The Political Whore

Influential gay publisher Mark Segal of the Philadelphia Gay News writes:

In a year that the political twists, turns and ups and downs have been more thrilling then a ride at Great Adventure or Disney World, and a year that is witnessing the most historical presidential election since Abraham Lincoln, can there be any more surprises? Absolutely. Amazingly, it’s a place you wouldn’t expect change: the Republican Party and the choice for John McCain’s running mate.

…

For McCain, at 72, choosing another white Republican man as his running mate would not look like change and might simply be waiting for the Democrat nominee to make a false move. He has no choice but take the
initiative and be bold in his choice for vice president. But how to embrace change without alienating the Republican base? Can he pick a V.P. nominee that can bring victory in one of the Republican must-win states and has solid Republican credentials?

Yes, if he chooses the popular Florida Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist ran for governor as a lifelong bachelor, with numerous articles and radio talk show openly questioning persistent rumors that he was gay.

As even Segal points out, Crist has consistently and directly denied being gay. But the possibility of having even a closeted gay VP candidate is just too much for Segal to ignore:

There is no doubt that Crist will be on McCain’s short list. With the rumors still flying, can he make it beyond the short list?

There are more reasons why he should than not. McCain has a strategic choice to make once he has the Republican nomination: play to the conservative base in his party who really don’t like him or try to pick up independents and Democrats displeased with their own party’s choice. The only chance McCain has to shake up the race is to make a bold choice — pick a running mate that is popular, from the South and a state he needs to win, who looks like the new breed of political change candidate and brings buzz to his side of the race. In this instance, the gay rumors actually work in Crist’s favor. Those rumors have been tried and tested over the years, and his denial still stands. If brought up, it would be seen as a dirty trick of the Democrats, politics as usual. As for the Republicans, they have proven in the past that as long as you deny you’re gay and it can’t be proven, they’ll believe you. And to toss them a bone, Republican favorite Jeb Bush endorsed Crist.

(photo: Crist in Israel with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, courtesy of US House of Representatives)

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