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Former RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman Finally Confirms That He's Gay

Former Republican National Committee chairman and 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign manager Ken Mehlman has finally come out of the closet. The confirmation was made to Marc Ambinder at The Atlantic.

The interview was scheduled to run Friday but appeared tonight after being leaked by Mike Rogers, the über-blogger known for outing closeted anti-gay politicians such as Larry Craig. Rogers was featured in Kirby Dick's documentary Outrage, which recently aired on HBO.

The architect of the Bush-Cheney 2004 campaign says:

"It's taken me 43 years to get comfortable with this part of my life. 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's made me a happier and better person. It's something I wish I had done years ago."

Mehlman claims that he "tried" to prevent Bush and political strategist Karl Rove from demonizing gay rights:

"Privately, in off-the-record conversations with this reporter over the years, Mehlman voiced support for civil unions and told of how, in private discussion with senior Republican officials, he beat back efforts to attack same-sex marriage. He insisted, too, that President Bush "was no homophobe." He often wondered why gay voters never formed common cause with Republican opponents of Islamic jihad, which he called "the greatest anti-gay force in the world right now."

Mehlman also says he was "aware" that Rove worked with state GOP operatives to ensure anti-gay initiatives would appear on the ballots in 2004, when he was Bush-Cheney campaign manager ... and in 2006 when he served as the Republican National Chair.

Mehlman has previously and publicly denied being gay. In November 2006, you may remember a segment of CNN's Larry King Live when comedian Bill Maher outed Mehlman. CNN quickly edited the transcript and West Coast feed, removing any reference to Mehlman. The video was also removed from YouTube. The very next day, Mehlman resigned from the RNC.

Mike Rogers confronted Mehlman on video in 2006 about the "many confusing answers" about his sexuality. Rogers responded to today's coming out admission by Mehlman—who recently bought a $4 million loft in New York City's Chelsea gayborhood—by awarding him a "Roy Cohn Award" for "managing the most anti-gay presidential campaigns in history." Said Rogers: "Ken Mehlman is horridly homophobic and no matter how orchestrated his coming out is, our community should hold him accountable for his past."

WATCH: Dick Cheney Supports "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal

Former Vice President Dick Cheney appeared on ABC's "This Week", mostly to criticize the Obama Administration on terrorism and taxes. Cheney, the former Defense Secretary in the George HW Bush Administration, did say that it was time to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" if Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen and other top brass said so.

Says the former Vice President, "Twenty years ago, the military were strong advocates of "don't ask/don't tell," when I was secretary of defense. I think things have changed significantly since then. I see that Don Mullen—or Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has indicated his belief that we ought to support a change in the policy. So I think—my guess is the policy will be changed.

Cheney adds, "I think the society has moved on. I think it's partly a generational question. I say, I'm reluctant to second-guess the military in this regard, because they're the ones that have got to make the judgment about how these policies affect the military capability of our of our units, and that first requirement that you have to look at all the time is whether or not they're still capable of achieving their mission, and does the policy change, i.e., putting gays in the force, affect their ability to perform their mission? When the chiefs come forward and say, "We think we can do it," then it strikes me that it's time to reconsider the policy. And I think Admiral Mullen said that."

Dick Cheney says he is reluctant to second-guess the military. Why do his Republican friends continue to do so? Via Think Progress, watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...

Mary Cheney Donates Cash to Anti-Gay Ohio Senate Candidate

Mary Cheney, the lesbian daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has dipped into her ample checking account and donated $1,000 to Rep. Rob Portman, the anti-gay Ohio congressman running for Senate. Portman believes couples such as Cheney and longtime partner Heather Poe should not be able to marry or adopt children. Both of  the Democratic opponents support marriage equality.

Raw Story: "The donation to former Rep. Rob Portman (R-OH) was made in May. Portman is seeking the Senate seat that will be vacated by Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) when he retires in 2011....As an Ohio congressman, Portman voted yes on banning gay adoptions in the District of Columbia in 1999. He also voted in favor of a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage in 2004. Portman’s opposition to same-sex marriage is particularly salient, because both of his potential Democratic challengers favor its legalization. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner reaffirmed her backing for gay marriage in a posting at The Huffington Post in June, and a spokesman for Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher announced that he’d reversed his opposition the same month. Robert Paduchik, Portman’s campaign manager, told the Columbus Dispatch in June that the erstwhile congressman still opposes same-sex marriage. 'Rob Portman has always believed that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman,' Paduchik said."

Keep making mom and dad proud, Mary.

Cheney Comes Out for Marriage Equality at National Press Club

Speaking at the National Press Club this afternoon, former Vice President Dick Cheney, the Darth Vader of presidential politics, offered a qualified endorsement for same-sex marriage, reports Politico.

"I think that freedom means freedom for everyone. As many of you know, one of my daughters is gay, and it is something we have lived with for a long time in our family. I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish. The question of whether or not there ought to be a federal statute to protect this ...  don't support."

