If you were paying attention last week, you saw the offensive interviews by the National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM’s) Maggie Gallagher of candidates for the Chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC, aka the GOP), in which she asked them to make their case for traditional marriage. (Note, offering support for same-sex marriage was not even an option.)
Via USA Today, in addition to current Chair running for re-election, the embattled Michael Steele, the candidates are:
“Reince Priebus, chairman of the Wisconsin GOP, is considered the front-runner in the race. Politico says Priebus is the first choice of 32 RNC members.
“Also running are former Missouri GOP chairwoman Ann Wagner; ex-Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis, who lasted through five rounds of balloting in the race that Steele won in 2009; and former deputy RNC chairwoman Maria Cino, who has the backing of top Republicans such as Dick Cheney and Ed Gillespie.”
At this afternoon’s GOP debate, during which five candidates are vying to be elected GOP Chair, the second question, after the obligatory, “What would you focus on?,” came from a representative of the Susan B. Anthony List, Marjorie Dannenfelser, who said that the GOP should not have “some sort of truce on social issues.” She claimed that 80% of Republicans support traditional marriage, and added, “certain Republican elites try to portray this large majority as being on the wrong side of history.” She asked, “on behalf of National Organization for Marriage… what is your best 30 second case for the defense of marriage between one man and one woman?”
The answers were the usual claptrap: Steele called the traditional family the “ideal,” another talked about judges re-writing the Constitution, blah, blah, blah…
(In an appalling act of deference to her husband, candidate Ann Wagner affirmed her fidelity and said she has been “I guess happily married for twenty-four years, I don’t know, I guess you’ll have to ask him,” and motioned to her husband.)
But the critical point here is that the Republican National Committee has opened itself up to being in the vise of NOM, whose major funding comes from the Mormon Church (LDS) as well as other “religious” organizations, and the Susan B. Anthony List, a major right-wing extremist group, and the first real question on the isssues was on same-sex marriage.
Make no mistake: NOM and the GOP have partnered up to fight tooth and nail against the civil rights of LGBTQ citizens.
Separation of Church and State? Not at the Republican National Committee.
Thanks to ThinkProgress’ Igor Volsky for the video.