Remember when the campaign said it was taking a “hands off approach” to writing of the GOP platform? Turns out they weren’t telling the truth. Again.

The Minnesota Independent is reporting that the McCain camp directly tapped right-wing fundie Gary Bauer, the president of American Values (a non-profit organization committed to “defending life, traditional marriage, and equipping children with conservative values”) to consult on the campaign’s behalf on what many are touting as “the most socially conservative platform in the party’s history.” Bauer appeared on the Focus on the Family radio show and explained his involvement, saying:

I was immediately amazed, surprised and happy to hear them say, “Look, we think it’s a great platform already, it’s pro-life, but we know people might want to strengthen it and we’re open to that.”

Bauer proudly talked about how the McCain Campaign was completely open to “strengthening” the platform to reach ultra-conservative voters:

I got appointed by the McCain campaign to be their adviser on the platform. It was an interesting assignment. I arrived there, usually I’m on the outside beating on whoever the nominee is to do better, but when I got there and met with the McCain staff people I was immediately amazed, surprised and happy to hear them say, “Look, we think it’s a great platform already, it’s pro-life, but we know people might want to strengthen it and we’re open to that. We want to work with people, we don’t want to alienate anybody and we’d like you to go back and forth between the delegates and us and see if we can work these things out.” I think that Kelly will affirm that, other than a few places, there really weren’t many brutal fights. Most of it was done in a very collegial way with the McCain people being very open to the kind of changes that made the platform draft even better than it was when it started

McCain is some maverick, huh? I guess what he previously called “agents of intolerance” should now be called “agents of McCain.”

In case everyone has forgotten, here are some of the “highlights” of the Republican Party Platform:

Same-sex marriage: “Because our children’s future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it. In the absence of a national amendment, we support the right of the people of the various states to affirm traditional marriage through state initiatives.”

More same-sex marriage: “A Republican Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming the right of states not to recognize same-sex “marriages” licensed in other states. Unbelievably, the Democratic Party has now pledged to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which would subject every state to the redefinition of marriage by a judge without ever allowing the people to vote on the matter.”

Sex education: “We renew our call for replacing ‘family planning’ programs for teens with increased funding for abstinence education, which teaches abstinence until marriage as the responsible and expected standard of behavior. Abstinence from sexual activity is the only protection that is 100 percent effective against out-of-wedlock pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS when transmitted sexually. We oppose school-based clinics that provide referrals, counseling, and related services for abortion and contraception.”

Activist judges: “We also urge Congress to use its Article III, Section 2 power to prevent activist federal judges from imposing upon the rest of the nation the judicial activism in Massachusetts and California. We also encourage states to review their marriage and divorce laws in order to strengthen marriage. As the family is our basic unit of society, we oppose initiatives to erode parental rights.”

A constitutional amendment banning all abortion even in the matter of rape, incest or a threat to the life of a woman: “We support a human life amendment to the Constitution, and we endorse legislation to make clear that the Fourteenth Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children. We oppose using public revenues to promote or perform abortion and will not fund organizations which advocate it. We support the appointment of judges who respect traditional family values and the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life. At its core, abortion is a fundamental assault on the sanctity of innocent human life. Women deserve better than abortion. Every effort should be made to work with women considering abortion to enable and empower them to choose life.”

Gays in the military: “To protect our servicemen and women and ensure that America’s Armed Forces remain the best in the world, we affirm the timelessness of those values, the benefits of traditional military culture, and the incompatibility of homosexuality with military service.”

Discrimination in hiring by faith-based organizations receiving federal funding: “We affirm every citizen’s right to apply religious values to public policy and the right of faith-based organizations to participate fully in public programs without renouncing their beliefs, removing religious objects or symbols, or becoming subject to government-imposed hiring practices. Forcing religious groups to abandon their beliefs as applied to their hiring practices is religious discrimination.”

How much more do we need to learn before we realize that McCain has completely sold his soul to the religious right to get elected? Palin may have re-energized the conservative voting base recently, but McCain was hopping into bed with the fundies while she was still frying moose burgers in Wasilla.

The fact that the McCain Campaign not only tapped Bauer as their consultant to the GOP platform, but also asked that it be “strengthened” to be more anti-gay (all the while playing the “hands off” card to keep his Maverick image intact) only shows how completely dishonest and mean-spirited this campaign is.

We have already seen what 8 years of religious right rule in the White House has done. Can we really afford 4 more years of the same?

The Republicans has released its 2008 GOP Party Platform and let’s just say they don’t love The Gays.

Here are a couple of the anti-gay highlights:

On the Military:

Personnel policies

The all-volunteer force has been a success. We oppose reinstituting the draft, whether directly or through compulsory national service. We support the advancement of women in the military and their exemption from ground combat units. Military priorities and mission must determine personnel policies. Esprit and cohesion are necessary for military effectiveness and success on the battlefield. To protect our servicemen and women and ensure that America’s Armed Forces remain the best in the world, we affirm the timelessness of those values, the benefits of traditional military culture, and the incompatibility of homosexuality with military service.

(emphasis added)

On Marriage

Preserving Traditional Marriage

Because our children’s future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it. In the absence of a national amendment, we support the right of the people of the various states to affirm traditional marriage through state initiatives.

