NY Times: Hastert Lives Bachelorlike Existence with 2 “Aides”

[The HL]

Is Dennis Hastert Gay?? Is that why he refused to do anything about Foley???

http://www.thehollywoodliberal.com/2006/10/06/hastert-lives-bachelorlike-existence-with-2-assistants-2/

[Coventina]

1. If I had to guess....I'd say he's celibate

I mean, who, man or woman, would want to go near that guy?

:puke:

[Jackpine Radical]

3. It's amazing what some people will do for money. Or power.

[texasleo]

6. If rush and newt can get laid, there's hope for everyone.

[mikeytherat]

8. It's POWER not looks. Need proof? Henry Kissinger bedded Jill St. John.

'nuf said

mikey_the_rat

[texasleo]

14. you killed my wood.

[mikeytherat]

52. Sorry 'bout that, but it serves as a stark and painful reminder of the

allure and appeal of power.

And the image kills my wood, too (ten times more effective than a cold shower).

mikey_the_rat

[leftchick]

28. and impotent

:puke:

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Hastert's so fat

he got stuck in the closet.

[Leopolds Ghost]

88. Send that joke to Conan O'Brien NOW, Jackpine! n/t

[hsher]

90. Thanks a lot

Blew Coca-Cola all over my keyboard again. I've got to remember not to drink anything when clicking a post whose subject line is the set-up for a good punchline.

[originalpckelly]

4. You know he was a wrestling coach...

I wonder if he diddled any kids and that's why he protected Foley.

[originalpckelly]

7. I wonder if he did anything to the pages...

of course we could be wrong, but you know we can't trust anyone, look how the Chair of The Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus was, it could be the Speaker.

[jean]

26. one word: singlet. (wrestling attire)

[texasleo]

5. you know what they say about high school coaches.

[skooooo]

13. wrestling coach....

no less

[displacedtexan]

19. I watched a wrestling coach get away with real sleaze for 20 yrs.

I detailed it here.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[texasleo]

12. nobody is accusing Dennis of being a pedo. lol

being a hypocripublican is the point.

[pitohui]

a person in his district on another thread did just that

actually in another thread a poster from hastert's town said that the rumors were flying pretty thick and fast about him when he worked as a coach

[NYCGirl]

97. Link? NT

[Warren Stupidity]

15. Uh, screw that.

Pun intended and welcome to DU. I'm sorry but there are two independent flying balls of shit being juggled here.

1) protection of representatives with a penchant for underaged sexual relationships by the republican house leadership. Everyone involved in this scandal, gay straight or indifferent, needs to be held accountible.

2) homosexuality within the Republic Party, a political party that has used homophobia in every election cycle to appeal to its right wing bigotted base. The hypocrisy here is stunning. it needs to be discussed as often as possible.

I'm fully in favor of keeping both of these balls of shit up in the air and flying straight at the Grand Old Pervert-party as long as possible. The issue of confusing pedophelia and homosexuality is a minor point. I agree that we should note, frequently, that there is no such connection. Mary Kay Letourneau.

There is nothing wrong with being gay, there is something massively wrong with being a gay republican.

[arikara]

103. Scratch the surface and you will find the connection

That's perhaps not the best example to use. I remember hearing about this ages ago.

Mary Kay Letourneau's brother is married to the sister of Jeb Bush's wife.

Mary Kay's father was California's Republican Congressman John Schmitz, who was the father of a baby boy who was admitted to an Orange County hospital with hair tied so tightly around his penis that it was almost severed.

And sexual molestation of students also runs in the family. Schmitz fathered the boy and another child with his mistress, who was a student that Schmitz taught when he was a college professor.

Weird.

[eShirl]

10. if they're over 18, so what

[Warren Stupidity]

17. So what is that the hypocrisy is stunning.

Have you noticed that the Grand Old Pervertparty has used homophobia as a wedge issue every election cycle?

[Hepburn]

86. Well, you know what they say...

...those that often hate gays the most are those who have not come out of the closet. They cannot accept who they are and have to bash anyone who has the self-respect to lead a truthful life in regard to his/her sexual identity.

