Tiny Queer Footballs

GOP Debate: Thompson Fumbles

As the 2008 election heats up, (in May 2007 no-less) the GOP had their first debate on MSNBC, hosted by Chris Matthews. And in the ONLY gay-related question fired at ONLY ONE candidate, Tommy Thompson, his answer was not-so-great.

Matthews: “If a private employer finds homosexuality immoral, should he be allowed to fire a gay worker?”

Thompson: “I think that is left to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be.”

Well, as a person who would be affected by such rationale this writer is deeply offended. How is it right for a person to discriminate against people because they happen to be gay or lesbian, which of course has no bearing on how well they do their job, but not OK to discriminate against a person of color, or who prays at a Synagogue? Following that logic wouldn’t it be just as right for the individual business to discriminate against black people because he doesn’t agree that he should have to pay them or that since the Jewish people are not “saved” then they shouldn’t be hired?

But, lets’ be fair, he did say in the “spin room” that hadn’t heard the question correctly and that discrimination should not be allowed. “There should be no sexual discrimination whatsoever.”

Now I see, he just didn’t hear it right. When he answered “sincerely” that he thinks business people should make their own determination as to whether or not “they” should be. Makes so much more sense now.

UPDATE: John at AmericaBlog has Thompson continuing the fumble. (h/t Bad Fruit/ Bad Trees)

clarification to CNN this morning:

THOMPSON: I made a mistake. I misinterpreted the question. I thought that I answered it yes when I should have answered it no. I didn’t hear, I didn’t hear the question properly and I apologize. It’s not my position. There should be no discrimination in the workplace and I have never believed that. And, in fact, Wisconsin has one of the first laws, which I supported.

ROBERTS: Right.

THOMPSON: So, I just made a mistake and that’s all I can say. I’m sorry and I misinterpreted the question and I answered yes, when it should have been no…. It’s not my position, it never has been. I have always been against discrimination and prejudice. In fact if you would have listened to the debate, they asked me a question about racism and I said that the president of the United States, whoever he is, has to take the point and has to be the person that does not allow discrimination or racism in any degree, whatsoever.

OK, so building on the comment below, by Bloggernista, if this writer remembers what his  teachers always said when taking a test.  “Follow your gut and go with your first instinct.”  In a playing field where hating TEH GAY is par-for-the-course it seems that he was saying what was really in his heart.  When cornered on it in the “Spin Room” and again on CNN he changed his answer because he know there would be outrage.  This is the reason why taking his “correction” as his answer is so hard to do.

RSS 4. May 2007 (19:41)
Filed under: 2008 Elections, Debate, Fundies