Republicans recognize the importance of having in the home a father and a mother who are married. The two-parent family still provides the best environment of stability, discipline, responsibility, and character. Children in homes without fathers are more likely to commit a crime, drop out of school, become violent, become teen parents, use illegal drugs, become mired in poverty, or have emotional or behavioral problems. We support the courageous efforts of single-parent families to provide a stable home for their children. Children are our nation’s most precious resource. We also salute and support the efforts of foster and adoptive families.

Republicans have been at the forefront of protecting traditional marriage laws, both in the states and in Congress. A Republican Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, affirming the right of states not to recognize same-sex “marriages” licensed in other states. Unbelievably, the Democratic Party has now pledged to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which would subject every state to the redefinition of marriage by a judge without ever allowing the people to vote on the matter. We also urge Congress to use its Article III, Section 2 power to prevent activist federal judges from imposing upon the rest of the nation the judicial activism in Massachusetts and California. We also encourage states to review their marriage and divorce laws in order to strengthen marriage.

As the family is our basic unit of society, we oppose initiatives to erode parental rights.

In the midst of what can only be described as an assault on LGBT Americans, the Log Cabin Republicans have issued an endorsement of the anti-gay duo of John McCain and Sarah Palin claiming that

Sen. McCain is an inclusive Republican who is focusing the GOP on unifying core
principles that appeal to independent voters.

(emphasis added)

I guess focusing the GOP on its hatred to LGBT Americans is a “unifying core principle.” But, why an organization that claims to promote “legislation to provide basic fairness for gay and lesbian Americans and works to build a more inclusive GOP” is beyond me.

The lines have been drawn and the choice is clear. If you support LGBT civil rights, then Barack Obama is the presidential candidate for you. If you believe that LGBT Americans are unworthy of basic civil rights and that our families should be used as political punching bags to raise cash and court right-wing votes, then John McCain is your man.

Denial is more than a river in Egypt. During the same week Michelle Obama, Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton speak out for gay rights at the Democratic National Convention, a draft emerges of the new, anti-gay platorm of the Republican Party. Oh, and the capital gains tax-lovin’ homocons at the Log Cabin dismiss the platform as "symbolic." Priceless. The Associated Press reports:

The platform draft calls for constitutional bans on abortion and gay marriage, two steps McCain does not support.

It would put the party on record as accepting that economic activity contributes to global warming, in line with McCain’s views.

But the platform is loaded with caveats about the uncertainty of science and the need to "resist no-growth radicalism" in taking on climate change. …

Sharp divisions still exist in the party on social issues, but there appeared to be little taste for complicating McCain’s chances by mounting a symbolic platform fight as the document is hashed out in Minneapolis. "This isn’t a hill we’re going to die on," said Scott Tucker, a spokesman for the gay rights group Log Cabin Republicans.

Log Cabinette Tucker continues his denials over at Blog Cabin. You know, the same blog that never reported its off-the-record "backdoor" diplomacy with John McCain. Tucker’s revisionism is quaint. "Yes, the GOP party platform again includes anti-gay things that it shouldn’t," Tucker says. "As we said in this Associated Press article, the party platform isn’t the hill we’re going to die on. Party platforms are largely symbolic. That doesn’t mean that they don’t matter at all. They do. But sometimes you have to pick your battles."

Here is some straight talk for Scott Tucker, the Log Cabin Republicans and other gay McCain groupies: The Reopublican presidential nominee is just not that into you. What "battles" will you fight? McCain supports the marriage bans in California and Arizona and opposes pro-gay legislation such as ENDA or expanding hate crime definitions. The Log Cabinettes are quick to remind us that McCain opposes a federal amendment but he sure did campaign for the Arizona marriage amendment that ultimately failed. These are not “symbolic” gestures, these are positions and legislation that affects millions of gay men, lesbians and transgenders. Barack Obama opposes state and federal marriage amendments and supports increased rights for our community. ‘Nuff said.

At least we know the Republican Party’s position on "gay rights".

Just yesterday Terry Bean wrote a fantastic post calling the Log Cabin Republicans out for considering an endorsement of John McCain even though McCain has one of the most anti-LGBT records in the Senate. Now comes word that the draft 2008 GOP Platform is calling for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The GOP platform co-chairmen, California Rep. Kevin McCarthy and North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, told AP on Monday they wanted the party principles to be about the actual party. And in the past, Burr said, “there was a lot of Washington-speak.”

Despite the stylistic change, familiar divisions are back as Republicans debate the principles over two days and strive for a united front behind McCain. That means bridging some differences, detouring around others.

The platform draft calls for constitutional bans on abortion and gay marriage, two steps McCain does not support.

Okay, so McCain supposedly does not support a federal constitutional ban on marriage, but he has come out in favor of the anti-gay state level amendments that will be on the ballot in Arizona, California and Florida. That for me is enough of a reason to oppose him as the president of a country that includes some 25 million LGBT people.

I admit that our friends at Log Cabin Republicans are in a serious bind. Their party’s nominee has opposed LGBT civil rights at every turn while Barack Obama has issued the strongest LGBT platform of any presidential nominee from a major party.

I feel bad for them. I really do.

But, the leaders of LCR have a very clear choice to make: they can either stand with the Republican Party even as it continues its assault against LGBT Americans or they can stand with their LGBT brothers and sisters who are fighting every day to live their lives openly and honestly and free from anti-LGBT discrimination.