Who put pressure on Maher to not out GOP gays?

[Hamlette]

if you saw the first version of Larry King this week you heard Maher say he was going to out some high up staffers in DC who were republicans on his show Friday. He gave King the example of Melhman and King said he'd never heard the rumors.

Then it got edited out of the re-run of King.

And he didn't do it on his show.

Anyone know why? Did he think better of it in the spirit of "lets all just get along" or was there some pressure?

I don't know how I feel about outing people. I got outed in my office as an atheist at a difficult point in my life (when my father died) and I have mixed feelings about it. It definately changed the way some people treat me (for the worse) but I'm glad "I took a stand" and said "see, we are human beings just like you." (I got outed by a well meaning person, I was NOT being a hypocrite. If anyone asked my religion I said "I'm not religious" which lets them belive I just don't belong to any religion but still believe in god. Oh, and I've never fought to outlaw and punish or mistreat atheists nor have I ever said they were an abomination. Still, I live in Utah and it really bothered some people I work with to know I don't believe in god.)

[YDogg]

1. Maybe there were too many hypocritical gay gopers to chose from ...

... and he couldn't make up his mind. I was kinda wondering how that went. I wondered if the other fellow was rom christie.

http://64.207.154.178/backend/speakers/310/Christie,%20Ron.jpg

[Totally Committed]

2. My guess is his legal department met with HBO's legal department

and they decided not to go there for some reason. His big mistake was saying what his plans were on Larry King.

I wouldn't put it past the other side to threaten BIG trouble after the King outing of Mehlman.

TC

[Ian David]

3. He should let Mike Rogers on his show, and let Mike do it. n/t

[YDogg]

4. On what grounds?

What can they do to Maher? Hell, bush repeatedly said dems are terrorist supports, or words to that effect. That is every bit as much a defamation issue.

I'm wondering, also ... is it defamation if it's true?

[Selatius]

5. I don't think it is defamation if it is true.

Defamation would be like saying Mehlman fucks goats for fun. If untrue, Mehlman could sue for defamation. If true, Mehlman is SOL.

[tulsakatz]

11. I haven't heard Mehlman deny it.........

this story has been out there for several days, it seems strange that Mehlman hasn't tried to deny it.

[patricia92243]

6. If I were gay (I'm not) and somebody outed me on television, I'd sue the pants off them.

I might not win, but I'd sure make their life as miserable as they tried to make mine.

Outing another person is wrong - period.

[rpannier]

9. I agree with you. I don't think much is acccomplished by outing someone

Although I am a bit of a fence sitter when they base their whole political livelihood demonizing Gays.

But, if it is true, there's not much a public figure can do. You can try and sue, but it will accomplish nothing. For better or worse (and I think it's worse) you forfeit your much of your privacy by becoming a public figure.

[DURHAM D]

10. You are wrong - period.

If someone is a gay hypocrite - he/she should be outed. However, it should be done by a member of the gay community.

To say outing is wrong means that you think being gay is wrong.

[patricia92243]

15. My son is gay. Gay is not wrong. Outing someone is wrong. I believe this is the stand that the

Gay community takes on the subject.

[DU9598]

18. The Gay community's take?

Is that like the beer commercial of the "Man Law"? There is no code of conduct in the gay community where such issues are decided. All people in the closet should be outed in my opinion. Otherwise the person continues to live a lie and most likely are psychologically and physically harming themselves with their behavior and confusion. Life is too short not to live as who you are.

[DURHAM D]

20. You are wrong again - re: position of the gay community.

You must not have been around DU a few weeks back when outing was discussed 24/7 for about 6 days.

Hypocrisy is the issue - not gay, not privacy. And outing only applies to anyone with a public position who is advancing their own political agenda by hiding their orientation.

And, we are really not interested in the views of straight people (including well-meaning progressives or liberals)on this issue. If we want to purge hypocrites that's our business - not yours. For you (meaning straight) to wade in on this issue suggests you think you are superior to us.

[DU9598]

32. Umm

First, when you were here posting about outing several weeks ago I was out working on a successful Governor and Congressional campaign, working to get out the vote. So, sorry I missed it.

Second, I am gay and my view is my view, so deal with it. I didn't realize you had been elected to speak for the rest of us.

[DURHAM D]

33. I did not respond to you -

and thank you for your hard work.

[mondo joe]

27. The gay community - a. is not monolithic; b. does not in general take that

stand anyway.

[Ravy]

19. Why should it be done only by a member of the gay community?

Just curious.

[DURHAM D]

21. We don't trust the straight world - esp. right wingers

to use outing appropriately.

When a gay hypocrite is outed the gay community is simply doing a self-cleansing.

I am glad that Bill did not out anyone last night - he does not have the proper credentials. My guess is that it was not a legal team that advised him not to do it - it was gay friends or staffers that told him to put a lid on it.

[Ravy]

22. In other words....

When a gay person outs a gay hypocrite, the focus is on the hypocrisy part being wrong, but when a straight person does it, the focus is on the gay part being wrong. Correct?

That make sense to me. Thanks.

[patricia92243]

23. LOL - way to go!

[DURHAM D]

31. Yes. n/t

[mondo joe]

28. I do not maintain that it should only be done by a member of the gay community.

For what that's worth.

[mondo joe]

26. Well I AM gay and I think you're wrong.

[The Count]

7. I dunno. With CNN it's usually Cheney who calls...

The other day, CNN, MSNBC announced with many teasers Rummy's press conference after being canned. We tried to watch as we thought at least the questions ought to be good, but a call must've been made and the sonference was shown - without the sound... Just because we won an election doesn't mean we get to see what the BFEE doesn't want us to.