These comemnts echo similar statements made by Cheney in 2000 and 2004 when he (in)famously out-flanked George W. Bush to the left on LGBT rights. Cheney also offered this tepid explanation for why the Bush Administration pursued a federal marriage amendment: "I think his perception was that the courts, in effect, were beginning to change, without allowing the people to be involved. The courts were making the judgment for the entire country

AFTER THE JUMP, via Queerty and Joe.My.God, watch the former vice-president who approved torture, waterboarding and warrantless surveillance "endorse" same-sex marriage. There is also a transcript via Politico. Cheney says nothing about DOMA so perhaps his neo-conservative largesse only extends to marriage and civil unions at the state level.

News: Gabrielle Union, Dobson, Hagee, Pharrell, Domestic Violence

· Two years ago in an interview with OUT, Gabrielle Union said, "You're nobody until someone says you're gay." The actress returns to the magazine to glam it up and share some advice with the boys.

· Should rabidly anti-gay demagogue James Dobson be recognized by the Radio Hall of Fame? Truth Wins Out launches petition drive to keep the hateful Focus on the Family founder out of the museum. "It is outrageous and insulting that James Dobson would be nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame," says TWO Executive Director Wayne Besen. "We believe that character counts and nominees should have careers based on honesty and integrity—not discrimination, distorting research and outright lying."

· Huffington Post: Lawyers for anti-gay evangelical Rev. John Hagee force YouTube to remove more than 120 videos of the controversial pastor.

· Pharrell Williams to undergo exotic tattoo removal procedure "that involves growing new skin."

· Cher laughs off rumors of a(nother) quickie wedding.

· Domestic violence and gay relationships, coast to coast. Los Angeles: City Council creates subcommittee "aimed at reducing incidents of domestic violence among same-sex couples [because ] often times police officers do not know what to do when they respond to a situation that involves violence between gay and lesbian partners." New York: Gay friendly Gov. David Paterson wants to expand domestic violence law to include dating relationships.

· Kenyan Anglican bishop threatens to quit the church over same-sex marriages. The Reverend Thomas Kogo believes gay rights activists are driven by ... "desire" for money and wealth. "God recognizes marriage between man and woman, and there is no way we will accept homosexuality and gay marriages. The Bible is very clear on the matter."

· A bidding war erupts over Ivorian footballer and Rod 2.0 fave Didier Drogba. "Despite continuing rumours that Didier Drogba will be heading to Milan this summer, Chelsea's new manager is "200%" sure the phenom will remain in England. Meanwhile .... "Marseilles fans have launched an appeal to raise £22m in order to buy" Drogba's contract.

· NTSB unsure of cause of recent problem with Obama's campaign plane but investigation does "not reveal any evidence of missing components, nor any evidence of tampering."

· White House caught suppressing data on global warming.

"In a letter to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), former White House official Jason Burnett revealed that Vice President Cheney’s office deleted portions of the testimony of Center for Disease Control Director Julie Gerberding, who testified last year about the consequences of climate change on public health. In a press conference yesterday, Boxer charged that White House spokesperson Dana Perino had 'lied' about the rationale behind the editing of the testimony: 'As I understand it, she said, the draft information did not comport with that, the science that was in the IPCC report. This was a lie. And we proved it before. We had in the last press conference we did on this.' "

DVD Review and Giveaway: Marlon T. Riggs' "Tongues Untied"

Despite the recent success of Noah's Arc as one of the defining cultural zeitgeists of black gay culture, it may seem difficult to remember the years when black gay men were viewed as marginal and exotic creatures—seen on the streets but never humanized, and, almost never realistically depicted in movies or on television. Film maker Marlon T. Riggs changed the barren landscape with his classic and controversial documentary Tongues Untied. After almost 20 years, Tongues Untied will be released on DVD on March 18.

The documentary by the Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning director was a groundbreaking portrayal of black gay issues—discrimination and bigotry within the black community, racism in the "mainstream" gay community, HIV/AIDS, the art of the "snap queen", and, the loneliness and isolation of the drag queen. Riggs began production in Oakland, Washington DC and New York City with a $5,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Tongues Untied made its broadcast debut in 1991 on PBS' P.O.V. series, and, along with the furor over artist Robert Mapplethorpe, contributed to the growing debate over the public funding of the arts. The nudity, graphic descriptions of sexuality and revolutionary political ideology infuriated conservatives—NEA Chairman Lynne Cheney promised to review funding procedures and right-wing quasi-racist Sen. Jesse Helms led the charge against the broadcast.

It would be simplistic to dismiss the film by focusing on the contemporary—such as saying that today openly black gay men are advising Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, directing movies, and, writing New York Times bestsellers. True. Unfortunately, none of this was the case in 1991 and Tongues Untied was a call to action, and, paved the way for the next generation of black gay activism. The film holds up relatively well and the stories about the black church, religious intolerance, violent gay bashing, and, the debate over "butch versus femme" are still major topics of discussion in our community.

