Cynical Nation

At first I wasn't even going to post about this, but for anyone who's keeping track of the current trend of liberal gay-baiting, you might want to add this one to the list.

Former President Bill Clinton wasn't about to let just anybody attack his wife -- especially a gay Republican operative.

Clinton fired back yesterday, suggesting that political consultant Arthur Finkelstein, who has launched a "Stop Her Now" campaign, is suffering from "self-loathing."

Finkelstein married his male partner in a civil ceremony in Massachusetts in December, with a few of his conservative clients at the nuptial.

"... He went to Massachusetts and married his longtime male partner and then he comes back here and announces this," Clinton said at a Harlem news conference.

"I thought, one of two things. Either this guy believes his party is not serious, and is totally Machiavellian in his position, or there's some sort of self-loathing there. I was more sad for him."

Liberals will no doubt respond that "Heavens no, Clinton said nothing insulting to gays. He's merely pointing out Republican hypocrisy on the issue."

Sorry, but I'm not buying that. Almost none of us agree with every position our candidates hold when we vote. We make choices, balancing the total packages against one another. I'm sure that's as true for Finkelstein as it is anyone else. No doubt he disagrees with his party's position on gay marriage, as do I. But for Finkelstein, just like the rest of us, there are other issues as well. To imply that the only way Finkelstein could honestly oppose Ms. Clinton for president is some psychological pathology is beyond the pale.

Clinton should be ashamed. But, well, we know that's never going to happen.