Podcast: LGBTs Notch Historic Wins In Political Races; George Takei Accused Of Sexual Misconduct

In this week's podcast:

• Political history was made in elections across the country this week by LGBT candidates

• A new poll in the UK shows gay men have an issue with masculinity

• Australia looks poised to legalize same-sex marriage, but there could be a snag

• A Las Vegas father shoots and kills his 14-year-old son for being gay. Click here to contribute to a GoFundMe campaign aimed at helping pay funeral expenses.

• Pro soccer player Robbie Rogers, the first openly gay athlete in one of the “big four” professional sports, announced his retirement

• Star Trek star and LGBT icon George Takei accused of sexual misconduct

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report.

Political Cartoon Of The Day

Fox News Tries To Whip Up Controversy Over Nancy Reagan Funeral

Via Occupy Democrats

Radio Show: Looking Back At The Wild Week In Politics

Check out my latest radio show on BlogTalkRadio.

This episode I look back on the week's biggest political campaign stories - from the Nevada Caucuses to the South Carolina Primaries to the upcoming Super Tuesday.

Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump both had big weeks but what's going to happen on Super Tuesday? I take a look at the most recent polls and offer what I think could happen.

And don't forget that "rock 'em sock 'em" Republican debate this week where Wolf Blizter basically lost control of the debate and the shouting was really something to see. Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz went full-court press on The Donald. Will it work? Too little too late?

And - Donald Trump refuses to disavow being endorsed by a former Ku Klux Klan leader. Will his supporters care? (Answer: no)

Politics: The New McCarthyism

This new ad from The Agenda Project asks, "Is this what we can expect when Representative Kevin McCarthy is Speaker of the House?"

Last week, McCarthy admitted in a TV interview that the Benghazi investigations in Congress were created to bring down Hillary Clinton's poll numbers.

Maryland Sen. Mikulski Becomes 34th Vote For President Obama's Iran/Nuclear Agreement

With the announcement by Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, who says she will be the 34th U.S. Senator to vote for President Obama's Iran/Nuclear deal, Obama gets his foreign policy legacy.

From Huffington Post:

Under the deal, Iran would be subjected to comprehensive inspections on its nuclear program and forced to reduce current uranium stockpiles and the number of its centrifuges. In exchange, it will be granted sanctions relief estimated to be anywhere between $50 billion and $150 billion. But the deal phases out between years 10 and 15, albeit with Iran still forced to provide some access for inspections for another 10 years thereafter. And even for supporters of the initiative, concerns remain about the possibilities of a quick military breakout once restrictions ease.

Faced with this pushback, the administration has implored lawmakers to consider the alternative, in which no restrictions are placed on Iran and the world community is unwilling to rework the accord. A briefing between ambassadors and officials from the other countries party to the deal -- in which they articulated their reluctance to head back to the negotiating table -- was highly persuasive to several Democratic senators.

Almost every current GOP candidate for president has said they would kill the agreement upon being sworn into office.

Whether such statements can become a reality as so simply stated are another matter. Reneging on an international agreement involving several nations could be more politically complex than tossing out a stump speech.

Democratic leaders say they are still working towards 40 votes in favor of the deal to help keep a resolution of disapproval from getting a vote.

The United States Officially Reestablishes Diplomatic Relations With Cuba

This includes reopening the US embassy in Havana.

For 50 years the embargo and nonexistent relations did not help the people of Cuba.

Here's hoping this progress keeps talks moving forward in a positive direction.

Rand Paul Staffer Licks Camera Lens

I really have no idea why this guy LICKED the lens of a camera, but it's funny that he does it so earnestly.

Via Towleroad:

Democratic trackers typically follow rival candidates to events in order to keep an eye on them, as was the case at a Rand Paul event in New Hampshire on Monday.

But a tracker from the Democratic opposition research super PAC, American Bridge 21st Century found out the hard way that Paul's staffers lick back.

Dr. Ben Carson Apologizes For Saying Homosexuality Is A "Choice"

As I reported yesterday, retired neurosurgeon (and probable GOP candidate for president in 2016) Dr. Ben Carson claimed on CNN that homosexuality is definitely a choice and he could prove it because folks have sex in prison.

He then appeared on Sean Hannity's show and claimed that CNN had edited the interview (even though there were no quick cuts to be seen) that took his statement out of context.

From Mediaite:

During a radio discussion this afternoon with Sean Hannity, Carson blamed the ordeal on CNN. “It was a 25 minute interview they chopped, and you see what part they emphasized,” he said. “I did learn something very important: For certain networks, never do a pre-taped interview. Always do it live.”

Carson continued: “I simply have decided I’m not really going to talk about that issue anymore because every time I’m gaining momentum the liberal press says, ‘Let’s talk about gay rights.’ And I’m just not going to fall for that anymore.”

