Sam Adams, the openly gay Mayor of Portland, Oregon, has decided to remain in office. This may have had something to do with the large rally of supporters who gathered this weekend to encourage Sam not to resign.
Beau Breedlove, the former intern who was Adams' lover three years ago, has maintained that they did not begin a sexual relationship until a few weeks after Breedlove's 18th birthday. He has revealed that they did kiss twice while he was still 17, though.
My opinion on this hasn't changed. As long as Breedlove was legal, I see no reason for Adams to be forced to resign, any more than I saw a reason for Bill Clinton to resign from office during the whole Lewinsky fiasco. It's very disappointing that Adams felt the need to lie, no question about that, but I think the outrage is largely based on the age difference between the two men, which is nobody's business. I'm sure a lot of the outcry we're seeing also comes from those disgusted by the fact that this happened between two men, period.
Speaking of gay public officials, GayPolitics has a complete list of the 16 openly LGBT appointees that have been tapped for positions in the Obama administration so far.
Another thing that caught my attention today is that Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin has announced that he will be introducing a Constitutional Amendment to require special elections when a vacancy occurs in the United States Senate. This is how they're already required to do things in the U.S. House of Representatives, but most Senate vacancies are filled through appointment by the state's Governor, as we've seen demonstrated so disastrously in the last few months.
It's ridiculous that things aren't already done that way, to be honest, but then we have to remember that it has been less than a hundred years since Senators were selected by state legislators and never had to face the voters. This way of doing things is just the last remaining remnant of that practice.
Of course, it is not an easy process to amend the U.S. Constitution. I think if Feingold's amendment ever had a chance, though, it would be right now, with the mess in Illinois still fresh on everyone's mind.
Finally, to close on a completely different subject, I just wanted to post this picture I just saw on AfterElton of the very sexy Van Hansis (better known as Luke on As the World Turns, of course!) attending the recent opening of Hedda Gabler on Broadway with his former classmate, openly gay Broadway actor Matt Risch, best known from the musical Legally Blonde.
Van looks fantastic when he lets his face get a bit scruffy! Then again, I've never seen Van look anything less than fantastic.
2 comments:
Risch now has the title role in Pal Joey on Broadway. I saw it Saturday; not so great. He and Van are both grads of the Massachusetts prep school for the arts, Walnut Hill.
I'd heard they both went to Walnut Hill. I hadn't heard about Pal Joey, though.
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