Sense and sexuality

So it's been the talk of the political town for yet another day. Mary Cheney is a lesbian, and for some reason people are offended to know it. It was nice to read the Log Cabin Republicans inject some sanity back into the debate, albeit briefly:

Patrick Guerriero, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, said Democratic presidential nominee Kerry was "not wise" to refer to the daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney during the answer to a question about homosexuality during a presidential debate Wednesday night.

But he said Republicans "who are expressing outrage at the debate comments really have been outrageous themselves."

"The reality is the type of outrage that is being expressed by some Republicans should be expressed at themselves. They've decided to use gay families as wedge issues across America in swing states -- that is truly outrageous," he told CNN's "American Morning."

(snip)

"The big story in this election is that Karl Rove has decided to strategically use gay and lesbian Americans in a number of swing states," Guerriero said. Rove is Bush's chief political strategist.

"The same people who are feigning outrage about what happened in the debate should speak out against that type of political gamesmanship," Guerriero added.

This is, of course, not going to happen. In the ultimate flip flop, Republicans have managed to turn homosexuality into a winning issue, and they are not going to let up. It continues to be debated on television. Nothing is added to the conversation by the talking heads on cable news. Neither side's spinners are going to change many minds on this issue. As I said before, Kerry won the debate, Republicans won the spin, and any Kerry momentum I fear has started to slow.

So what can he do to get it back? If I knew that, I'd be working for the guy. Maybe a nice letter to the Cheney's (Mary, too!) apologizing for offending them and more words of praise for the strength of their family. It would help repersonalize the issue as one amongst family and show that Kerry, unlike someone, can admit a mistake. A seeming win-win situation.

That, however, probably won't happen. Instead, I'll hope it fades from the news this weekend, and wait for the NY Times article on Bush due this weekend, hoping it provides him a nuisance in the week to come.

*UPDATE* No More Mister Nice Blog concurs:

Just to put this to rest, I say Kerry should announce that he wants to meet personally with the Cheneys, to apologize in person. Screw it -- it's just an apology, not a pound of flesh, and it will get his campaign past this.