No sense in not giving Republicans credit when they do the right thing. Especially so, when doing the right thing works directly against their political interests. Case in point: Republican Congressman Jim Leach of Iowa:
The Republican National Committee had sought before Election Day to send a mailing into Mr. Leach's Iowa district to attack his opponent's position on same-sex marriage.
Mr. Leach recoiled at the mailing and called Mr. Mehlman, saying he would caucus with the Democrats if Mr. Mehlman did not withdraw it.
"I would rather lose running an uplifting race than prevail by finger-pointing," Mr. Leach said.
Another way of putting that: I would rather lose than have to gay-bash to win.
Jim Leach, a 30-year Congressman, lost on Tuesday to Democrat Dave Loebsack. Had he pushed the gay marriage issue, like so many of his shameless Republican colleagues, he likely would have won in his moderate-to-conservative district. But winning that way would have been his own kind of loss.
I'm reminded of an anecdote from the 2004 presidential race.
Bill Clinton advised Kerry to neutralize the gay issue by backing the same-sex marriage bans that passed in 11 states on Tuesday. Kerry declined. He has stated public opposition to gay marriage and support for civil unions, but voted against the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, calling it "legislative gay-bashing."
Another noble American willing to lose rather than win through bigotry. In the recent John Kerry pile-on that I also have participated in, we should not lose sight of the obviously decent human being that he is.