I could not care less if someone is gay. I am sure that a gay person has no concerns that I am straight. So, it seems pretty fair that I make no judgment about a gay person's sexual orientation. I have straight friends and gay friends and bi and trans-genered friends and I choose my friends because I like them and they like me...not because of what he/she may do in the bedroom with another consenting adult. I have had a lot of gay friends over the years and it has NEVER crossed my mind that he/she would do anything adverse to any child. Matter of fact, I can say that about all my friends ~~ gay, straight, bi or trans-gendered. If I thought that about someone, it would be based on FACTS ~~ solid facts ~~ of them having done something out of line with a child. Thankfully, I have never been in a situation where I had to consider the conduct of any friend ~~ or relative ~~ as being out of line in regard to the treatment of a child.

Those who sexually exploit children, on the other hand, are rotten pieces of sick shit. That kind of conduct has NOTHING to do with sexual orientation, but has to do with a being a sick predator. So, if Hastart is gay, I could not are less...but if that fat bastard covered up for what Foley was doing, then he can rot in hell with Foley as far as I am concerned. Covering up for Foley makes him as guilty as Foley for what was going on. This would have ended long ago if Hastart had the moral fortitude to do something about it. Even if Hartart is gay and if Foley is gay like he is now saying, that has nothing to do with what went on in any cover up. It was solely about politics and covering for the Repuke party. Hastart would not have had a concern in the world if this were a Democrat that was caught like Foley was ~~ be that Democrat gay, straight or bi. Hastart would have been SCREAMING bloody murder if Foley had been a Dem.

So, let's make sure and keep all of this straight, imo. It has nothing to do with protecting someone who is gay ~~ Hastart covered for Foley because Foley is another Repuke.

[VelmaD]

20. Well, it's still sexual harassment

Those pages work for the representatives and there is a huge power differential involved. For a 52 year old congressman to hit on or attempt to form a liason with an 18 year old page is sexual harassment plain and simple. Not to mention it's just icky. :)

[Jacobin]

24. "Sexual harrasment"....that is the key here

Using power against an unequal employee to seduce is the problem, and its illegal

[pitohui]

48. the boys were 16 or 17

so they were under-age in D.C.

be that as it may, sexual harassment is always wrong but almost never prosecuted or punished so taking that angle is probably a loser

altho if i had my way the sexual harasser would be punished by a prison term, he doesn't just poke or abuse for a night, he spoils an entire future, you can bet your ass no one is going to be eager to hire or work with these pages, it's the usual whistleblower problem -- the victim who speaks up is viewed as the troublemaker and almost invariable has a much poorer future w. fewer opportunities than if the abuse/harassment had never occurred

[Catherine Vincent]

11. Hastert is married.

I remember seeing his wife at the SOTU a few years ago.

[NNN0LHI]

38. So was Rock Hudson n/t

[Stand and Fight]

45. Nonsense...

Rock Hudson's "marriage" -- which is widely thought to have been arranged -- did not last more than three years AND he never had children. Really people... Come on.

[pitohui]

53. i know married gay people w. children

one of them is in politics -- and yes, i'm sorry to say, he's GOP -- he knows better than to ask me for any help w. his campaigns but he's quite kinky apparently and hits on a (male) friend from time to time

he told friend straight-out that he got married because you can't be in politics in his state and not have wife and kids

[Stand and Fight]

60. I will concede that you have a point.

However, there are ZERO facts that you can bring to the table to support this innuendo. The facts support that he is married and like many other people in Congress rooms with others... Someone downthread even tried to remind us that Dick Durbin does the same thing. I'm politically ambitious myself and my wife has already told me I would probably go to Washington alone most of the time. Being quite practical and not one to waste money, I would definitely rent a residence with others... So, I don't see your point.

