Proposition 8
August 9th, 2010
Why Fox News Hosts Don’t Let Guests Answer
I don’t watch much of Fox News. I actually avoid most cable news altogether. But when I do watch Fox, I’m always amazed at the way hosts are so quick to cut off guests. Except, of course, for O’Reilly who refuses to interview anyone live and therefore can control the interview through the editing process.
Anyhow, Chris Wallace had conservative lawyer Ted Olson over the weekend to talk about the gay marriage decision from California last week. Olson, a lifelong conservative, who had prominent roles in multiple Republican administrations and secured George Bush’s 2000 election as the head of W’s legal team, was co-lead counsel on the side of gay marriage.
While his recent work clearly puts him at odds with Fox News, Olson apparently still has enough of Wallace’s respect that he was allowed to answer questions without interruption. The end result? Wallace knew he had been bested:
November 2nd, 2008
Tough Guy Mayor Loves Gays So Much It Hurts
Jerry Sanders is a tough guy. The mayor of San Diego rose through the ranks of the San Diego Police Department for 26 years, commanding a SWAT team along the way, and serving as Police Chief from 1993-1999. After a few years running the local chapter of the United Way and starting and consulting for various companies involved in homeland security, he ran for and was elected as Mayor of San Diego. In 2008, he was challenged by Steve Francis, who put $4.65 million of his own money into the campaign. Sanders did not like the way Francis was talking about him during the election, so after one of their debates while the two were shaking hands, Mayor Sanders said, “Fuck you, Steve.”
Before yesterday, I had never heard of Jerry Sanders. But with the Prop 8 vote coming on Tuesday in California, a video of Sanders has been making the rounds on the interweb. Sanders, as one might expect of a Republican 26-year veteran of the police force, was opposed to gay marriage. And in 1997, when the issue was before the California Supreme Court, Sanders made clear that he was going to veto the resolution the City Council was expected to pass that would lead to the City of San Diego signing onto a brief in favor of gay marriage. When the bill passed the Council and landed on his desk, he changed his mind. Here’s why: