Foley: My sexuality is private Questions about homosexuality 'revolting and unforgivable'

Miami Herald ^ | 5/23/03 | PETER WALLSTEN AND LESLEY CLARK

[Chancellor Palpatine]

TALLAHASSEE - U.S. Rep. Mark Foley took the offensive Thursday to address a question he acknowledged may affect his bid to become the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate: Is he gay?

The answer, Foley said, is that it's nobody's business but his own. He called the innuendo about his private life ''revolting and unforgivable,'' and blamed it on Democratic activists who fear his strength as a candidate.

snip

Foley holds a massive fundraising advantage over his leading rival for the Republican nomination, former Orlando-area U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum, and has amassed dozens of endorsements from Republican state legislators across the ideological spectrum.

But party strategists worry quietly that Foley may be too ''moderate'' to beat McCollum, a darling of the party's influential conservative wing, in a primary -- but that McCollum, who lost to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2000, is a weak candidate in the general election.

[sandydipper]

I voted for McCollum the first time he ran for Congress. He made it an issue to support term limits. Then he announced plans to run for re-election because "the people had spoken" and wanted him to return to DC.

I asked him why it was that incumbents were anti term limits and first timers were pro term limits - he did not answer.

[tracer]

Your story probably is inflated. To which I would respond, isn't that stretching things a bit?

[NeoCaveman]

Deutsch and Wexler I simply despise.

Evil, they are pure evil.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Why yes, yes it is somewhat inflated, LOL.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Lightweight.

[Highest Authority]

If Foley loses, he can always run for Governor of New Jersey (snide remark)!!!!

[Recovering_Democrat]

Guess what, folks? This conservative doesn't really care if a given Republican is gay. Is he for smaller government? Does he want to protect innocent life? Does he believe a strong defense, and the use thereof, is an essential part of foreign policy? How about taxes--is he for giving more of the people's money back? If the answers are "yes" to all of these, and he is the nominee, he'll get my vote.

[Mister Baredog]

Now with the recall, California will get Sen. Gray Davis and Gov. Feinstein. How the hell is that a victory?

Geez is it really THAT bad, I hope not, I would be deeply saddened.

[JohnnyZ]

If the answers are "yes" to all of these, and he is the nominee, he'll get my vote.

No. The answer is not yes to all of those.

[brownie]

Otherwise known as the "shooting ourselves in the foot" strategy which has been so successful in California, the social "conservative" wing of the party pushes another dour, grim, personality free and unelectable candidate amid rumor and innuendo which aren't particularly relevant to anything.

Maybe we shouldn't have primaries and just let those who know better decide who the republican party will run. That way, we will have no conservatives in office anywhere in the country.

I get nervous whenever I hear a paper refer to a republican as a "moderate". Usually, this means he's pretty liberal and will be another Specter, Chaffee or Snowe. My guess is, that the person who stands for conservative principals and makes a decent candidate will win the primary. This isn't always true, but, what is the better system?

[CMClay]

Foley said "it's nobody's business"

All I know is a straight person wouldn't say that.
Don't know him, but I think people like that should be running for office, they should take jobs as staffers, etc.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

People who gripe about this guy are of the same mold as the people who griped about Reagan not being conservative enough during his administration - who now pretend they were with him 100%.

Reagan understood that you wouldn't get your way but part of the time - and that you picked your battles carefully, sometimes changing a previously stated position in reaction to emergent circumstances. He also understood that obtaining leadership positions is preferable to maintenance of ideological purity - especial when ideological purity is not necessarily supportable by facts, and leads to positions which decrease electability.

[Mister Baredog]

So Republican gays are ok? But Democrat gays are bad? Whatever!!! Your sex life should be your own business. Unless we want government regulation in the bedroom. Of course there will be soom that think that would be wonderful. As long as the government doesn't regulate "your" sexual activities its just fine. Double standards are in order I guess.

I've reviewed my comments on this thread and I can't seem to find anything I said about this issue, I was kinda on a sidetrack re: CA politics, not Foley's situation.

BTW in response let me say I just think DEMONCRATS are bad period, not gay ones, REPUBLICANS are good period, even gay ones.

[conservativefromGa]

according to his web site
-54 years old single
-lives in West Palm Beach Florida
-started a catering business at age 24
three strikes and your out..of the closet

[caltrop]

Charlie Bronson, the Commissioner of Agriculture is, IMHO, the strongest Republican candidate. He's a real conservative, former state senator and fifth generation Floridian. He draws solid support from rural Floridians and will get all the suburban Republicans' votes as well. Having said all that, I've no idea if he's interested in making the race.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Now with the recall, California will get Sen. Gray Davis and Gov. Feinstein. How the hell is that a victory?

Don't go there. God I don't even want to think about it.

[JohnnyZ]

You know Caltrop, I'm beginning to think you have that whole post saved on your computer and all you need to do is copy and paste every time we talk about Florida senate! :)

[lonestar]

I would not want to unwittingly vote in another person supporting so-called "gay rights."

Does he have a record of supporting so-called "gay rights?"

[lady lawyer]

I have no idea. But if he is gay, the chances are increased. I think this is an important issue. I wouldn't want to risk it. Kind of like Justice Souter.