Candidate Carl DeMaio recently released a campaign commercial in which he opens with the statement, “As a proud gay American, I’ve been called a lot of things in my life. But a Tea Party extremist? Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Carl DeMaio has made quite the evolution. He has evolved from a politician who thought being gay was a political liability to one that thinks being gay is an asset. How can you tell? What does being gay have to do with the content of the commercial? Absolutely nothing.
DeMaio is trying to say I’m gay and therefore cannot be a Tea Party extremist. No gay man could be a Tea Party extremist, right? There are many who believe that no self-respecting gay man could be a member of the Republican Party. DeMaio proves all can be true; you can be gay, Republican and a Tea Partier.
It always puzzles me when political candidates try to deny statements that can be seen on video. DeMaio did say if elected he would owe everything to the Tea Party. Has DeMaio somehow now evolved beyond his belief in, and support of, Tea Party ideals? No.
The commercial on its face is supposed to be about DeMaio saying that he wants to make college affordable, after all he was an orphan and had to put himself through school. I will only say the method of making college affordable is what is at debate and DeMaio has said he was in favor of budgets that cut college financial aid.
But what the commercial is really about is fooling the voter. DeMaio says, “I am independent, a reformer, willing to work with both sides …” DeMaio is a Republican who takes money from the power bosses of the Republican Party. This weekend DeMaio’s good friend House Speaker John Boehner will be in town to raise funds for him. As Speaker of the House, Boehner spent $3 million of taxpayer money hiring outside legal counsel to defend the Defense of Marriage Act because the Obama Administration refused to defend the law because they believed it to be unconstitutional. The same Boehner who said 18 months ago, “I can’t imagine ever supporting gay marriage.”
I wonder what DeMaio will say to Speaker Boehner at his fundraiser this weekend. I mean this has been a historic week for marriage equality. In the last 48 hours, the country has gone from 19 states with same-sex marriage to potentially 35 states based upon the Supreme Court and Federal appellate court actions. Will “independent” DeMaio call out his Republican benefactor for his beliefs? Will “independent” DeMaio be able to convince Boehner to come before the cameras in San Diego and say the Republican Party platform will no longer support a federal marriage amendment? We know the answer and it speaks volumes about the power that DeMaio wields with his Republican Party. In politics, money talks. So DeMaio will remain silent.
Silence seems to be the word of the week for Republicans and same-sex marriage. Those who do speak, like Congressman Ted Cruz and Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus, continue to double down on denying marriage equality to gays and lesbians.
Carl DeMaio, you should be taking your Republican and Tea Party friends to task about LGBT rights, not simply shaking their hands, smiling and taking their checks. In fact, a ‘proud gay American” would not cavort with people that are working against their equality, let alone take their money.
I am Stampp Corbin and I approved this message.
Spot on.
“It always puzzles me when political candidates try to deny statements that can be seen on video. ”
How do you square Bob Filner’s similar message to the same group, also caught on video: http://vimeo.com/35239541
Filner said (to the San Diego Tea Party):
“Thank you for inviting me. I have been in politics for the better part of my life which is to say I am active in my community. Whenver I see an active group who want to take part, want be informed, and want to see politics work, for all the people, I want to be there. So I thank the tea party for its active involvement.
…and we tend to divide people up into various categories…I think what you want…I THINK, is intelligent, common-sense approaches to the problems that we face and those have nothing to do with the parties…we gaoota work together and talk about issues that unite us and not tear us apart.”
I guess Bob Filner is a “tea party extremist”? Maybe he was trying to unify us rather than balkanize us…like you’re doing Mr Corbin.
Dear Mr. Brady:
Was I talking about Bob Filner? But since you brought it up…read the statement carefully, Mr. Filner is not agreeing with anything the Tea Party represents. His statement is generic and can be applied to any group at anytime. Just substitute Democratic or Republican Party for Tea Party in the statement. See the statement still applies.
Carl on the other hand, if you substitute Democratic or Republican Party in his statement from the video, I think the meaning changes quite a bit.
I was actually at both San Diego Tea Party meetings where DeMaio and Filner spoke. Without a doubt, DeMaio’s platform is much closer to the belief system of the people attending but Filner’s finest moment was when he spoke to SDTP.
Tea party activists believe in small, efficient government which permits a robust civil society. DeMaio’s message resonated deeply with the crowd that night. The next month, we almost watched in astonishment when Filner spoke to us. He looked for common themes, laid at his platform, and yes…much to the chagrin of people who don’t know a tea party activist…Bob Filner asked for the votes of tea party activists.
Let me repeat that; Bob Filner asked for votes from the San Diego Tea Party members. again, I’ll repeat myself–that was Bob Filner’s finest moment, appealing to limited government conservatives, seeking common issues, and trying to unite us,
Bob Filner sought the support of the tea party. That fact is indisputable unless he was lying. Did Bob Filner lie, Mr Corbin?
“Carl DeMaio has made quite the evolution. He has evolved from a politician who thought being gay was a political liability to one that thinks being gay is an asset.”
How is that different from, say, saying that “marriage is between one man and one woman” and defending DADT in court by comparing LGBT servicepersons to murderers and rapists to now claiming to support marriage equality and equal military service?
Or being a co-author and co-sponsor of DOMA and DADT in the Senate, while now claiming to be a supporter of marriage equality and equal military service now that it’s a popular position to hold?
Oh, that’s right, those were prominent Democratic politicians — President Obama and Joe Biden, respectively — and they’re held to an entirely different standard as Democrats.