Pimp My Wry

Tainted Love: Stewart Mocks Cain

Jon Stewart examines the Cain controversy better than anyone so far, and makes the point that will matter most from here on out: Everything Cain will do or say in the months ahead will be tainted -- sexually and hilariously so.

Is Herman Cain Able to Tell the Truth?

More on the allegations that the GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain sexually harassed female employees during his tenure as head of the National Restaurant Association.

"What is the truth about these allegations of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct? Have you ever been accused, at any time, of either?" GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain was asked by a Fox News correspondent this morning. (Link to clip of interview below.)

"Yes," Cain answered. "I have never sexually harassed anyone. Let's say that. Secondlly, um, I have never sexually harassed anyone."

Ah, right. Nothing suspicious about that. And, um, nothing suspicious about that.

He continued. "And, yes, I was falsely accused while I was at the National Restaurant Association," he said, "and I say falsely because it turned out, after the investigation, to be baseless..." (Watch a clip of the interview below.)

The Huffington Post followed up with this:

When asked if he has ever had to deal with sexual harassment claims, the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza reiterated his innocence.

"Outside of the Restaurant Association, absolutely not ... If the restaurant did a settle I wasn't even aware of it," Cain said. "And I hope it wasn’t for much because nothing happened. So if there was a settlement it was handled by some of the other officers that worked for me at the Association."

As for any future troubles, Cain was steadfast, noting that no other allegations of this nature are tied to his past.

"Absolutely not," the GOP hopeful said. "If more allegations come I assure you people will simply make them up ... The only other allegations will be trumped up allegations -- there’s nothing else."

I don't buy any of it. Innocent people don't pay off accusers in return for silence.

Watch the video on HuffPost:

 

Gropegate!

Another family values Christian is being accused of behavior that isn't exactly Christlike or family-approved.

GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain has denied a Politico report that alleges he sexually harassed women during his time as head of the National Restaurant Association.

Whether there was any groping involved remains to be seen, but given that financial payouts were handed over in exchange for silence, I'm willing to bet that Cain's hands kneaded more than dough.

During Herman Cain’s tenure as the head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, at least two female employees complained to colleagues and senior association officials about inappropriate behavior by Cain, ultimately leaving their jobs at the trade group, multiple sources confirm to POLITICO.

The women complained of sexually suggestive behavior by Cain that made them angry and uncomfortable, the sources said, and they signed agreements with the restaurant group that gave them financial payouts to leave the association. The agreements also included language that bars the women from talking about their departures.

Cain's campaign insists that Politico is "dredging up thinly sourced allegations." Spokesman J.D. Gordon told the AP that the claims include "unsubstantiated personal attacks," adding that the press is "casting aspersions on his character and spreading rumors that never stood up to the facts."

Prop 8: Using Religion To Legalize Discrimination

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker lifted the stay on Proposition 8, but postponed official same-sex marriages until next Wednesday, Aug. 18. By delaying gay marriages, Walker is simply allowing the legal process to play out. And I think it's a good call.

Given that the religious proponents of Prop 8 (and their supporters) want to crucify Walker for his rulings so far, it's best that he err on the side of caution.

But that is not to suggest that I believe Prop 8 proponents have a legitimate defense. In my view, anyone who supports Prop 8 has only one goal in mind — to legalize discrimination.

I've written many times before about the ways in which religion is used to justify homophobia, how gays and lesbians are demonized in religious arguments that are based on faith and not facts, and how American history is steeped with the "family values" of bigots and hypocrites, and I'll continue to do so until gays and lesbians achieve full equality.

Below is my latest essay on the efforts to block equal rights and legalize discrimination via religion. It was published in my local paper, the Sonoma Index-Tribune, this week in two parts — part one is here; part two is here. But because it's easier to read in one chunk, I've pasted it in its entirety below:

Meet The Journalists Who Exposed George Rekers

South Florida Gay News introduces the world to Brandon K. Thorp and Penn Bullock, the men who exposed George Rekers.  Bravo, boys!

Wilton Manors residents Brandon K. Thorp, 27, and Penn Bullock, 21, met on My Space three years ago but only in the last week has their relationship reached the cosmos.

Last week, Thorp, who usually writes the theater column for Miami New Times, joined with his partner, Bullock, to break the story that a young male hooker from Miami had gone on a ten day European vacation with Dr. George Rekers, a founder of the rabidly anti-gay Family Research Council, and a board member of NARTH, the notorious National Association for the Research and Treatment of Homosexuality.

Dr. Rekers is not just anyone. He is a nationally reputed leader of the ex-gay movement who has authored books and campaigned vigorously that homosexuality can be cured. Republican Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum actually paid him almost $120,000.00 of taxpayer money to be a star witness for the State of Florida in the legal case seeking to defend state statutes banning gay adoption.

Will Gheen To Sen. Graham: Let's Make A Deal — You Be Gay And I'll Be A Racist Dick

On April 17, William Gheen (pictured, right), a racist clown and the president of an organization called Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC), spoke at a Greenville, South Carolina, Tea Party rally about illegal immigration, border control and how South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham's sexuality figures into the immigration 'problem.'  

You see, in the interest of political integrity and national security, Gheen addressed Graham's homosexuality in his speech, demanding that Graham, the lone Republican in the Senate trying to lobby other Republicans to sponsor the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Amnesty bill, come out publicly.

In the clip below, which according to RightWingWatch.org  "is out of proper context ... has already gone viral on YouTube and been reported by Keith Olbermann on MSNBC without proper permissions or attributions," Gheen says the following (at around 7:10 in):

Happy Palm Sunday, Sarah Palin!

The Fight Over Health Care Reform In Ten Minutes (Video)

Good morning, America, you now have a health care plan!

Getting it wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't painless. In fact, the process was a lot like root canal or childbirth — a necessary and agonizing means to what we hope will be a shiny, happy end — and it culminated in yesterday's 11-hour health care debate.

If you didn't watch the debate because you were too busy celebrating prematurely (or stockpiling because it's the end of the world as you know it ... or putting the finishing touches on lawsuits to block the new plan), here now is all the drama edited down to only 10 minutes: