[Vision2020] Ex-Republican Chairman Announces That He's Gay

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (August 26, 2010) Spokesman-Review.

 

 

Ex-Republican chairman announces that he's gay

 

WASHINGTON - Former Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman says in a magazine
interview that he is gay.

 

Mehlman, who was campaign manager for President George W. Bush in 2004 and
then RNC chairman after Bush's re-election, told The Atlantic in an
interview published online Wednesday that he came to the conclusion he is
gay recently and wanted to talk about it publicly because he wants to become
an advocate for gay marriage. He also thought questions would arise when he
participates in an upcoming fundraiser for the group challenging
California's ballot measure opposing those marriages.

 

"It's taken me 43 years to get comfortable with that part of my life," said
Mehlman, now an executive vice president with KKR, a New York City-based
private equity firm. "Everybody has their own path to travel, their own
journey, and for me, over the past few months, I've told my family, friends,
former colleagues and current colleagues and they've been wonderful and
supportive. The process has been something that has made me a happier and
better person. It's something I wish I had done years ago."

 

Mehlman's leadership positions with the Republican Party came at a time when
some in the party were working to put anti-gay ballot measures before the
public in several states. He has said he tried to convince Republican
officials privately not to attack gay marriage, The Atlantic reported. He
also said that, as a solitary Republican, he could not go against the party
consensus.

 

Mehlman, who has never married, said he wishes he had tried to expand the
GOP's outreach to the gay community and worked openly against political
initiatives opposing gay marriage.

 

----------------

 

Ken Mehlman

 

http://media.spokesman.com/photos/2010/08/26/mehlman-mug0826_t620.jpg

 

 

Seeya round town, Moscow.

 

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

 

"Corporations are an oppressed minority forced to move headquarters from
state to state in search of friendlier tax codes--sometimes being forced to
live just off our shores in tiny mailboxes." 

 

- John Oliver, The Daily Show

 

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