The remastered DVD from Frameline, the LGBT independent film distributor, includes deleted scenes, archival behind-the-scenes footage of Marlon T. Riggs, and, interviews with Rod 2.0 faves such as Isaac Julien and Phill Wilson. Riggs died of AIDS in 1994. Not only would Riggs be proud of the remastered DVD edition of Tongues Untied, but, he would appreciate the fact that the fierce cultural debate is still raging.

DVD GIVEAWAY: Frameline,, is offering limited copies of Tongues Untied exclusively to Rod 2.0 readers. Let's do something for the "children" who came out in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. In the comments below, describe where you first saw Tongues Untied and what impact it made. Was it on television? An art movie house? They are probably some great stories. Comments close Friday at 5PM ET and we'll announce the winners on Monday.

Tongues Untied [Frameline]

Dick Cheney and Barack Obama's Eight Degrees of Separation

As if disappointing poll numbers and fund-raising were not enough of a problem for the Barack Obama presidential campaign, now comes news that the senator and Vice President Dick Cheney are distant relations. Eighth cousins once removed, according to Lynne Cheney, who uncovered the tidbit while researching her genealogy for her latest book.

Obama and the Vice President are reportedly descendants of Mareen Duvall, a French Huguenot, whose "son married the granddaughter of a Richard Cheney, who arrived in Maryland in the late 1650's from England."

The Obama campaign offered a tongue-in-cheek response. "Every family has a black sheep," says spokesman Bill Burton.

According to the Associated Press, Lynne Cheney does "not reference the ancestral ties between her husband and Obama in the book", which is a memoir of her childhood in Wyoming. If this reads anything Lynne Cheney's previous books bodice-rippers on women in the wild west, it should be quite colorful reading.

Veep's Wife Says Cheney and Obama Related [AP]
Obama and Veep are Related [AFP]
Excerpt: Lynne Cheney's The Sisters

Rangel Opposed to Impeachment: "Cheney Would Be Even Worse!"

“In spite of what he said was pervasive corruption in the White House, Charlie Rangel, the dean of New York’s congressional delegation, said today he wouldn’t want President Bush impeached. 'God forbid!‘ he said.”

Rangel cites a very compelling reason:

“I would vote against impeachment of Bush too because the corruption of the Vice President Cheney would even be worse,” Rangel said.

However, constitutional experts say it is possible to consider a strategy to remove both the President and Vice-President. Former Reagan Justice Department official and prominent conservative attorney Bruce Fein explains to the editors of The San Francisco Chronicle how "George W. Bush’s foreign policies are making Americans less safe, and why the president and Vice President Dick Cheney should be impeached.”

Bush Should Be Ashamed [NY Daily News]
Conservative Bruce Fein: Impeachment [SF Chron]

Some Background ...

Bush Approval Ratings Sink Even Lower [R20]
Bush: No Prison for Libby [R20]
Worse President Ever? [R20]
Bush Approval Sinks to Record Low [R20]
Judge Rules Libby Cannot Remain Free [R20]
Rice on Libby: "He Served the Country Well" [R20]
Libby Sentenced to 30 Months [R20]

Bush Approval Ratings Sink Even Lower, Majority Favor Impeachment

The approval ratings for the Bush Administration continue to drop well below freezing. Via Think Progress, the latest Newsweek poll finds only 26 percent of Americans "approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president." Only Truman (22%) and Nixon (23%) registered lower numbers.

Meanwhile, even more bad news following this week's amnesty deal for former White House aide and convicted felon Lewis "Scooter" Libby": "Nearly half of the US public wants President George W. Bush to face impeachment, and even more favor that fate for Vice President Dick Cheney, according to a poll out Friday."

Poll: July 6 2007 [MSNBC]
Poll: Pardon/Impeachmet [Pollster]

Some Background ...

Bush: No Prison for Libby [R20]
Worse President Ever? [R20]
Bush Approval Sinks to Record Low [R20]
Judge Rules Libby Cannot Remain Free [R20]
Rice on Libby: "He Served the Country Well" [R20]
Libby Sentenced to 30 Months [R20]

Bush: No Prison for Libby

Via written statement, President George W. Bush issues a virtual commutation to the 30-month prison term of Lewis "Scooter" Libby, formerly Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff. Libby was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice.

A pardon was expected but after the appeals process had been exhausted.

Libby was prosecuted by a Republican special prosecutor and sentenced by a Republican federal judge who was appointed by the President. Historically, Bush has been adverse to pardons or convictions. As governor of Texas, he ignored the pleas of Pope John Paul to pardon or commute Karla Faye Tucker.

Some Background ...

Judge Rules Libby Cannot Remain Free [R20]
Rice on Libby: "He Served the Country Well" [R20]
Libby Sentenced to 30 Months [R20]