Then and Now: Threesomes with Florida Governor Charlie Crist

From his Florida State Pi Kappa Alpha fratboy pornstache days in the 70's, above, and a more recent threesome, below.

(via the gist via wonkette)

Recently
Florida Governor Charlie Crist Says He Supports Gay Marriage Ban [tr]
The Governor's Wife [tr]
Charlie Crist Hasn't Found the Right 'One' Since His Divorce [tr]
GOP Strategist Peddling 'Charlie Crist Sex Tape' to Kill Gay Rumors? [tr]

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Florida Governor Charlie Crist Says He Supports Gay Marriage Ban

This nugget came at the end of a long article about Crist's support of Florida's "tax swap" amendment:

"Also on Monday, Crist said he supported Amendment Two which would constitutionally ban gay marriage in the state. Such unions are already illegal in Florida and Crist has previously shied away from the issue, saying he has a 'live and let live' attitude."

Crist proposed to girlfriend Carole Rome, who runs a company that manufactures beards, at the beginning of July. At that time, Crist was asked about his motivations behind getting married as well as the ongoing rumors that he's gay:

"The governor says he's not surprised that some people think he's getting married, to improve his chances of being picked by John McCain as the Repubican vice-presidential candidate. He said nothing could be further from the truth. Governor Crist also responded to rumors about his sexuality. A reporter asked Crist his reaction to some people's preoccupation with his sexuality, and sexual orientation. Crist responded, 'Well, you know, when you're in the public eye, and being governor of Florida that's inevitable, you know, I don't really focus on it, I'm just damn glad I found such a wonderful lady.' He was also asked if rumors about his sexual orientation or other rumors that he may be a heterosexual serial philanderer bother him. Governor Crist replied, 'Well, lack of truth always would be disturbing to somebody.'"

Previously
The Governor's Wife [tr]
Charlie Crist Hasn't Found the Right 'One' Since His Divorce [tr]
GOP Strategist Peddling 'Charlie Crist Sex Tape' to Kill Gay Rumors? [tr]
Jeb Bush Blocks Reporter Questioning Charlie Crist's Sexuality [tr]
Fla GOP Gov. Candidate Charlie Crist: I Never Had Sex with a Man [tr]
Opponent Outs Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist [tr]

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #320

BEAUTIFUL WORDS: New McCain ad attacks Obama's oratorical skills.

ENERGY: New Obama ad showcases McCain-Bush embrace.

JUDGE DAVID YOUNG: The gay judge makes his acting debut on The Young and the Restless this Friday, July 11th. Flashback: Towleroad interview.

CHARLIE CRIST: Chris Matthews loves the Florida governor but he doesn't love him.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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The Governor's Wife

According to Chris Kelly at the Huffington Post:

Carole Rome, the woman to whom Florida vice presidential hopeful Governor Charlie Crist conveniently just got engaged after 30 years of being single, "inherited - and runs -- one of America's oldest Halloween costume companies. The woman marrying the gayish governor from the sultry southern state actually makes beards."
(via gawker)

I wonder if the Green Iguana throws a good Halloween party?

Previously
Charlie Crist Hasn't Found the Right 'One' Since His Divorce [tr]
GOP Strategist Peddling 'Charlie Crist Sex Tape' to Kill Gay Rumors? [tr]
Jeb Bush Blocks Reporter Questioning Charlie Crist's Sexuality [tr]
Fla GOP Gov. Candidate Charlie Crist: I Never Had Sex with a Man [tr]
Opponent Outs Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist [tr]

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Charlie Crist Hasn't Found the Right 'One' Since His Divorce

Greg Mitchell offers a sneak peek into Deborah Solomon's NYT Sunday magazine interview with GOP VP hopeful Florida Governor Charlie Crist, whom many have claimed is gay and closeted. Mitchell notes that Solomon moves in the direction of addressing it, but stops short:

***
Solomon kicks it off by stating, "Your personal life is not that of a typical Republican candidate. For starters, I hear you're"-- [wait for it -- "not a property owner." Crist replies, "It is true. I do not own property."

Solomon then moves on to, "You were married nearly 30 years ago, but the marriage lasted less than a year. Do you prefer"-- wait for it -- "living alone?" Crist: "I got married and divorced because it didn't work out. I haven't found the right one since." Of course, the use of the word "one" will be parsed for days.

