Dispute Over Gay Outing on CNN Reveals Promise, and Perils, of Online Video

[Newsjock]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003380261

Last night, on his CNN program during its live airing at 9 p.m. ET, Larry King pressed Bill Maher for names when the comedian suggested -- after ripping anti-gay attitudes among Republicans -- that several top GOP insiders were gay. Maher seemed reluctant, but eventually coughed up the name of a prominent GOP party leader. He said he wasn't worried about getting sued because others had done the same before him.

End of story? Not quite. That portion of the interview was quickly remarked on, at various blogs, and video showed up on YouTube naturally, and elsewhere. The name of the outed Republican appeared in CNN's transcript of the King show.

Then, this morning, one of the leading liberal bloggers, John Aravosis at AmericaBlog, noticed that the exchange between King and Maher had been edited to delete the outing in the re-broadcast of the King show, and also in CNN's online video.

... At mid-afternoon, however, Aravosis reported that YouTube, responding to CNN's demand, had pulled the original video and sent him, and presumably others, what he regarded as a "cease and desist order," ...

[Rick Myers]

1. I was watching that last night, Larry's eyes bugged out!!!

I understand that these stories offend some in the GLBT community, but, it's amazing to most of the nation that there are so MANY gay 'players' in the GOP. In the past 24 hours I've learned that Mehlman, the LEADER OF THE GOP and the governor-elect of Florida, Crist, are gay. How either of these men could possibly carry water for the GOP is beyond me. Is it self-loathing? What could possibly allow someone to work for a political party that is against THEIR VERY EXISTANCE in society?

[Tight_rope]

3. Self hatred comes to mind in response to your comment!

:shrug:

[patricia92243]

4. I wonder if the Florida Republicans realize Crist is gay?

[demo dutch]

11. Uh.... YES!!! Rumors abound!!! Crist always denies it!

But heh "He's going to be the People's Governor" so it doesn't matter you see!!!

[IronLionZion]

14. Crist's truth is that he's a gay American

I hope he resigns from office. It's a shame they didn't out Rick Santorum. Straight guys don't talk about homosexual acts in graphic detail as much as sick rick does.

[Arugula Latte]

24. Pay no attention to his ... uh ... butler! ... Yeah, that's it!

:eyes:

[quiet.american]

15. Larry seems to be as isolated as Bush.

Incredulously, he asked Maher why in the world, how in the world, could someone who is gay support anti-gay legislation, anti-gay measures.

HELLO, Larry! Anybody home? Ever heard of Mark Foley? Ever heard of Ted Haggard? Ever heard of the 150 or so other 'publicans caught up in the "outed" net who were screaming their heads off about "the Gay" and turned out to be just that?

Sometimes I wish I could live in such a pampered, isolated bubble where I really would have no clue about the world beyond what gourmet meal was for dinner and what red wine was being served with it.

[BR_Parkway]

18. i dont find these stories offensive in the least - it's not about their

gayness (or closetness) it's about their hypocrisy.

And Crist isn't the only gay GOP governor elected, Perry (TX) got re-elected Tues night. And there's Rush Limbaugh, Sen Craig (ID) and a few others yet to be named. But they will.

[Strathos]

28. Exactly!! I agree completely

I realize that everyone comes out in their own time, but that's for normal people who don't try to demonize gays while getting blow-jobs.

If a person enters politics and is gay and tries to hide they DESERVE to be outed as much as possible.

I'm tired of these people being ashamed of who they are and making us look even worse than we do to the "merkins".

[tblue37]

19. Money and power. 'Nuff said. (eom)

[TriMetFan]

23. You asked if it's self-loathing.

Will I think it is. I have always said that people that need to hide things about them-selfs are the most scariest ones. Just like J. Edgar Hoover and Roy Cohn.

[jumpoffdaplanet]

2. I wonder if Maher has commented on this yet

CNN censoring him like this, can't seat well with him

I hope anytime he's on CNN from now on, he just throws in "Oh, and Mehlman is gay, gay, gay." throughout any interview.

