Two historic events could occur on May 5, 2011. Fred Karger could become the first out LGBT presidential candidate to participate in a major party debate. As a consequence, the Fox News Channel could see their highest LGBT viewership ever.
A Democratic debate with a gay candidate would be worth a look, if only to see who had “evolved” on marriage equality. Karger is a Republican candidate for president, meaning this debate would be LGBT must-see-TV.
If you haven’t heard of Fred Karger, you’re not alone. Garnering media coverage has been a battle, though Karger was the first, and still one of the few, declared Republican candidates. Governors Romney and Pawlenty? Only “exploring” candidacy. Speaker Gingrich? Considering “exploring” a run. Governors Palin and Huckabee, and The Donald have taken no official steps.
What Karger lacks in profile, he makes up for in actual political knowledge. He’s never held a political office, but he’s helped get a number of people elected. As a campaign manager, fundraiser and opposition researcher, he’s built up and torn down numerous state and national campaigns.
He learned from Lee Atwater, the Republican master of dirty tricks who helped sink 1988 Democratic Presidential nominee Michael Dukakis by tying him to furloughed felon and repeat murderer Willie Horton. Atwater’s other notable pupil? Karl Rove, the architect of former President George W. Bush’s campaigns.
While many gay politicians avoid making LGBT rights a major issue, Karger is an activist and seems ready to mix it up. His website clearly states his desire to “make gay marriage the law of the land.”
His organization, Californians Against Hate, publicized the donors to the “Yes on 8” campaign, leading in part to the LGBT boycott of the Manchester Grand Hyatt. His complaint against the Mormon Church regarding their campaign activities led to 13 guilty findings against them. Imagine a gay man using Rove’s tactics to confront the Republican establishment and you’ve got a picture of what Karger could achieve if he gets a podium.
I want that podium right next to former Senator Rick Santorum, a confirmed debate participant. That’s the same Rick Santorum who compared homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality, and whose name Dan Savage turned into a neologism for “The frothy mixture of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the by-product of anal sex.”
Let’s see if he spews the same vitriol next to a seasoned gay political operative. Karger will no doubt have a reasoned rebuttal. He will probably also have any dirt there is to be had on Santorum and he’ll know how to use it.
Not enough to make you turn on Fox News? There could be so much more:
“Speaker Gingrich, how are your three marriages more consistent with family values than a same-sex marriage?”
“Congressman Paul, why is deciding who you love part of limited government at any level?”
“Governor Pawlenty, why do you want to spend more money to reenact DADT when Americans are against the policy and the military says repeal is proceeding smoothly?”
Beyond making for great TV, these exchanges are sorely needed in the political discourse. Few would dispute that stances against the LGBT community are out of step with a conservative platform built on smaller government, fiscal responsibility and jobs. Even fewer would admit it, however, given the Republican Party’s reflexive defense of the fragile ties between social and fiscal conservatives.
The potential candidacy of Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels was nearly derailed when he suggested a “truce” on social issues. (He later said the comment was directed at liberal activists.)
As he geared up his campaign in 2009, Governor Pawlenty so feared social conservatives that he recanted a 1993 vote in favor of anti-discrimination laws that included gender identity.
Clearly, our LGBT issues need a new Republican messenger.
Unfortunately, candidates who won’t get on script may not be allowed on stage. Karger has been kept out of conservative forums like the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) and the Iowa Christian Alliance. Despite being the first candidate to file and win a straw poll in New Hampshire, a search of FoxNews.com for “Campaign and Karger” revealed one hit in the last year. It’s hard to see how a gay Republican running for president isn’t a bigger story, unless you’re trying to make it a non-story.
To get into the debate, Karger needs to average 1 percent in five national polls, most of which aren’t even including his name. Since polls don’t involve an oath, I suggest telling any pollster who asks that you’re voting for Fred Karger. Whether or not you want him in the White House, you need him in the debate.