[tularetom]

8. I don't know but I'm pissed - sat through his yawnfest last night

waiting to hear who the gay pubs were and instead had to endure what was perhaps the worst Maher show yet. His panel sucked - Salman rushdie didn't have much to say, the guy from the Office turned to be a real airhead, and moby dick lookalike candy Crowley sat there oinking out gop taalking points.

[acmavm]

12. How about old Chuck Shumer? Maher had to practically take a

crowbar and pry any acknowledgement that Howard Dean and his 50-State strategy had anything to do with the democrats taking the house and the senate on Tuesday.

I am not, and by not I really mean NOT, a Shumer fan. He's one of those dems that you 'hold your nose' for.

[City Lights]

14. His show really sucked last night.

Total waste of an hour. :mad:

[mithnanthy]

16. tularetom, I agree.....

that panel was terrible. Candy Crowley is dubya's biggest fan and she hero-worships him. It was the worst show yet IMO. I had hoped for much more, after the Elections.

[pk_du]

24. Has she stopped wearing black...seriously Wed + Thu she was

wearing Black on CNN....or is the mourning still in progress?

[mithnanthy]

36. Black it was....

Yes, she's still in mourning and is quite unpleasant on the eyes.

[MiniMe]

13. Interesting that the talk about Melhman resigning his post started the next day

I never heard anything about that before.

[JDPriestly]

17. Maybe Bush is gay?

His "twins"? He has lots of money, is ugly but not that ugly, was a drinker and possibly a drug abuser == low inhibitions and poor judgment. He married late, after a short courtship and to a woman who had a past that placed her at a disadvantage in the marriage market. Yet, I have heard of only one earlier romance in his life -- and it doesn't sound all that serious.

This profile just does not make sense. Does anyone believe he was celibate all those years? Hardly! Where is his past? Did he have a relationship with someone that nobody talks about? If so, why doesn't anyone talk about it? And why haven't these questions been answered already? Are we to believe this male cheerleader who graduated from Yale in the 1960s was a virgin at marriage?

[crikkett]

30. In the deep dark recesses of my mind I remember an abortion story

And a woman who died suing him. Way back.

But then, there's Guckert/Gannon... you never know...

[lies and propaganda]

37. google Victor Ashe, t5hey were definitely loves at some point

in the 80's.

[zyguh]

39. Right......the Gannon thing....WHO was the gay prostitute visiting

I mean, the log books showed he visited tons of times. So the gay prostitute was coming to the White House and was meeting with someone. Was it Rove? OR was there to "serve his country" by serving the President?


THAT investigation is one I cant wait for the Congress to get started on in the new year.

[Garbo 2004]

25. Maher said he was going to talk about people who had already been outed.

That he wouldn't be the first to to have named them.

I figure they'd be people Mike Rogers had already mentioned on his web site.

Why was the Larry King show edited? Why didn't Maher have the discussion on his own program? Nervous lawyers maybe? One commonality between CNN and HBO: both are owned by Time-Warner.

[mountainvue]

29. Do you have a link to Rogers website? n/t

[Garbo 2004]

35. http://blogactive.com/ n/t

[caledesi]

34. Being against gay issues when you are a closet gay is wrong.

Out all hypocrites.

Charlies Crist here in FL (Tallahassee Lassie) voted AGAINST gay adoption. Out him.

(Eveyone in FL knows anyhow)

[zyguh]

38. If your gay, and you vote AGAINST gay rights you should be outed.

Im sorry, but if your gay and you are in the Republican party, and go around drumming up support for anti-gay initiatives then you SHOULD be outed. It should be done to show that the leaders in the Republican party only use it as an issue to drum up support from bigots.

Those bigots deserve to be told the truth, that the people telling them "If you hate faggots vote for us" are knowingly working with gay people who are in positions of power, and they are keeping it secret in order to hang on to power by tricking the bigotted dumbasses.

Those dumbasses, who have been whipped into a gay-bashing-hate-all-homosexuals-they-all-oughtta-die-cuz-its-gods-will frenzy should be told the truth so that they can turn that hatred onto the Republicans. Turn it onto them because "they got gays, and they know they got gays, and not only did they NOT drag the gays they had out and hang em, but they lied to us to keep us from hanging em too" sort of thing should develop.

The Republicans knowingly whipped up part of its base into a gay-hating-frenzy in order to get them to vote Republican. The Republicans deserve to have every gay member of their party publicly outed AND have it made public knowledge who KNEW the outed person was gay PURELY so that the part of the party they organized based on hatred can properly turn its hatred back on them.

They deserve to be outed, and the people who kept the secret deserved to be outed so that the hatemongers they empowered can hate them.

They fostered hatred in the hopes of keeping power. Its only right that they now be subjected to that hatred from within their own part. That hatred that they engineered.

If someone is gay and ISNT part of the Republican party and is not out, then NO I dont think they should be outed. But the fact is, the Republican party has used hatred for gays in order to build power. Those Log Cabin Republicans, who are openly gay but still want to be part of the Republican party.......I think they are totally f-ing retarded and quite possibly are the dumbest people alive but at least they arent walking around voting against and campaigning against gay rights. So if some Log Cabin Republican has a staff member who is gay, but isnt 'out' yet then NO, I dont think those Republicans should be outed(but I do think their stupid).

But every other closeted gay member of the Republican party should be outed and the people who knew they were gay and helped them keep the secret should also be outed.