Comments on: Gay Activist Mulls Presidential Run?

By: Samuel

Samuel — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:36:14 +0000

Here’s the article: http://tinyurl.com/yz86tgl

Karger also came up in Republican politics, and only came out publically in 2006. He said that a few weeks ago he was in Sacramento, having dinner with several other gay men working in politics. They extended an invitation to him to come to trivia night afterwards at Faces, the gay-friendly bar which Ashburn had left with another man shortly before getting a DUI.

“They said, ‘Roy Ashburn will be there,’” Karger said. “I almost spit my food out.” Back in 1982, Karger said, he’d worked with Ashburn on the George Deukmejian’s campaign for governor, at a time when Ashburn was part of a crew of political up-and-comers working under Thomas. Karger said he’d had no idea Ashburn was gay. More recently, Karger said, he’d given money to Ashburn’s campaigns, and got a Christmas card from Ashburn’s family each year in return.

By: Samuel

Samuel — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 00:32:25 +0000

This is starting to explain a lot. During the whole Roy Ashburn outing, there was a sentence buried in one of the articles which was a quoted comment from Karger. He said that he regularly gets a Christmas card from Roy Ashburn and has donated money to his recent campaigns. That blew my mind considering how incredibly anti-gay Ashburn is. Now that Karger has come out as Republican, it explains a lot.

By: Fred in the UK

Fred in the UK — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:58:07 +0000

I would certainly agree that seeing him debate Palin or Huckabee would be entertaining. However I think a much more important consequence of a run would be, especially if he got a lot of early media attention, to effectively force the Presidential incumbent and any Democratic challenger into specifically endorsing a number of pro-gay policies rather than merely being a ‘fierce advocate’.

Surely the advantage of achieving gay marriage is that legally enshrined discrimination becomes impossible for law makers to justify?

By: fannie

fannie — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:16:46 +0000

“Not that there aren’t other worthwhile issues, but it trumps everything else in my world, and for all Gays.”

Are you really saying that gay marriage is the number one concern for every single gay person?

I doubt that.

By: customartist

customartist — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:26:43 +0000

I have mixed feelings. I have planned to make contributions to Karger’s Marriage agenda, but I would need to hear more of his political views.

A run would be helpful though, just so that the Marriage issue is discussed more widely, even if he did not win.

Marriage Equality is my Number One Concern, categorically. It provides for a plethera of legal and financial securities. Not that there aren’t other worthwhile issues, but it trumps everything else in my world, and for all Gays.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:43:37 +0000

From his site:

1988
Committee for the Presidency, Campaign Director. Independent Expenditure Committee for George H. W. Bush chaired by baseball great, Steve Garvey. NATIONAL PAID AND EARNED MEDIA CAMPAIGN FEATURING CRIME VICTIMS
_______

OK. So this means he was working with Atwater on the Willie Horton ad. Lovely. Just the kind of guy I’d want to give money too…NOT.

By: Lindoro Almaviva

Lindoro Almaviva — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:06:59 +0000

seeing him reduce Palin to a pile of tears and sobs would make me register as a republican for a day and vote for him in the primaries.

By: Derrick

Derrick — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:00:10 +0000

I had breakfast with Fred a few weeks ago and he indicated that he is planning to run. Finally, I will have someone to vote for. Go Fred!