[pitohui]

65. you are the one with zero facts my friend

hastert lied and covered up for foley

this is not innuendo, this is fact, indisputable, it isn't just the creepy rodney alexander saying that hastert was informed, it is many other people coming forward w. same information

something made hastert vulnerable to being blackmailed and forced to protect a scumbag like foley, aga. the wishes of all of these people asking him to sit on foley's head and make him knock it off

if you want to presume that out of the dark dripping evil of his heart hastert just randomly decided to protect and cover up for a child molestor for no reason at all...hokay...but that doesn't seem especially believable

past a certain extent, it's speculation, but it has to be at least psychologically satisfying and believable

some have stated that foley paid for silence and they are working to track movement of his funds and fund-raisers, now, that strikes me as a good tactic and a reasonable alternative explanation

but to say that married men with children can commit no sin is ridiculous on the face of it and only suggests the person making the claim either has no knowledge of human nature or is not arguing in good faith, married men with children are the majority of the clients of hookers of any orientation

[Stand and Fight]

78. Nonsense... When did I say he had NOT covered up for Foley?

You're making a gross assumption and a complete ass of yourself at the same time. I reject the premise that you are alluding to; that is, that I somehow indicated that Hastert had not/is not covering up for Foley... Furthermore, did it occur to you that Hastert may just be a power hungry bastard who covered up for Foley because he knew his ass would get burned once it all came out... You're distorting my words and ascribing things to me that I not only never said, but never even came close to saying.

As to him not being able to do any wrong...You tell me where I stated that "married men with children can commit no sin." I dare you to find any such nonsense in what I have written here. Your argument is dead on arrival because my simple and SINGLE premise is that just because he lives with two of his staff does not mean that he is gay or that he is covering up for Foley for that reason. So, go ahead -- you tell me where I assert that Hastert did not cover up for Foley or that he can commit no sin because he is married with children. Go head! I dare you. You will fail because I never even came close to such words.

I suggest you back the hell off unless you agree to not put words in my mouth.

[Hepburn]

87. So was Liberace...

...and he successfully in the 1950s sued some British tabloid for saying he was a "homosexual."

:shrug:

[SAXMAR]

16. Gay not issue, but interesting posting

Being Gay is not the issue here. Pedophilia and cover ups are the issue. However, wouldn't it be interesting if there is any bit of truth to the allegation that the cover up is happening because of Hastert and/or aides covering up their alternative lifestyle.

If Foley and company were democrats I am sure Karl Rove would have photo shop pictures of them leading the New York City Gay Pride Parade and showing the pictures on Fox News and the Republican National Committee (NRC) website.

Speaking of the NRC website. According to the NRC website the big story of the week is Senator Biden and the Foreign Relations Committee. There is no mention of the Foley affair.

Let's help Democrat Miranda beat Republican Wilson in the New Mexico Congressional race for District one. Wison the incumbent was on the Congressional Page Committee. According to NPR Wilson invited Foley to speak at a Farewell dinner for Pages. I would like to know if Wison knew about Foley but didn't speak up. She is a Family Value Republican. Need I say more.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. Being Gay is not the issue here: actually of course it is.

The Republic Party uses homophobia as a wedge issue in every election cycle. They regularly trot out their hateful proposed amendment to the constitution to enshrine bigotry each fall and make every effort to portray the Democratic Party as the Homosexual Party. Every damn Republic Party leader who is a closeted homosexual needs to be outed and have his or her homosexual hypocrisy aired in public.

[SAXMAR]

21. Taking High Road, What was I thinking, Madrid not Miranda

You are right about the GOP and the Homosexual issue. I forgot we are dealing with the no truth no integrity Karl Rove school of politics. He would put Machiavelli to shame.

UPDATE

My Bad! The Democrat opposing Republican Wilson in New Mexico is Madrid not Miranda. Wilson received $8k from the Foley $100k Republican PAC.

[skids]

63. It's "the Frank Rule"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Frank#The_Frank_Rule

[Straight Shooter]

42. Good post. I like the way you think (and write).

Welcome to DU :hi:

[Leopolds Ghost]

91. Blackmail is the issue here. Does anyone not understand that?

DeLay and Rove were using Foley to blackmail numerous gay people on Capitol Hill. Keeping Foley in office was a tool in their scheme.

Who did Foley invite along on junkets? Is there a Marianas Islands or other similar "sex tourism" connection?

