Appealing to homophobia
This isn't exactly news, since it happened in 2002, but I thought it was interesting.
So the Washington Post ran a piece on Jim Messina, who is President Obama's deputy chief of staff (for fans of The West Wing, think of Josh Lyman). But he cut his teeth working for Sen. Max Baucus, the Senate Finance Committee Chairman who has been instrumental in pushing health care reform legislation. Messina ran Baucus's re-election campaign in 2002:
"Messina masterminded a bruising attack ad against Republican state Sen. Mike Taylor, a former hairdresser. The ad featured video footage of Taylor, then decades younger and bearded, setting the hair and massaging the temples of a mustachioed man in a beauty salon chair -- with a funky bomp-chic-a-bomp-bomp '70s beat in the background. The spot ends with a frozen frame of Taylor reaching down and out of sight toward the other man's lap. Disapprovingly, a voice-over declares, "Mike Taylor: Not the way we do business here in Montana."
"'They were trying to imply that because I worked in a beauty salon, I was gay,' said Taylor, who is not."
Here's something from DailyKos at the time, with more details on the ad. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the actual ad.
Now, obviously we can't (and shouldn't try to) blame Obama for all of the previous political activities of those in his administration. But as rightfully pissed as we get at Republican politicians and their operatives for their blatant fear mongering and hate baiting, high profile Democrats should not get a free pass. Karl Rove continues to be attacked (and legitimately so) for making gay marriage a wedge issue. Messina in a high ranking spot in the White House doesn't exactly inspire confidence that we should have Hope for Change in advancing gay rights.
I understand the political calculus of it: Messina is clearly good at what he does, and that's electing Democrats. But it's disappointing that a president who says he's a fierce advocate for us would tap someone with a homophobic record to be his deputy chief of staff.
So the Washington Post ran a piece on Jim Messina, who is President Obama's deputy chief of staff (for fans of The West Wing, think of Josh Lyman). But he cut his teeth working for Sen. Max Baucus, the Senate Finance Committee Chairman who has been instrumental in pushing health care reform legislation. Messina ran Baucus's re-election campaign in 2002:
"Messina masterminded a bruising attack ad against Republican state Sen. Mike Taylor, a former hairdresser. The ad featured video footage of Taylor, then decades younger and bearded, setting the hair and massaging the temples of a mustachioed man in a beauty salon chair -- with a funky bomp-chic-a-bomp-bomp '70s beat in the background. The spot ends with a frozen frame of Taylor reaching down and out of sight toward the other man's lap. Disapprovingly, a voice-over declares, "Mike Taylor: Not the way we do business here in Montana."
"'They were trying to imply that because I worked in a beauty salon, I was gay,' said Taylor, who is not."
Here's something from DailyKos at the time, with more details on the ad. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the actual ad.
Now, obviously we can't (and shouldn't try to) blame Obama for all of the previous political activities of those in his administration. But as rightfully pissed as we get at Republican politicians and their operatives for their blatant fear mongering and hate baiting, high profile Democrats should not get a free pass. Karl Rove continues to be attacked (and legitimately so) for making gay marriage a wedge issue. Messina in a high ranking spot in the White House doesn't exactly inspire confidence that we should have Hope for Change in advancing gay rights.
I understand the political calculus of it: Messina is clearly good at what he does, and that's electing Democrats. But it's disappointing that a president who says he's a fierce advocate for us would tap someone with a homophobic record to be his deputy chief of staff.