Presidential Candidates and Gay Issues -- Tommy Thompson

In the recent Republican Presidential debate, Tommy Thompson, former governor of Wisconsin and former head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, was asked if a private employer should be allowed to fire a gay worker, "if the employer finds homosexuality immoral?"

Thompson's answer was, "I think that is left up to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be."

Afterwards Thompson offered several different excuses for his answer: he had the flu, he was taking medication for bronchitis, he badly needed to get off the podium and go to the restroom and therefore wasn't listening to the question, he thought it was about there being enough laws already to address discrimination in the workplace. Also, he added that he is deaf in one ear and that his hearing aid battery for the other ear had gone dead.

"I said it, I'm sorry, and it won't happen again but it's not my record. ... There's nothing discriminatory about me at all."

If you believe that, go Google these words: Tommy Thompson comments on Jews.

Presidental Candidates and Gay Issues -- Sam Brownback

Presidential candidate and Republican U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, from Kansas, on gay weddings...

In May 2007, Republican presidential candidate and Kansas senator, Sam Brownback bullied a nominee for a judgeship in Michigan, Janet Neff, because she had attended a same-sex union ceremony in 2002.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had cleared Neff for the post, but Brownback had questions about her role in the same-sex ceremony, which surfaced because of a wedding announcement in The New York Times.

Neff attended the ceremony for the daughter of close family friends and her partner. Neff said she gave a homily, but did not preside over the service. The family lived next door to Neff for 26 years.

"...was it a marriage ceremony?" Brownback asked.

"It was not," Neff said.

Brownback said the key issue is whether Neff participated in an illegal ceremony. Brownback blocked her nomination, arguing that being friends with a gay neighbor for more than two decades necessarily disqualifies a person for the federal bench, even if you’re nominated by the Bush White House.

He eventually dropped his opposition to her nomination. But only after proving to his base how macho he is. Read all about it here.

Photo from All Aussie Beef.