Russian President Putin plays the "some of my best friends are gays" card

Speaking to the BBC yesterday, President Vladimir Putin totally played the "some of my best friends are gays" card in denying he and the Russian government have an anti-gay agenda.

"I myself know some people who are gay. We're on friendly terms. I'm not prejudiced in any way. If you want my personal attitude, I would tell you that I don't care about a person's sexual orientation. I've honoured several members of the gay community in this country but for their personal achievements, regardless of their sexual orientation. There's no danger for individuals of this non-traditional sexual orientation who are planning to come to the games as visitors or participants."

(h/t JMG)