These are the things we need to know.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2314623

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2313002

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2326455

[Leopolds Ghost]

92. Oh yeah, good luck trying to get Congress Dems to do Lee Atwater tactics

They are too compromised by fear of blackmail through association with known black sheep like Foley, whom the Administration were keeping tabs on, to come out swinging. You guys wanted to know why Dems IN Washington, Dems IN the know, seemed afraid of their shadow. Now you know.

Lanny Davis says don't go too far or issue could "bite Dems" -- clear blackmail threat:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2327249

Pelosi admits to Ed Schultz on Monday this is why Dems will not come out swinging -- they are waiting for the "other shoe to drop" -- admission that they are being blackmailed.

[Richardo]

22. Sleaze alert: The NYT didn't use the quotes around "aides"; HL added them

...in the best tradition of clumsy innuendo.

Actual excerpt from the Times article:

Mr. Hastert ... is more at home in Illinois than in Washington, traveling back to the state almost every weekend with Scott Palmer, his chief of staff, and Mike Stokke, his deputy chief of staff. When Congress is in session, the two aides and Mr. Hastert share a townhouse near the Capitol, living a bachelorlike existence.

[KoKo]

23. Haster and his wife have two grown sons,he carves and paints duck decoys

Hastert lives with his wife Jean along the Fox River in Yorkville, Illinois – in a district that includes the boyhood home of President Ronald Reagan. They have two grown sons, Ethan and Joshua. During his free time, Hastert enjoys attending wrestling meets, fishing, restoring vintage automobiles, and carving and painting duck decoys.
http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:uPIYGVv6wCQJ:www.nrcc.org/about/speakerbio.aspx+Dennis+Hastert+and+wife+attending&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=6

[Leopolds Ghost]

95. I wouldn't be so sure Hastert is gay.

I think he's compromised by the threat of outing people around him like Foley. Mutual assured destruction if he gets out of line.

[Stand and Fight]

47. Thank you! This is all so disgusting and petty.

As KoKo points out below -- he is married with two grown sons...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

25. We Shouldn't Be Doing This... We're Better Than That...

[Warren Stupidity]

29. We should uncover their lies and hypocrisy at every

opportunity. I assume you were being sarcastic.

[originalpckelly]

30. Yeah, I know, if this was a Democrat they'd have this in an ad...

where are the ads about this in Illinois? The people who support Hastert might become embarrassed if they found this out about their Congressman.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. Agree 100%

We just shouldn't be suggesting someone is gay or not without any evidence because it implies that gay is a bad thing to be.

[Deep13]

37. see my post #36 below

[demwing]

61. No, We're missing the point.

The only people that care whether Hastert is gay are the republicans that use homophobia as a wedge, and Hastert is included if for no other reason than that he hasn't used his position to condemn homophobia.

Its the sexual hypocrisy, not the sexual orientation. If the guy is gay, he's a hypocrite of the first order.

[Warren Stupidity]

82. I think that is the same point we are making.

Aren't we in violent agreement?

It is the hypocrisy of the God Hates Fags Party that is the other issue here.

I've also pointed out that given the homophobia of the Republic Party, closeted gays within the party are vulnerable to blackmail, thus Hastert could have protected Foley (if one assumes that Hastert is gay, which I don't think is at all proven) out of fear that Foley would otherwise out Hastert. The Democratic Party (at least some of it) has a solution to this latter sort of mess: open acceptance of homosexuality as normal human behavior.


But mostly I don't think we should shy away at all from putting out the Hastert is gay meme. It is meme warfare. We have to start fighting at their level if we expect to win.

[demwing]

93. Have you seen Jon Stewarts bit on question marks?

Here on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EKFE2jGmVI

So, why can't we play that game as well?


Do Lying Repulicans Care More About Their Jobs Than Your Kids?

Are The GOP Leaders Public Gay Bashers, and Privately Gay?

Are ALL of the GOP members in congress lying hypocrites?

Will Denny Hastert Ever Tell America That He Protected Republican Pedophiles?

[Stand and Fight]

49. I agree...

I think it is disgusting. Yes, we all know of the hypocrisy of the Republican Party and the homosexual issue, but to give into sleazy innuendos about Hastert sexuality -- when he has been married for years and has two grown children -- is the sort of baseless nonsense that those on the other side of the spectrum do... DU should be better than this.

