President Bush isn't letting potential howls from the Christian right stop him from nominating an openly gay man as assistant secretary of commerce.
Just in time for Pride Week, Bush has tapped longtime aide Israel Hernandez for the post, which also carries the title of director general of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service. The 35-year-old Republican go-getter has been a Bush acolyte since the President's 1994 campaign for governor of Texas. (Among Hernandez's duties was supplying the candidate with breath mints, prompting Dubya to dub him "Altoid Boy.")
Most recently, the graduate of Texas A&M's George H.W. Bush School of Government served as aide-de-camp to senior White House adviser Karl Rove.
One source tells us Hernandez waited until Bush was sworn in for a second term to formally tell him he is gay. By then, says a source, he'd brought his partner to several official events.
Hernandez appeared yesterday before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Asked by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) if he'd like to introduce anyone, Hernandez mentioned his sister, mother and father.
Mike Rogers, whose blogactive.com covers gay political issues, was disappointed that Hernandez didn't mention his partner. "You know, if he were married to a woman and she was there, he would specifically mention her," Rogers told us. "Why are people like Izzy Hernandez pushing their spouses and loved ones into the closet when so many have gone before him and stood openly and proudly? This is typical of the Bush administration and its anti-gay, anti-safe-sex agenda."
Hernandez didn't return calls. source
Perhaps because the man doesn't wish to throw his homosexuality in people's faces? Who knows Mr. Rogers, why don't you let the man live his life the way HE'D like to, not the way YOU think he should.
Btw Rogers, around these parts we call that freedom. Apparently a concept you liberals aren't a big fan of.