The problem with Carson’s attempt to play victim here is that, during that sequence of the CNN interview, there were clearly no jump-cuts and no edits — just a straight back-and-forth about whether homosexuality is a choice. Playing this off with a “gotcha media vs. poor ol’ Ben Carson” spin isn’t exactly going to cut it. Sometimes your words are just your words.

Then last night, Carson took to his Facebook page to issue an apology saying he "answered a question without really thinking about it thoroughly." That part is a bit perplexing in that he's spoken out about homosexuality often; and, he was unequivocal in his opinion on CNN.

See his apology below:

In a recent interview on CNN, I realized that my choice of language does not reflect fully my heart on gay issues.

I do not pretend to know how every individual came to their sexual orientation. I regret that my words to express that concept were hurtful and divisive. For that I apologize unreservedly to all that were offended.

I'm a doctor trained in multiple fields of medicine, who was blessed to work at perhaps the finest institution of medical knowledge in the world. Some of our brightest minds have looked at this debate, and up until this point there have been no definitive studies that people are born into a specific sexuality. We do know, however, that we are always born male and female. And I know that we are all made in God's image, which means we are all deserving of respect and dignity.

I support human rights and Constitutional protections for gay people, and I have done so for many years. I support civil unions for gay couples, and I have done so for many years. I support the right of individual states to sanction gay marriage, and I support the right of individual states to deny gay marriage in their respective jurisdictions.

I also think that marriage is a religious institution. Religious marriage is an oath before God and congregation. Religious marriage must only be governed by the church. Judges and government must not be allowed to restrict religious beliefs.

I am not a politician and I answered a question without really thinking about it thoroughly. No excuses. I deeply regret my statement and I promise you, on this journey, I may err again, but unlike politicians when I make an error I will take full responsibility and never hide or parse words. As a human being my obligation is to learn from my mistakes and to treat all people with respect and dignity.

House Speaker John Boehner Relents - Allows Clean Vote On Homeland Security Funding

And it would seem the game playing with the security of the United States is over.

According to NBC News, the House of Representative has passed a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security by a vote of 257-167.

In a 257 to 167 vote, the House passed a "clean" Homeland Security funding bill on Tuesday without provisions that would curtail the president's executive orders on immigration. The Senate passed the legislation last week and the president's signature is certain.

Funding for Homeland Security, which was set to run out midnight on Friday, will now go through Sept. 30 of this year.

The vote is a blow to conservatives in the House who fought to use the spending measure as a way to force the president to roll back his orders aimed at allowing millions of undocumented immigrants the chance to stay in the U.S. legally. Conservatives contend that the orders are unconstitutional and all 1of the 67 no votes came from Republicans.

But Senate Democrats blocked legislation that included language on immigration, and some Republicans publicly acknowledged they would be the party that would get blamed if the agency shut down.

Boehner announced in a closed-door meeting of Republican members on Tuesday morning that the House would vote on the year-long funding bill.

Mother To Political Sons: "I Would Really Like A Peaceful Christmas"

Brad Woodhouse (former DNC communications director) and his brother Dallas (who worked for a Koch brothers-funded group in North Carolina) – appeared on C-SPAN Tuesday promoting a documentary about their political work (“Woodhouse Divided”) when a familiar voice called in.

“Oh God, it’s mom,” Dallas Woodhouse realized.

From USNews.com:

“I was very glad that this Thanksgiving was a year that you two were supposed to go to your in-laws and I’m hoping you have some of this out of your system when you come here for Christmas,” Joy Woodhouse admitted, asking the partisan pundit brothers to please not spoil the rest of the holidays with their rancor. “I would really like a peaceful Christmas.”

“Woodhouse Divided,” which debuted in the nation's capital in September, follows the Woodhouse brothers over a four-year period. It shows Brad Woodhouse winning the Obamacare fight and Dallas Woodhouse aiding the rise of the tea party movement. The documentary also shows the brothers bickering through family holidays – something Joy Woodhouse would rather not see this year.

(tipped by anonymous TRR reader)

Sen. Lindsey Graham: "White Men In Male-Only Clubs Are Going To Do Great In My Presidency"

Sen. Lindsey Graham has admitted in an interview to making eye-raising comments last month at a meeting of the Hibernian Society of Charleston.

From a recording made at the meeting which was then anonymously sent to two South Carolina Democrats:

“I’m trying to help you with your tax status. I’m sorry the government’s so f*cked up. If I get to be president, white men in male-only clubs are going to do great in my presidency.”

Graham said the Hibernian Society encourages speakers "to be earthy, to make fun of yourself, to make fun of them. Then you say something serious and sit down. And if you talk over 20 minutes, they throw something at you."