[mondo joe]

96. Shouldn't be doing WHAT precisely?

[originalpckelly]

27. Why doesn't his wife live with him Washington, D.C. his children are grown

he spends 5 days out of 7 living with two other men. That is completely normal (well two guys is a little weird) for someone who is gay, but that is really, really weird if they are all straight. Wouldn't that be a trip if the Speaker of the House was gay? Look at Jim McGreevey, he slept with his wife and she didn't know for all those years, it isn't impossible that the same thing is happening with Hastert.

[NYCGirl]

34. That's the way most Senators and Reps live while DC is in session.

GOP and Democrats. So I guess they're all gay?

[Stand and Fight]

51. That is a generally normal practice...

Believe it or not -- but the significant others of our Congress critters do have lives and friends of their own....

[Stand and Fight]

54. Hogwash...

When I was in the Army soldiers who did not want to live on base or because the housing was too expensive would rent a house together. They were not gay -- not that it would have mattered to me anyhow.

[sadiesworld]

31. This has been a common practice for years.

Most congressmen have families to support back home and (in years past) it would have been extremely difficult to maintain a second home, particularly in DC, on a congressman's salary.

Of course, I thought most were swimming in $$$ today.

[originalpckelly]

35. This guy isn't hurting...

he's invested 6 million dollars in a real estate project back home. Why wouldn't he live with his wife most of the time?

[sadiesworld]

41. The article says that Hastert returns to Illinois almost every weekend.

Most congressmen's families are back home in the districts they represent. I'm not sure that I understand your point? What woman would want to fly to DC every week while their spouse spends most of his time on the Hill (even assuming the spouse doesn't have other obligations at home, e.g., work, kids, etc.)?

It does seem that Hastert should be able to afford his own place, though.

[Stand and Fight]

56. Do you know how crappy the salary is for aides in DC?

Did it occur to you that maybe he brought these two gents to Washington with him because they're good at their jobs and friends of his? Anyone who thinks that men who have close ties and happen to live together must be gay, really needs to let go of westernized belief systems and take a larger view of the world. Sheesh.

[Leopolds Ghost]

98. American culture is so sexually obsessed, people cannot understand how

two or three people could room together and NOT be having sex.

[Irreverend IX]

32. "Aides?"

Geez, was there any limit to this guy's hunger for young male poontang? I wonder what kind of childhood experiences could have contributed to this.

[Deep13]

36. Just to clarify, if Hastert is gay the significance is not that fact...

...but that he and other R leaders are openly anti-gay and that many R voters are afraid of gays. I won't fault him for his biology, but for the hypocrisy, the willingness to sacrifice those he knows deserve better and the deception. Also, the prejudice of his supporters will be offended by this and if that gets rid of them then I'm all for it.

This is the same as Strom Thurmon keeping his Black daughter secret all those years.

[Bethany Rockafella]

39. No. Hastert is not the type.

[roguevalley]

102. he lost one of his first races because of rumors of improper conduct

with students when he was a wrestling coach. the rumors are there and where there is smoke, there is fire. I hope.

[never cry wolf]

40. Many congresscritters room together

Hastert is married and has two grown sons, his wife does not live in DC. Many congresspeople rent and room with others in DC while maintaining their permanent residence in their district. I remember hearing Dick Durbin describe how he has 2 or 3 roomates, male sens and reps that rent a townhouse in DC.

Forget the wrestling angle too. I wrestled in HS and a tad in college and never had any coach or other wrestler "diddle" with me or anyone else.

Besides, even if he were gay and they were all consenting adults the only crime would be the bald faced hypocracy.

[Stand and Fight]

43. This is salacious nonsense and I hope we're better than this...

This is the sort of thing that the idiot FReepers would engage in, and while I think that Hastert dropped the ball in regards to the Page scandal, I do think that these baseless innuendos and accusations are beneath the civil and responsible discourse of DU. The guy is married and has been for quite a long time. Besides that there are a number of representatives in Congress who have spouses who choose NOT to live with them in D.C. I mean, think about it... If some of your significant others were elected to Congress would everyone of you want to uproot yourself and move to D.C.? Come on people -- we're better than this.