[David__77]

5. So, whose name did he "cough up?"

Mehlman, Crist, Dreier, Graham... or someone from the second tier of less-known closet cases?

[Tempest]

7. Mehlman's name. n/t

[David__77]

9. Of course!

I'll disclose first that I'm gay. That said, I believe this whole outing Republicans thing is strictly good politics and completely commendable. I think Dreier and Lindsay Graham should be next. Tear the coalition apart: "Why do the Republicans entertain wanton SINNERS in their midst?," we should be making the fundies think about that.

[Tempest]

13. It's the hypocrisy

Haggard is a perfect example.

[jamesinca]

6. Also on the Huffington post : RNC chair to step down

Odd the timing on that one. Bill Maher puts it out there that Mehlman is gay and the next day he is stepping down!!!!

[Tight_rope]

8. It's official on CNN!

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/11/mehlman-likely-to-leave-rnc.html

Mehlman likely to leave RNC
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Several Republican sources tell CNN that Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman is all but certain to step down at the end of the year, and the White House already is searching for a replacement or replacements to lead the party into the 2008 presidential campaign cycle.

Two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mehlman has made clear to close associates for some time he was likely to leave after the 2006 elections -- and that there is no dissatisfaction with his performance in the midterm cycle. A third source confirmed Mehlman's leaving is a good possibility but said a final decision has not been made. "It would be wrong to call it a done deal," this source said.

One name that has come up as a possible replacement is outgoing Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who just lost a US Senate race. One of the sources, though, said a more likely scenario is for Steele to join the Bush administration in another capacity after the first of the year when a few members of the Bush Cabinet and other senior officials are expected to leave.

One scenario under discussion, should Mehlman leave, according to two of the sources, is to split the RNC leadership duties, a model both parties have used at times in the past.


Why is it that all of the Repukes that get busted always say " for some time he was likely to leave". Damn that comment is starting to get real old. Can't they get original with their comments. :shrug:

[IntravenousDemilo]

12. It's a standard line of officialese.

Why is it that all of the Repukes that get busted always say " for some time he was likely to leave". Damn that comment is starting to get real old. Can't they get original with their comments.

I remember hearing about all those Communist party officials in the Soviet Union who fell out of favour with the leadership -- they all seemed to die of what my mom called "official heart attacks". It was never cancer or emphysema or a stroke, and they were never thrown in front of a train or out of a window, and they were never sent to a gulag or tortured; no, it was always a heart attack.

So it's not that they're not being original with their comments, it's just that the comments themselves are generally code for something else, kind of like Newspeak mixed with bafflegab. I'd like to think that people wouldn't be fooled by this, but I know that's just a pipe dream, and so do the politicians (from whatever party). For that matter, so probably does your boss and anyone in the Human Resources department where you work.

And no matter how sick you and I may be of some of these official lines -- not to mention catchphrases such as "cut and run" that don't require much thinking from a listener -- and no matter how intellectually hollow and devoid of substance these phrases are, the none-too-bright among us just can't get enough of them, and they lap them up like cream.

[RaRa]

10. This pisses me off

This story should be HUGE. I'm against outing just for the sake of doing it. But, when you have publicly anti gay bastards being this hypocritical, then their homosexuality is a real issue. Basically, almost any gay GOPer should be outed. Assuming there are quite a few, then maybe then real acceptance can occur. When it's just one nut like Haggard, then they can be viewed as individual "freaks".

[queerart]

16. Gay Republicans Are A Proud Breed

If it is so sublime to be a Gay Republican (as they will forever tell you if you ever speak to one.... as I have)

Then WHY, OH WHY is there such a market for "Beards"(wives),"Disguises", and "Wholesale Deception" of the public at large?

Only a mental case would want to join a group that loathes every fiber of your very being....

It brings to mind "Gay Skinheads"............

Or Ernst Röhm (who was in charge of the Brown Shirts that brought Hitler to power, and then later killed during "The Night Of Long Knives")

... and while I'm at it...... It Chaps My Ass that they (Gay Republicans) enjoy every right that has been hard fought for by the Democrats... all the while spewing there Gay Republican Swill....

If they respect the Republican party so much... live by their friggin' beliefs all ready.....

and go get Un-Gayed

[stanwyck]

17. you reminded me of something

the arrogant young conservative women who brag about how much they loathe feminists. These women have no understanding of the debt they owe the men and women who faught to get the equal rights they enjoy. These conservatives want the equal pay, the access, the civil rights. But they "hate" feminists.
And the GOP gays, like Mary Cheney, somehow have the same snotty attitude. I deserve all this...I just don't want to be associated with "those people" who did the heavy lifting so I could reap the benefits.
I wish the closeted GOP gays could be more comfortable with their natural sexuality and live authentic lives.

[varun]

26. very good comparison

I have thought the same of these right wing women. They enjoy all the rights that were achieved by the struggle of feminists, and now they denounce them.

The right wing women should go back in time before feminism and see how life was like for women then.

[Hekate]

20. I've had it. Out ALL the gay Republican politicians and pundits

Screw'em. When the Republican party platform stops including homophobia and stops supporting anti-gay ranting, then fine, let whoever wants to live closeted stay that way.

It's long past time for conservatives in this country to just get over it and recognize that the gays among them are regular folks and not all twisted up like Haggard.

And however else will they come to understand this and acknowledge it publicly until and unless the gays among them come out? It worked for the rest of the country.

In the case of the current crop of gay Republican politicians and power-brokers -- I'm past wondering how they can stick with that party and I'm well into anger and disgust at how they've become enablers and co-dependents in a sick scheme to dupe the wingnuts. In so doing they're hurting all of us by now.

Oh yeah, I'm a straight married lady who doesn't feel my marriage is the least bit threatened by someone else's love.

Hekate

[MrPrax]

21. Bit hypocritical...

E&P is reporting about alleged CNN 'censorship', but it's OWN story is censored.

Come on, it's not like E&P is making the allegation themselves? Even still, they are willing to dispense with real 'journalism' (like CNN) and purposely leave out the central 'part' of the story.

....."prominent GOP party leader"? Not much of a keyword search there.

E&P usually has some integrity, so this is surprising they would be so childish.

It's the internet, dummies...it's not TV.

You can only control the message for so long, like -- what ends up by happening, is that allegations take on "net legend' status and become far far worst narratives than the actual 'thing' they want covered up. Is being 'gay' worst than being 'accused' of being gay? Neither in my book...

I mean everyone knows Clinton killed Foster, ran a drug empire with the Queen in Arkansas and is simply a 'beard' for Hillary....OR he was an incredibly popular president that got a blow job and the Republicans hate him.

One version is a hell of a lot more interesting!!

[Duer 157099]

22. And what Bill said to Larry's surprised reaction:

"...well, apparently you don't hang out at the same bath houses I do.."

that was funny

[Irreverend IX]

25. Why are there so many of them?

It almost seems like a disproportionate number of them are closeted gays. Rush, Rove, quite possibly Bush himself... why is there such a huge number of self-loathing gay men in the Republican party? As with chickenhawks and sexual abusers, the Democrats seem to have a much smaller number of such people.

[NoodleyAppendage]

27. YouTube has outlived its usefulness when it censors. Time for another site.

YouTube and its CONSTANT bowing to censorship demands has become irrelevant.

J

[Pattib]

29. Damn, I would have loved to have seen that interview. Anyone capture it?

I guess CNN won't be re-running that episode of LKL. Damn, I gave up on LK years ago. He doesn't seem all there most of the time. So, youtube caved. Damn them.

[NoodleyAppendage]

30. Genie is out of the bottle. Crooksandliars has it here.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/

...about halfway down the page (Nov. 9th post).

J

[KittyWampus]

31. And another example of mediawhores editing history for the GOP/BFEE