Alaska: Sarah Palin Endorses The Opponent Of Her Former Lt. Governor

Gov. Sean Parnell (L) and Bill Walker (R)

In an interesting bit of news, it seems the Sarah Palin, the former half-term governor of Alaska, has endorsed not her former Lt. Governor - Sean Parnell - who replaced her when she chose to quit in her first term, but his opponent, Independent candidate Bill Walker.

From the National Journal:

Parnell's 2013 restructuring of the state's oil and gas taxes dismantled a prior, Palin-championed program that she considered to be one of the greatest achievements of her tenure. That difference of opinion is at the heart of Palin's conflict with Parnell, which resulted in the two campaigning on opposite sides of a ballot measure in this year's primary.

It's worth noting that when Gov. Parnell indicated that he would appeal the recent ruling against the state's ban on same-sex marriage, Walker issued a statement that he felt an appeal would be an "unwise use of our dwindling resources:

Walker, an attorney, responded later Sunday with criticism of the state's decision to appeal the ruling. A recent ruling from the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- which includes Alaska in its jurisdiction -- said bans on same-sex marriage violate the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Such higher court rulings make the probability of a successful appeal when similar bans have already been overturned in other states unlikely.

Walker said he personally viewed marriage as existing between a man and a woman, but added that if he were governor, he would "uphold the laws of the land."

"Despite my personal views on marriage, with the state's dire financial crisis, pursuing expensive litigation that has little chance of victory is an unwise use of our dwindling resources."

(via JMG)

GOP Campaign Ads and The Modern Family

You'll never guess what hit TV show seems to attract GOP campaign ads.

And guess which television genre seems to be the most apolitical when it comes to advertising?

MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell and Judah Friedlander look at the facts and try to figure it out.

Workaholic John Boehner on his 113 days on the job this year

Via Daily Kos

House of Representatives "work" schedule

Via Occupy Democrats

South Dakota GOP candidate learns she lost race during interview on the air

Annette Bosworth, a candidate in the South Dakota GOP's Senate primary, learned she'd lost to Governor Mike Rounds when Fox News host Megyn Kelly informed her on air Tuesday evening.

Kelly began the interview by asking for Bosworth's reaction to the loss. "Well, that's news to me," Bosworth said. "I didn't know that. I found out on national television."

She then made it part way through an answer about supporting the winning candidate before saying, "That's disappointing to me."

"Sorry to break the news to you," Kelly said.

(via HotNews)

GOP focused on politics, not the middle class

Via Politics with Jarred and Dave

When Anthony Weiner's campaign implodes, it IMPLODES

In a rant rarely seen in a political circles, Anthony Weiner’s communications director Barbara Morgan went off the rails while talking to a reporter at Talking Points Memo.

Former intern for the Weiner campaign, Olivia Nuzzi, published a story on the blog NSFWCORP, which then landed her on the front cover of the Daily News.

On a call to TPM about an unrelated issue, Morgan apparently roared on and on about Nuzzi and her article:

“Fucking slutbag. Nice fucking glamour shot on the cover of the Daily News. Man, see if you ever get a job in this town again,” said Morgan.

According to Morgan, Nuzzi stopped interning for the campaign “like four weeks ago.” Nuzzi’s story on NSFWCORP described her as having spent “four weeks” as a Weiner intern. When asked whether the claims in Nuzzi’s stories were true, Morgan suggested many of them were “bullshit.”

“It’s all bullshit,” she said. “I mean, it’s such bullshit. She could fucking — fucking twat.”

According to Morgan, Nuzzi's job performance left much to be desired.

“She sucked. She like wasn’t good at setting up events. She was clearly there because she wanted to be seen. Like it was, like, terrible and I had to like - she would like, she would just not show up for work,” said Morgan. “For the four weeks she worked there — she didn’t work weekends, so twenty days total. Of those twenty days, she missed probably five because she would just like not show up and not tell me she wasn’t going to be there. So, yeah, so there’s that.”

Morgan also expressed disbelief that Nuzzi criticized her credentials.

“And then like she had the fucking balls to like trash me in the paper. And be like, ‘His communications director was last the press secretary of the Department of Education in New Jersey,” Morgan said. “You know what? Fuck you, you little cunt. I’m not joking, I am going to sue her.”

Late last night, Morgan issued a statement to Business Insider about the screed:

“In a moment of frustration, I used inappropriate language in what I thought was an off the record conversation. It was wrong and I am very sorry, which is what I said tonight when I called and emailed Olivia to apologize,” said Morgan.

(via TalkingPointsMemo)

Report: Political support for marriage equality not so "career-ending"

From Third Way comes a new report today indicates that supporting marriage equality is not quite the "career-ending move" Brian Brown of the anti-gay NOM would have you believe.


Of the 196 legislators who voted for marriage equality in either New York or Washington, 191 kept their jobs.

Crunching the numbers that works out to a 97% reelection rate.

Historically, 10% of incumbents usually lose reelection, so if anything marriage equality appears to help make the case.

(via the Advocate)