NOT recommended. (No offense to the OP, but I hoped DUers would DISCUSS this and get to the truth -- not accept rumor and innuendo as gospel.)

[pitohui]

44. supposedly he is gay but in the closet to the voters

rumor mill says that he was well-known for his antics with his students back in the day when he was a coach

i presume if you've been messing with your under-age students you have no standing to criticize another man for messing with under-age pages, it's the same song, different verse -- a man using his power and position to get access to young flesh that otherwise wouldn't give him a glance

people who assume all old fat people are incapable of having sex are behind the times == i wonder if they'll be so quick to give up physical pleasure when they are older and larger

[Stand and Fight]

57. Rumor mill... Bullshit.

Let's see a link. This sort of nonsense is what the FReeps do. Let's see a link to these so-called rumors. A hunger for more scandalous fallout should not cloud one's better judgment.

[stepnw1f]

46. This is about PEDOPHILIA not Homosexuality

and the GOP's covering-up of Folley's interests in underage pages for ten years now. This has got NOTHING to do with homosexuality.

[pitohui]

59. irt's also about the tangled web we weave when we deceive

apparently in the 60s hastert did have relationships with young boys, apparently many people knew about it, blah de blah, he is in no position when he's informed of foley's antics to do anything because of his own closet problems

it would be nice if the world was a simple straight line, but the world is a tangled clump of interlinked threads, the mistakes that people make when young are sometimes forgotten and successfully covered -- and sometimes they come and bite you in the ass

i have no problem w. hastert being bitten in the ass to save this country from the GOP menace

in case people haven't noticed, people are being killed everyday in bullshit wars, the U.S. treasury is being emptied into dick cheney's and halliburton's pockets -- if we want to stop this crap, we have to stop being all mealy-mouthed and hit hard with the hammer we have been given

yes, it would have been easier if hastert had come out, cut somebody's throat, and drunk their blood on the steps of the capitol building, but while we're waiting for this to happen, maybe we should work with the tools we've been given

sometimes i agree w. bartcop and ask myself if democrats just want to lose

how arrogant is it to believe that it's more important to puff up one's ego and self-image by being the "better" person than it is to save this country from galloping fascism!

too many people put being "nice" or being "correct" above winning this damn fight for our very lives

[stepnw1f]

83. Hastert Had Sexual Relations with Young Boys Too!?

Seriously... do you have a link? Shit... my way of fighting is going all out!

[Warren Stupidity]

73. Sure it is.

It is about both. It is about the coverup of the Foley teen sex scandal and about the hypocrisy of closeted homosexuals within the God Hates Fags Party.

[Imagevision]

50. Who cares?!! - I care about those testifying UNDER OATH which isn't

likely to ocurr before the Noveeemember elections... so once again the repugs have begun to put the Dems back to sleep...

[LeftCoast]

55. Bullshit. Being gay DOES NOT mean you 'protect' pedeophiles!

I can't believe I'm reading this on DU.

:puke:

[Stand and Fight]

58. Thank you...

This whole issue is rather disgusting! It's the sort of idiotic shit that the FReepers post.

[pitohui]

62. but being a former teacher who slept w. students might

it isn't that hastert was gay, it was that he is widely believed and it seems probable now that the reason he was vulnerable and forced to cover up was because of his own rather well-known relationships with students when he was a coach

he would be in the same position and vulnerable to the same blackmail if the wrestling students he slept with were girls, although considering the era, i doubt they were

we shouldn't give the man a pass on what he did because he's gay, that's just as wrong and bigoted as giving him a pass for being straight

every day these people stay in office hurts the honest gay person more
-- seems to me that the concern should be for getting GOP garbage out of public office if you want gay rights to move forward

best way to do that right now is to hammer on the cover-up and stop getting squicked and making excuses merely because hastert's sins are with boys and men rather than with girls and women

or did you also give bob livingstone a pass?

[LeftCoast]

66. Until evidence comes forward that Hastert is gay, this is nothing but

bullshit accusations.

