(insert harry kalas) “OUT”ta here….Charlie Crist…
The Republican governor of Florida, Charlie Crist, who is strongly considering a run for Senate, will be outed in a independent film being released tomorrow.
The film, “Outrage,” tracks the outings of prominent gay political figures, such as Crist and former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman. It’s being produced by Magnolia Pictures and will appear in Landmark Theaters across the country.
“Using some firsthand accounts of former sexual partners, old campaign footage (to occasionally humorous effect) and commentary from gay political media watchdogs, the film makes the case for each man’s homosexuality, and presents his lifetime gay rights voting record,” according to one reviewer. “In each instance, the disconnect is staggering.
‘Bulo doesn’t like this, if true. He doesn’t like the ‘outing’. Crist has been much more progressive on gay rights issues than virtually any other elected official of either party in the southeast.
The Beast Who Slumbers has less of a problem with outing the fire and brimstone types who preach hate while furtively engaging in the practices they purport to hate.
But outing someone who has taken a more humanistic approach seems both voyeuristic and needlessly vindictive. Include ‘bulo out.
I know it is echo chamber-y of me, but I second all of that.
AGREED…AGReed… Agreed… agreed…
I heard part of an interview with the filmmaker yesterday. It was very interesting. I don’t like the idea of “outing” someone, but his point was that these politicians have a 0%-25% record on support for gay rights, so allowing them to be in the closet is hurting gay people.
Philadelphia Daily News gave this a good review. Personally, I’d like to see this movie before judging it or its content. Sometimes these leaks and so on are engineered for some buzz — but the Crist thing isn’t exactly news people.
Neither is the Mehlman thing, either.
Lindsey Graham, too?
According to the review Crist’s record isn’t exactly progressive on gay rights issues.
Also – (yes, I have to go there) I find Mike Castle’s unwillingness to hate on teh gays to be his best quality.
Crist was a far sight better governor than Jebby.
The Crist thing isn’t news, but I’m still uncomfortable with outing. You know what else I don’t like? Confirmed “bachelors” getting married to advance their political career to the next level.
So while I don’t like outing, had Crist retained his “bachelor” status I’d probably offer him a stronger defense.
Don’t think of it as outing their sexual preference – think of it as outing their sheer hypocrisy and insensitivity.
Charlie Crist supported a ban on gay marriage last year.
Politicians who work to deny civil rights and equality under the law to other human beings deserve to be put under whatever legal microscope that is available to the public.
And there is nothing wrong with being gay.
All you folks who are against the outings might feel a little different if you were gay.
I look at it like this:
People like Mehlman and Crist certainly benefited from their party’s platform during the 90 and early aughts. They cultivated careers while knowing that their own party’s popularity was (and still is) grounded in pointing out differences, practicing exclusion, and driving a wedge between some stupid fantasy world of SkyDad’s righteous wrath coupled with marginalizing an entire group of people as if they were lepers. Mehlman and Crist either said nothing or jumped in on the bash wagon during those good times. What is certain is that they continued to enjoy the gay lifestyle, however secretive, while doing everything within their power to keep it out of the public eye.
They lied and deceived for their own personal glory and/or political survival. Those cowards will get zero sympathy from me.
Mehlman’s and Crist’s actions (or non-actions) are not dissimilar to the Jews selling out and rounding up other Jews in Eastern European ghettoes during WWII.
In both cases, inalienable rights were suppressed and denied with the great assistance of their own kind.
I’ll stand with the sleepy Spanish guy,pandora and Jason 330.Outing someone is just mean.Outees must have significant personal reasons for staying in the closet.Who has the right to question them?
And in most cases I’d agree with you, but this is the same as Haggard, Foley and the like…being what you deride. And since those folks profit off of the public, be it wealth, prestige, or whatever, the public has the right to know
VC is deh gay, that’s why he feels this way
I think that the sex lives of private citizens and politicians are none of other people’s or the government’s business. I am against outing of sexual activities in general, gay or straight.
However, if an outee’s particular reason for staying in the closet is because they are a politician or other public figure who is working publicly to deny civil rights and equality under the law to other human beings who want to live openly, then they are fair game for outing.
And what DID they find on your computer, Mr. Donsquishydishimaharishi? 🙂
‘Bulo just thinks that you need to grade on a curve. Florida is not Vermont. Contrasted with most leading politicians in the Sunshine State, Crist is, by the grading on the curve standards, relatively progressive and you’re not going to get much better from his party.
The practical, and perhaps unintended, political consequence of the outing will be to make it tougher for Crist to win a Rethug primary for the Senate, meaning, that in this swing state, a much more conservative R could be the next senator from Florida.
anonone thinks lying politicians against civil rights and equality under the law deserve a double red “F” on any grading curve.
I’m ghey only for you, my DV!
😛
(micheal jackson voice) heee-heeeee
I didn’t read every post, so i don’t know if this was discussed, but as usual, i don’t care.
What is interesting to me is it seems being gay is something the film is using to destroy a political career, as if it is something negative. .. just throwin that out there.
Why are you liberals so homophobic that you want to destroy gay men and women rather than let them hold public office?
see, i KNEW this was going to happen…. fucking liberals
Theory from a Tampa area talk show host I listen to:
Crist wants to run for senate so he doesn’t get the job of fixing the state’s budget when their house of cards collapses.
So, basically, he’s pulling a Minner.