Megan McCain spoke out on her support even during the 2008 campaign, but now she is commenting on this new-found support among the more libertarian elements in the party. Sam Stein reports on Huffington Post::
"We get the bad wrap as Republicans being against gay marriage," [Megan] told Fox News. "[Obama] isn't doing anything for the gay community."Indeed, even in the Democratic tent there is some marvel, concern and even a twinge of envy at the changes taking place within the GOP.
"There has always been this libertarian segment of the Republican Party who thinks the government ought to get out of your life, and that group has, for various reasons, become more emboldened," said Steve Emeldorf, an aide to former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, who is fundraising with Mehlman in support of same-sex marriage. "Maybe ten years ago they were scared of this issue, but as it becomes more acceptable the libertarians are like, yeah, this is our philosophy."
"You had the most conservative vice president in the history of the world [Dick Cheney] with a lesbian daughter who over the last couple years has signaled he is for gay rights and marriage," Elmendorf added. "And if you have this guy who is the icon of the right wing there... It sort of snowballs.
Well, it remains to be seen how far this will go. So far, though, just the germ of the idea is pretty amazing -- both for what it means for gay civil rights and marriage, but more broadly what it could mean for a rebirth of the moderate wing of the GOP.
Not going to hold my breath, and not going to vote Republican no matter what. But it is very interesting to watch this development.
One slightly cynical interpretation that occurs to me is that they anticipate what's coming -- that the Prop8 case is going to result in a SCOTUS decision that overturns all laws forbidding gay marriage -- and they don't want to be on the wrong side of that amazing development.
Ralph
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