[pitohui]

72. what more evidence do you need?

the man lives with other men

do you still think j. edgar hoover was straight? how about roy cohn?

because people in politics are mostly closeted about their behavior, then we aren't ever going to get live paris hilton x-rated video of their activities

nevertheless the rumor mill and the same common sense you use to draw conclusions about your friends and family works well enough, bob livingstone did turn out to have a dominatrix for example

people who are waiting for george bush and jeff gannon to **** on the white house lawn on fox news will be waiting a long time

the world can't wait for your squeamishness, you know what? people are dying while other people have the luxury to be squeamish and put their desire "to look good" over the desire to throw the bums out

we need to be looking at our priorities

i'm tired of being a beautiful loser

[Stand and Fight]

81. I've lived with other men!

What is your point?

[Leopolds Ghost]

100. Pitohui, just because your GOP friends were rich and gay does not mean

that everyone is rich and gay.

You do not have to be rich and gay to cover up for somebody when Rove and DeLay are using that somebody to blackmail your staffers.

I don't know if you slept with everyone you roomed with, but most people do not.

[Warren Stupidity]

64. No but being a closeted gay Republican might mean

that a child molesting creep like Foley, who perhaps knew that Haster was gay, could use that as a bargaining chip to keep Hastert from doing anything about Foley's activities.

But where exactly did the OP state the position you have attributed to him?

Every Republic Party leader who is secretly gay should be outed. They are the God Hates Fags Party and they get no protection or sympathy.

[LeftCoast]

67. Well it's pretty clear

Is Dennis Hastert Gay?? Is that why he refused to do anything about Foley???

[Warren Stupidity]

69. See my response

You have jumped to a conclusion that is not stated by the OP. While Hastert's being gay might be his motivation for protecting Foley, that does not imply that all gay people protect pedophiles. You have committed a fallacy there. Some x are y does not imply all x are y.

[pitohui]

75. i agree with warren

Every Republic Party leader who is secretly gay should be outed. They are the God Hates Fags Party and they get no protection or sympathy.

[LeftCoast]

94. Secretly gay - fine, but you two are just throwing shit against the wall

to see what sticks, and frankly as a gay man I find your (both of you) arguments to be incredibly offensive.

[Wednesdays]

68. There's nothing in the articles that suggests he's gay

unless one assumes he's gay merely because he shares housing with two other guys, and that's a huge leap in logic.

However, I am concerned about one phrase in the article:

"When Congress is in session, the two aides and Mr. Hastert share a townhouse near the Capitol, living a bachelorlike existence."

Living a bachelorlike existence? When I read that phrase I wondered if he's bringing in females to have a little fun with. It's not on the same level as pedophilia, but still reflects poorly on the "values" party.

(edit for punctuation)

[Richardo]

71. "bachelor-like existence" also explained: No one cooks.

Most of us who have been bachelors can relate.

[NYCGirl]

77. And the place is a mess. NT

[Leopolds Ghost]

101. And he doesn't bathe? n/t

[AlCzervik]

70. it's a ridiculous premise, gee i'm straight, does that make me any more

likely to cover up a potential crime another straight person i know may have committed?

I'm calling this a huge steaming pile of bullshit.

[Warren Stupidity]

74. It would if being known as a straight person would end your career. nt.

[pitohui]

76. if you had slept w. an underage girl and the other person knew it

hell yes you would be more likely to cover up the other person's crime

straight people "cover" for each other all the time in a variety of situations

[jobycom]

79. If he's gay, that's his business. I don't care why he covered up for Foley

I only care that he used the power of the people to do it.

I am not a Republican. I will not speculate on the sexual orientation or activity of our opponents and I won't use their sexuality against them even if it would earn points for me, except in cases of pedaphilia or predatory sexual habits. If I can't win above the board according to my values, I can't win. This is a war, not for control of Congress, but for the future of America. You can't build that future on hatred, bigotry, mistrust, and wild innuendo. If the Democrats start that, I'd just as soon let the Republicans control things. At least they aren't capable of knowing better.

[Warren Stupidity]

84. So you are ok with the homophobia party

being full of closeted gay people? I'm not. They are winning elections at least partially through their use of homophobia as a wedge issue. Why should any one of them get a pass on his or her sexuality?

[jobycom]

99. I am ok with a gay person deciding whether to reveal his sexuality

to whomever he chooses to reveal it to. Or for a straight person keeping his or her sexuality private, too.

I am against homophobia in either party.

I'm not ok with making an issue of someone's sexuality for political purposes, no matter the party, no matter the reason.

[Stand and Fight]

106. Amen to that! n/t

[Generic Other]

108. I don't want to be a homophobe but can I be a hypocritophobe?

I think that's the issue that sticks in my craw where these GOP creeps are concerned. A person like Foley condemns so strongly in others what he practices in his own life. If the story was just about him being gay, it would have died days ago, wouldn't it?

I also oppose making use of a person's sexuality for political purposes; however, this is not the case if they are breaking the law. In other words, Clinton's oval office activities with consenting adult--not my business; Foley hitting on underage pages--criminal beahavior, and entirely my business.

I have been trying really hard to keep my discussion of this issue focused on the behaviors I have problems with.
Someone brought up Mary Kay La Tourneau earlier. IMO, she has more in common with Foley than most gay men. I am pedophobic no matter the gender.

This distinction that many are making between acceptable and unacceptable sexual behavior is a lot like the distinction we have been forced to make between good Christians and evil fundies. It's quicksand territory.

I don't know if Hastert is or is not gay, nor do I care unless he is using his sexuality inappropriately. My gut instinct is that he has no sexual identity, but that's just my biased opinion.

I really feel empathy for all the raw feelings of everyone on every side of this issue.

So maybe joby, yours is the wisest counsel. With that I shut up.

PEACE to us all.

[hijinx87]

80. I damn well hope . . . .

that play on words was unintentional. :grr:


"Aides"?

[Name removed]

85. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hsher]

89. OK, this will be a rude comment

First of all, "bachelor-like existence with two aides"...? Here we go again... that's, like, the template of Corrupt Closeted Gay In Power, isn't it?

No wonder they don't want gays and lesbians to be out, open and free. Being out and clear about oneself and one's sexuality immediately liquidates these dysfunctions. But right-wingers need dysfunction like the rest of us need a cocktail. I'm noticing Republicans and Christians seem to be about "lie to self, lie to others, maintain the dysfunction" more than any other other thing. I think their quarrel with us on the left is, we abhor lying, we avoid self-deceit, and we instinctively open, expose and expunge dysfunction. We're like germicide to all they exist for. They react to us the way germs would to Lysol, were germs six feet tall, wearing suits and in power. What would germs' talking points be to other germs about the dreaded Lysol canister? Wouldn't it sound like a little FOX? Nevertheless, fuck the bastards.

Why don't we send Probable Homosexual Dennis Hastert and 100% Fake Lesbian Rosie O'Donnell to one of those Christian Brainwashing Camps that allege they turn gays and lesbians straight for Jesus? I personally have never believed Rosie's a real lesbian, because her shrillness and venom remind me of absolutely no lesbians I know (and boy do I know a few), and more like the kind of straight woman who loathes men. Put those two together and what a couple they'll make. Jabba and Ursula (Little Mermaid Disney villain), in love at last.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

105. "I personally have never believed Rosie's a real lesbian..."

Are we in the Twilight Zone yet?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

104. Another one all too worthy of FR.

[Stand and Fight]

107. This thread needs to be locked. It's an embarrassment.

This post seems to be trying to draw a connection between one being gay and covering up for a child sexual predator.

Let me say in no uncertain terms -- Just because one is gay does not mean that they would cover up for a sexual predator. The question posted in the OP in and of itself serves only to lower the discussion to the level over in Freeperland. We're better than this.

[davidinalameda]

109. the whole Foley incident isn't about anyone being gay

it's about Foley being a pedophile

two different things!

[maddezmom]

110. locking

When discussing race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or other highly-sensitive personal issues, please exercise the appropriate level of sensitivity toward others and take extra care to clearly express your point of view.