Former Log Cabin Republican leader Rich Tafel, writing in National Review Online, understands what the current LCR leadership doesn't - that gay Republicans are generally supportive of the Bush administration while disagreeing with the president on gay marriage. That's why Bush's percentage of the overall gay vote declined only slightly (from 25 percent in 2000 to 23 percent this go round), while his total number of gay votes actually rose substantially - despite Log Cabin's "non-endorsement" and criticism of the president.
I think it's important to note the venue here - National Review is to the political right what the Nation is to the left. But reaching out to this audience is exactly what the current Log Cabin leaders ought to be doing, but aren't - working to find common ground with Republican conservatives who have been traditionally gay-unfriendly.
I think Tafel is on the mark when he observes:
Now that the election has passed, the part of the gay community that has built a movement on the demonization of Republicans will not engage in self-reflection. It will tell its followers that George W. Bush won because he gay-bashed. This will only convince the administration that it has nothing to gain from engaging the gay community in dialogue. A rigid standoff will ensue, and the gay community can look forward to four more years in the wilderness.
Given that Kerry/Edwards endorsed amending state constitutions to ban same-sex marriage, the gay liberal/left's partisan strategy of voicing no criticism of the Democrats should be viewed as bankrupt. Meanwhile, however, Log Cabin's current Washington leadership seems incapable of finding any GOP initiative they're willing to support.
Memo to LCR Executive Director Patrick Guerriero and Political
Director Chris Barron: Even the liberal Human Rights Campaign is
risking the wrath of the gay left by considering support for
private social security accounts. If you can't find anything that
the Bush administration is doing that you can get behind, then it's
time for you to go.