"You can't find one woman in all of Florida?" Solomon helpfully asks.

Crist: "Maybe I have. Stay tuned."
***

In late April, it was reported that GOP political strategist Roger Stone was peddling a 'Charlie Crist 'sex tape' with footage of him making out with a woman in an eleavator in an effort to kill the gay rumors. As of yet, that tape has not materialized.

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GOP Strategist Peddling 'Charlie Crist Sex Tape' to Kill Gay Rumors?

Don't get too excited. It's not anything from Katherine Harris' former field director Jason Wetherington. According to the blog Politics1, GOP political strategist Roger Stone is in possession of a 'Charlie Crist Sex Tape' which isn't X-rated but shows Crist making out with his "girlfriend" (or "wife" as some would have it) in an elevator:

Via Politics1: "How interested is Florida Governor Charlie Crist in being John McCain's VP runningmate? So much so that veteran GOP dirty trickster Roger Stone -- who coordinated a few dirty stunts in support of Crist during the 2006 gubernatorial campaign -- is quietly peddling a so-called 'Charlie Crist sex tape.' That's what Stone called it during a telephone conversation. And no, it is not a tape of Crist having sex with a guy. In fact, it isn't even X-rated. The video was seemingly staged to kill the rumors that Crist is gay. Stone claims the tape -- which he discussed recently with Politics1, but didn't show to us ('I'm saving it for the national shows') -- 'shows Charlie fooling around in a hotel elevator with his girlfriend ... They're making out.' Adds Stone: 'It was captured on a security camera in the elevator' last month. And Stone just conveniently happens to have a copy of the hotel's elevator surveillance tape, just when Crist's name is in play for the VP spot. Hmm. As for Crist's purported girlfriend -- presuming it is the same one he took as his date to the White House Correspondents Dinner in DC a few weeks ago -- she's still married (and not to Crist). Disclaimer: Always be skeptical of anything from Stone."

Wow, that should convince the disbelievers. A Crist make-out tape.

Previously
Fla GOP Gov. Candidate Charlie Crist: I Never Had Sex with a Man [tr]
Opponent Outs Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist [tr]
Jeb Bush Blocks Reporter Questioning Charlie Crist's Sexuality [tr]

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Florida Governor Charlie Crist to Sign Anti-Bullying Bill

Florida Governor Charlie Crist yesterday said he would sign a Florida anti-bullying bill that passed the state senate yesterday by a vote of 40-0. The bill, named for Jeffrey Johnston, a Cape Coral student who committed suicide after being bullied at school, was eight years in the making.

Said Johnston's mother Debbie: "Now we have the tools and can change the culture. No child should have to stay home because they’re afraid of what might happen to them at the bus stop or in class."

According to the News-Press: "The bill passed the Florida House earlier. There was no debate in the Senate, and only a few questions about what kinds of bullying the bill would address. Senate sponsor, Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, said the bill is designed to prevent all kinds of bullying behavior, and the behavior or qualities of the victim is not something that would make a difference in how the bully is dealt with."

Said Equality Florida director Nadine Smith: "Today's passage of the anti-bullying law represents the culmination of an eight-year effort by a strong coalition of over 100 organizations dedicated to the safety of Florida's students. The legislature has made clear that any school that fails to prevent and respond to anti-gay bullying and to protect every student will be in violation of this law and will face the consequences. We will hold them accountable."

Two days before the vote, Gay American Heroes held a presentation in the Capitol attended by lawmakers, Equality Florida reps, and the parents of hate crime victim Ryan Keith Skipper to discuss anti-LGBT hate crimes and bullying, and legislation to prevent them.

Part of that presentation, AFTER THE JUMP...

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News: Jim Neal, Ronaldo, Gay Sauna, Smiley Face, Charlie Crist

AFA asks followers to bombard Procter & Gamble with complaints over Luke and Noah's kiss.

Brazilian footballer Ronaldo caught up in tranny hooker extortion plot: "He told police he knew they were hookers, but didn't know they were dudes. He took the three trannies to a motel where he discovered the truth. He offered them around $600 each to leave. Two of the trannies accepted, but the other tranny, Andre Luis Ribeiro Albertino (above), demanded $30,000 or else."

Out has an exclusive excerpt from John Barrowman's new autobiography, Anything Goes.

Hillary Clinton supporter set up Reverend Jeremiah Wright appearance at National Press Club.

HRC refusing to support gay candidate Jim Neal in North Carolina...

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter appoints liaison to LGBT community. Mayor: "For the first time, the LGBT liaison will actually be operating out of the mayor's office, working across city government to advocate for the needs of Philadelphia's LGBT community."

Australian forum hears calls for gay-friendlier nursing homes.

Male autograph seekers mob Lance Bass outside Villa nightclub.

Police raid gay sauna in Israel: "The association's chairman, Mike Hammel, said that 'the sauna is a meeting place for men looking to meet men.' Hammel received many complaints from the sauna's visitors accusing him of slander. The sauna is viewed as a recreational place for gays around the world. In Tel-Aviv, for instance, there are three running saunas. A. established the sauna in Haifa a few months ago, investing large sums of money, and has run it ever since. This is the only place in the north serving as a meeting place for the gay community. 'Saying that this place provides prostitution services, is simply ignorance and stupidity', he said to Ynet. 'Only in Haifa can they come to a place for gays, remove people as if they were a herd of animals, and simply place them under investigation for prostitution.'"

Smiley Face: Investigators discover common link between 40 murder cases of young men across the country. "Gannon and Duarte have done something that no other law enforcement agency has ever done in this case -- they looked at the big picture and visited each site where the young men disappeared. While most local investigations focused on where a body was recovered, Gannon and Duarte tried to figure out where the body went into the river. City after city, when they'd find the spot where the body went in, they would find something else: The symbol of a smiley face."

Cher reminisces about affair with Tom Cruise: "It could have been a great big romance because I was crazy for him."

Lipstick Jungle's Robert Buckley doing what he does best.

Military responds to disgusting video of conditions at Fort Bragg: " Frawley's 10-minute video shows still photos from throughout the building, which appears to be falling apart and filled with mold and rust. Paint -- which Frawley said is lead-based -- is chipping. Ceiling tiles are missing. A broken drain pipe allows sewer gas into the building, while another one has tissues stuffed into it in an apparent effort to stop the gas from coming in. Photos from the communal bathroom show some of the most disgusting images. In one, a soldier stands in a sink to avoid what Frawley describes as 3 inches of sewage water that filled the floor when toilets overflowed."

Letter from Bible beater to underwear company condemns "evil, immoral clothing that will keep souls out of the holy, heavenly kingdom."

Who knew? Florida Governor Charlie Crist has a wife (or at least some want him to be seen that way).

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A dog's life: NYC penthouse purchased for Gayle King in name of Oprah's recently deceased cocker spaniel, Sophie.

San Franciscans battle it out to be Hunky Jesus in Easter competition: "Catholics have labelled the annual pageant blasphemous, considering that previous entrants have included 'old school Jesus', 'surfer Jesus' and 'zombie Jesus', an irreverent take on the Easter message of Christ rising from the dead."

Last night's How I Met Your Mother guest starring Britney Spears was the show's highest rated episode ever.

18-year-old charged with stabbing death of gay man appears in Brooklyn court: "The defendant, Omar Willock, is charged with a hate crimes offense...At Willock’s arraignment last spring, Hynes told reporters that Willock 'shouted anti-gay remarks' at Roberto Duncanson, taunting him even as he tried to get away from Willock. Willock allegedly followed Duncanson, who’d been trying to avoid the confrontation, which had its roots in an verbal exchange earlier that same night, when angry words were exchanged between the two men. Willock had claimed that Duncanson stared at him in an unwanted manner, though the incident did not become violent. When Duncanson returned along the same route later that evening, Willock is alleged to have renewed his taunts. Witnesses told police the two engaged in a brief fistfight, culminating in a chase that ended with Duncanson’s stabbing death."

Florida Governor Charlie Crist loves women.

Yale University appoints first openly gay residential-college master, tapping acclaimed singer Richard Lalli MUS ’86 to lead Jonathan Edwards College: "He will be joined by his partner, Michael Rigsby MED ’88, who will add the designation of associate master to his current title: medical director of Yale University Health Services. Lalli, an adjunct professor of music, has taught at Yale since 1982; both are already JE fellows and freshman advisers in the college. 'This is a great occasion. It’s probably the greatest occasion of my life,' Lalli said to JE students after University President Richard Levin announced his appointment over dinner Wednesday night in Commons." College master is one of Yale's highest recognitions.

Gay Syrian applies for asylum in Scotland: "After Mr Yakob's terrible ordeal in Syria, it is unacceptable that the Home Office would consider sending him back. There is a very real risk that he would suffer further ill treatment or even possibly death. He has sought asylum in Scotland and I will make an immediate representation to the Home Office in an effort to overturn their ruling before his final hearing in May."

OP/ED: Repeal of gay rights laws in Oregon would have chilling effect.

Chinese paramilitary police open fire on mass crowd of monks, nuns, and Tibetans: "Residents of Luhuo said that a monk and a farmer appeared to have been killed and about a dozen people wounded in the latest violence in Tibetan areas of China. Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, said that one officer was killed when police confronted a 'lawless mob' in Luhuo. The demonstration began at 4pm when about 200 nuns from Woge nunnery and a similar number of monks from Jueri monastery marched towards the Luhuo Third District government office. They were joined by several hundred farmers and nomads, witnesses said."

Ashton Kutcher plays douchebag in new film.

How does Priscilla Presley stay looking so young? Special facial injections of auto lubricant.

Gay sex expert Michael Alvear spent three months filming couples and analyzing the footage: "I don’t think that people are really that aware of their contributions to the breakdowns in a relationship, and the cameras are able to cut through all the false perceptions that they have about themselves. I’ve always believed this through writing and advising people about sex—the question, 'What are you unaware of that, if you became aware of it, you could change and make the situation better?' That’s what the cameras allowed people to do—become aware of the things they’re not aware of. It’s like a mirror that way."

Gay Wisconsin man settles lawsuit alleging two men attacked him in a deli because he was gay: "Brett Timmerman's lawsuit claims that he walked into a sandwich shop in Platteville in July 2005 when Oden Waite and Enove Urias made anti-gay remarks to him, put him in a headlock and took him to the ground. Timmerman claims that Waite spit on him twice. Timmerman's attorney, Jim Madigan, said that he reached the deal with Waite's attorneys last week. He said that the settlement calls for terms to remain undisclosed."

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Florida Lawmaker Hopes to End Ban on Gay Adoption

Florida state senator Nan Rich has introduced a bill that would bring the Sunshine State a little bit closer to ending its ban on adoptions by same-sex parents.

CBS4 reports: "Under Rich's bill, gay foster parents would be allowed to adopt children if a judge rules it's in the child's best interest. Also, a gay adult would be considered a potential adoptive parent if he or she were the legal guardian of the child whose parents had died. Rich's proposal has received support from a number of groups including the National Council of Jewish Women, ACLU and Planned Parenthood."

Rich faces a tough battle, however, against a closet case and a bigot. Florida Governor Charlie Crist is opposed to ending the ban, and the bill has been assigned to a committee headed up by anti-gay harpy Ronda Storms!

I wrote about Storms back in 2005 when she was a Hillsborough County commissioner upset that the county was recognizing gay pride. So, it's no surprise that now Storms, who "ran for [state senate] on a pledge to prevent gays from being foster parents" has refused to bring the bill up for a debate or a vote.

Today is "Fair Adoption Lobby Day" Florida Today reports: "At a press conference on the issue, House sponsor Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach, pointed out that gay couples are allowed by law to be foster parents. If that's all right, she said, 'they should be able to become the forever parents.' Non-traditional, loving families, including single parents and gay couples, are preferable to state care, she said. 'It's an issue of the heart, and it's an issue of common sense,' she said, adding that the state spends thousands of dollars trying to provide care for children who might otherwise be with gay parents."

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DNC Chair Dean Urges Florida and Michigan to Re-do Contests

DNC Chair Howard Dean is urging officials from Michigan and Florida to propose plans to re-do their state primary contests, the AP reports:

"The two state parties will have to find the funds to pay for new contests without help from the national party, Dean said. 'We can't afford to do that. That's not our problem. We need our money to win the presidential race,' he said. Officials in Michigan and Florida are showing renewed interest in holding repeat presidential nominating contests so that their votes will count in the epic Democratic campaign. The Michigan governor, top officials in Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign, and Florida's state party chair all are now saying they would consider holding a sort of do-over contest by June. That's a change from the previous insistence from officials in both states that the primaries they held in January should determine how their delegates are allocated. Clinton won both contests, but the results were meaningless because the elections violated national party rules."

