cabin crowd exists only to inflitrate the GOP and get it to support the RAT agenda. They are NOT Republicans, just a Democrat front group. The only "Republicans" they endorse are RINOs who promise to vote for the radical gay agenda. A REAL Republican group endorses the candidate closest to their own views in the primary, and then backs whoever the party nominee is in the general election.
If they were a group of conservative-minded gays whose motive was to get other liked-minded pro-life, pro-gun, lower-tax, less-spending, anti-amnesty, pro-WOT people who HAPPEN to be gay -- to pull the lever for Republicans, I'd be fine with that.
That is not their motive. Their motive is simply to make the GOP socially liberal and pro gay-marriage. And that is the ONLY issue that will get them to endorse "Republicans".
In short, they are the Log Cabin Democrats and ought to advertise themselves as such.
As we enter the fourth week of the Glorious Revolution, Sean 'Puffy' Combs is getting a little bit overzealous.
The state of Ohio is tight on cash, and one of the big fights that's consuming the statehouse is how to continue paying for things. State Rep. John Sidney (R-Sidney) has the simplest solution, which is to apparently stop.
