Well, I should be as “influential” as he is ... but let’s say, for a moment, that I was. I would not want anyone telling me that ... “Because you’re so successful and influential, you should not engage in these things, no matter what your personal preferences are!” I would tell whomever told me that, to get lost! ... LOL ...
Now perhaps many other people are not like me, but I can take a person who does something in one area of life and respect it, while totally dismissing that very same person in another area of life.
Like, for example (in history), I can take it that Martin Luther did an amazing thing in being someone who is recalled and remembered for the Protestant Reformation, while “at the very same time” recognizing that he was one of the worst ANTISEMITES you can imagine, and so I totally dismiss his “worth” and value in that area as very DESPICABLE. In a historical way, he helped Hitler and one may say he “conditioned” the population of Germany to fall for what they did!
And I find most people are that way anyway ... I’ll like most people in one way and find them despicable in another way. I call that the way of human beings.
A polite abortionist is still an abortionist.
A communist who donates to charities and feeds the poor is still a communist.
An activist homosexual who declares he’s more equal than others? Somehow I don’t feel the need to hand him more money to continue his struggle.
This is why people in places of influence often have someone in charge of “PR” - public relations. Their job is to keep you from saying something incredibly stupid and damaging, like Mr. Cook here.