The Detroit Free Press reports: "Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Clinton supporter, said the victory in Ohio changes "the landscape a bit" and could open the door to a Democratic caucus -- not a primary -- in Michigan, though it would have to be privately funded and both candidates would have to agree. 'Michigan and Florida votes should count. To not count them at all would alienate these states in the general election,' she said."

And according to the Tampa Bay Tribune, "Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, the state's senior elected Democrat, called Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday to discuss the possibility, according to a spokesman. The two agreed that Florida taxpayers shouldn't pay the tab, and Nelson thinks the Democratic National Committee should bear the cost, said Nelson spokesman Dan McLaughlin. A statewide vote would likely cost into the double-digit millions. Meanwhile, Crist, a Republican, issued a joint statement along with Democratic Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm calling it 'reprehensible" and "intolerable' that both national parties are penalizing Florida and Michigan over their primary dates. 'Seat our delegates,' Crist and Granholm demanded."

Howard Dean's appearance on MSNBC this morning, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Illinois state senator Dave Koehler proposes legislation legalizing civil unions in that state. Koehler: "This is going to be controversial because people are going to try to get all other kinds of issues about the morality of being gay. I hope that can stay to the sideline, because that's not the full intent of this bill. This bill is merely to recognize there are long-term committed relationships that right now do not have the law behind them."

Meet the edible martini: looking pretty good about now.

The History of War told through food, quite literally.

Britain's defense chief pulls Prince Harry from duty in Afghanistan saying media coverage puts him and his fellow soldiers at risk: "Air Chief Marshal Jock Stirrup, chief of the Defense Staff, said he decided to withdraw the prince after senior commanders assessed the risks, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. Harry, third in line to the British throne, has been serving on the front line with an army unit in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province since mid-December. He was originally due to return to Britain within weeks, but 'the situation has now clearly changed,' the statement said."

David Beckham hits South Korea to show off a shiny new phone.

John Stamos takes a kayak break in Hawaii.

UPenn students urge university to examine how FDA's ban on blood donation from gay men conflicts with the school's anti-discrimination policies: "Despite a national blood shortage, millions are prohibited from donating by the Federal Drug Administration's lifetime ban on men who have had sex with men (MSM) since 1977. The FDA argues that this type of sexual activity puts them at a higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases that could be then transmitted through blood transfusions. After a controversial, lengthy debate, the Blood Donor Discrimination Proposal passed by a margin of 17 to 9 with three abstentions, College senior and UA chairman Jason Karsh said. When Lambda Alliance first raised the blood policy issue at a University Council meeting last March, the UC never followed up, said Wharton and College junior, UA member and DP columnist Lisa Zhu, who coauthored the proposal on behalf of the UA. The proposal is an attempt to revive the University-wide debate and "pressure the administration to reevaluate their stance," said Karsh."

The Feeling's Dan Gillespie-Sells covers the new issue of Attitude.

A look at the new Goldfrapp album, Seventh Tree.

LGBT Latinos unify in support of Obama.

Janet Jackson hopes her drag queen kicks Madonna's drag queen's ass.

More rumors surface about Florida Governor Charlie Crist's sexuality: "I just wish he would come out and admit it. That would be a great thing if he did."

Anti-gay marriage group in Iowa which staged demonstration at the Supreme Court accuses lawmakers of holding up proposed amendment banning gay marriage: "Several legislative leaders quickly denounced the group's claims, calling their tactics hateful. 'I have a problem when people say, 'We are good, they are evil,' House Majority Speaker Pat Murphy, a Dubuque Democrat, said in response to the group. 'The bottom line is, I believe that every person should be treated with dignity and respect in this state.'"

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Following the murders of two gay black men on Chicago's south side in the past month, authorities are wondering if a serial killer may be responsible: "On November 17, 24-year-old Larry Bland was shot to death in his Englewood home. Bland, a security guard at Northwestern Hospital was shot more than once after struggling with a man who had entered the house through an unlocked basement door. Then on December 23, 47-year-old Donald Young, the choir director at Trinity United Church of Christ, was shot multiple times in his South Side apartment. His roommate found his body."

