The Log Cabin Republicans—that ever-mystifying gang of GOPers who say they represent gay and lesbian interests in a party that is totally disinterested in representing gays and lesbians—finally seem to have developed some political balls.
The group has a history of being little more than apologists for their party and its indefensible stances on issues of concern to gays and lesbians. Indeed, watching some of their spokespeople in the past try to rationalize how the group continues to support a party that is clearly anti-gay has been like watching some amazing contortionists at a circus.
The past few years since Bush took office have been a low point for this group's exercise in Uncle Tommery.
In the previous presidential election, before it was clear that George W. Bush would be the Republican candidate, the Log Cabin Republicans took the political gamble of backing Bush's rival, John McCain. This peeved the president off, and after he became president, he initially refused to even meet with them. In fact, Bush tried to cut them out of the political loop altogether by forming an entirely new, and even more spineless organization, called the Republican Unity Coalition, headed by Bush's old friend, Charles Francis.
Petrified of being on the outs—the worst political purgatory possible inside the Beltway—Log Cabin spent much of the Bush years doing just about anything to get back in good graces with their party's leader.
For those of us who are gay or lesbian, watching the political butt kissing was stomach-churning, even by the political brown-noser standards in the nation's capitol.
But the suck-up strategy seemed to have worked. Less than a year ago, the relatively new leader of the Log Cabin organization, Patrick Guerriero, boasted to one gay publication that his group's access to the Bush White House was 'unprecedented.' And the Log Cabin leadership claims to have buried the hatchet with the Republican Unity Coalition. Guerriero made public kissy-face with Francis by inviting him to speak at the Log Cabin's black-tie dinner last year, too.
All seemed honky-dory for the 'we'll-do-anything-to-get-back-in-good-graces' Log Cabin Republicans. Then came Bush's call for a federal marriage amendment.
Though the Republican Unity Coalition officially opposes the marriage amendment, Charles Francis was still up to his old apologist games, telling The New York Times recently that good and decent people can differ on the issue of gay marriage. And, the RUC adds, they won't support the federal marriage amendment because it takes away from 'FAR larger and more important issues.'
I can't help but wonder just what is supposed to be so much more important to a group that purports to stand for the rights of gays and lesbians than a constitutional amendment that threatens to forever truncate those rights.
I was ready to watch another nauseating performance of political acrobatics from the Log Cabin Republicans, as well. Instead, they surprised me. Not only have they condemned the marriage amendment in strong terms, they've put their money with their mouth is. One million dollars worth of it, to be exact.
The Log Cabin organization unveiled a TV ad campaign that took aim at the Bush administration's support of a constitutional amendment to ban marriage. The gay GOPers are airing the ads in swing states, clearing hoping to woo moderates in their own party away from the president's position—and maybe even away from the president himself.
The 30-second spot features Vice President Dick Cheney (whose daughter Mary is a lesbian) and his comments in the 2000 presidential campaign, where he stated, 'I don't think there should necessarily be a federal policy in this area.' (Cheney has since said that he would support the president's decision.)
The ad follows up on Cheney's remarks with two simple words: WE AGREE.
Furthermore, Guerriero has hinted that his group might not endorse the president in the election, specifically over the marriage issue.
For most of us who are gay or lesbian, that seems like a big 'duh!', a no-brainer. But for a group that has done everything it can the past few years to cozy up to the powers-that-be, getting up the gumption to take these clear swipes at the president is nothing less than radical. Guerriero and his group can be pretty sure that they've just kissed access to the White House goodbye.
But they've gained something that a thousand meetings with George Bush couldn't afford them: A little bit of self-respect.