CNN's Don Lemon on Sunday noted that
Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu is the latest in a string of “gay
conservative closet cases.”
In a 3-minute No Talking Points
segment titled GOP's Gay Skeletons, Lemon
asks, “Who knew there was any room left in there?” and reminds
viewers of gay GOP scandals of the past, including Idaho Senator
Larry Craig and former Florida Rep. Mark Foley.
On
Babeu, who
acknowledged he's gay in the course of denying claims he threatened
to have his ex-boyfriend, a Mexican national, deported, Lemon
gave the congressional candidate points for not denying his sexual
orientation: “To our knowledge, he has never denied being gay, or
to our knowledge has he ever pushed for anti-gay measures.”
Lemon,
however, kept quiet on the fact that Babeu has supported many
candidates who are opposed to gay rights, including Arizona Senator
John McCain – who
has defended Babeu – and former Arizona State Senator Timothy
Bee, who introduced Arizona's constitutional amendment which defines
marriage as a heterosexual union.
After
noting that Democratic New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey was involved
in a gay sex scandal, Lemon added, “But the question is: Why are
there so many more examples of gay conservative closet cases?
Perhaps the GOP's own repressive platform is the very thing that
forces gay members to live a lie, and wouldn't it be easier and a
whole lot less embarrassing to just come out?” (Watch
the segment at CNN.)
(Related:
Paul
Babeu notes Ron Paul's gay marriage stance at coming out presser.)