For a couple of weeks Mr Richard Grenell was the Foreign Policy and National Security Spokesman for Candidate Mitt Romney. Per this item at the Althouse blog, he was dropped for being openly "gay". The Althouse post links to a piece in The Washington Post by Ms Jennifer Rubin.
Certainly the optics are bad, and if this was a personnel action forced by certain factions based upon sexual "orientation", it was a weak choice. Is there anyone who thinks that homosexuals only became part of political campaigns after "Stonewall"?
This is not about approving or disapproving a lifestyle, but about having competent people in the campaign. On the other hand, people who don't show some discretion in their sex lives don't belong on the campaign trail—just ask former Senator John Edwards. His activities, unlike those of Gary Hartpence, were ignored for a long time, but eventually caught up with him.
I hope there is a good explanation for this, but, as Professor Althouse says, "if the headline accurately describes the situation, it's pathetic."♠
And it is time for Republicans to say so.
Regards — Cliff
♠ On the other hand, if Mr Grenell was indiscrete in some manner (but not criminal in some way) and the campaign is protecting him, then that is to be commended, but protection means we never hear about it and there is no commendation and Mr Romney takes a hit for someone who works for him. That, to me, is plausible.
I think the reason for his dismissal was that he was using his position in the Romney scheme of things to openly and enthusiastically advocate for gay marriage, among other things. He apparently forgot that when you are on a campaign staff for someone, your raison d'etre is to promote the candidate and their views.
ReplyDeleteSadly, this has become an all to familiar tactic used by special interest groups and their supporters. Get yourself a platform and broadcast your position, and then if the owner of the platform gets rid of you for putting your message ahead of his or hers, then you have a perfect means of further promoting your message by attacking the person who got rid of you.
For Romney...this is the situation.