Spencer Pratt of The Hills turns down offer from Michael Lucas to appear in gay porn movie. Lucas: "He was born to be in a gay-porn blockbuster. Lucas Entertainment would do anything to be able to center our next major all-male production on Spencer Pratt."

Will Smith apologizes for Hitler remarks.

Harassment of gay teen prompts uproar, petition, review of policies at Pennsylvania high school: "Few days went by without his being punched, kicked or tripped by classmates at Susquehanna Twp. High School in Dauphin County. The teenager, an openly gay boy described by friends as kind and compassionate, said he was constantly harassed, though he never reported it to anyone, not even his friends. Finally, when classmates told him to 'go kill himself' to "make the world a better place," the teen decided he'd had enough. He said he left school in the middle of his senior year because he could no longer bear the torment."

GREEN: Times Square New Year's Eve ball converted to energy-saving LEDs.

Thomas Morgan III, former president of the National Association of Black Journalists and reporter and editor at the New York Times, dies at 56 of AIDS-related complications.

Madonna to make directorial debut with Filth and Wisdom at the Berlin International Film Festival in February.

Southwest Airlines makes attempt to land in gay market, misses runway?

Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez signs first nationwide same-sex civil union law in Latin America.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist "not moved" to support Florida marriage amendment. Perhaps too much "moving" might rattle a few skeletons out of the closet.

"Homosexuality is a human condition": Mayor of Rome criticizes Catholic political leader Dr. Paola Binetti for resisting legislation that would bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Do you believe: Chastity Bono and Cher developing reality show to help gays come out of the closet.

Mr. Cellophane: turns out that the reason Michael Jackson was so bandaged up the other week was because his five-year-old son accidentally smacked him in the face and his (plastic) upper lip collapsed.

Newark, New Jersey gay voguing balls finding a new place in the city's culture: " The city's gay ball subculture -- in which men and women compete in rituals of posing and runway walking, sometimes as the opposite gender -- is earning a place for itself in civic life, with outreach efforts and charity drives. And nowhere is that more surprising than in Newark, a city with no openly gay nightlife, where the 4-year-old murder of 15-year-old lesbian Sakia Gunn, killed for rejecting a man's advances, is still invoked as a symbol of intolerance. The houses, which have a combined membership of more than 100, are now touted by politicians as a significant force in the fight against AIDS and discrimination."

Hilton sisters get lump of coal from grandpa.

Oregon's same-sex couples eagerly await the new year and its new benefits.

David Beckham flattered: "I'm very honoured to have the tag of gay icon. Maybe it's things like (the fact) I like to look after myself, I like to look smart and presentable most of the time."

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News: Voyager 2, Liza Minnelli, Morocco, Florida Gay Marriage Ban

Group proposing amendment to ban same-sex marriage in Florida reaches necessary 611,009 signature goal: " One of the signatures belongs to Gov. Charlie Crist, although the state's top Republican has not trumpeted the issue during his first year in office." And why is this significant?

Liza Minnelli collapses, tumbles off stage in Sweden...

Human Rights Watch demands Morocco overturn the convictions of six men sentenced to prison for homosexual conduct: "The men have been in jail since they were first arrested by the police between November 23 and 25, 2007, after a video circulated online – including on YouTube – purporting to show a private party, allegedly including the men, taking place in Ksar el-Kbir on November 18. Press reports claimed the party was a 'gay marriage.' Following the arrests, hundreds of men and women marched through the streets of Ksar el-Kbir, denouncing the men’s alleged actions and calling for their punishment."

Shooter at New Life, Ted Haggard's former Mega-church, may be a victim of the church's ex-gay reparative therapy program.

Spice Girls reveal their aircraft: Spice One.

Arctic ice melting at alarming pace: "An already relentless melting of the Arctic greatly accelerated this summer, a warning sign that some scientists worry could mean global warming has passed an ominous tipping point. One even speculated that summer sea ice would be gone in five years...'The Arctic is often cited as the canary in the coal mine for climate warming,' said NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally, who as a teenager hauled coal. 'Now as a sign of climate warming, the canary has died. It is time to start getting out of the coal mines.'"

Plaque to be laid commemorating site of early gay bar, honoring Black Cat Cafe's role in San Francisco's gay rights movement.

Gay cruise plans March takeover of tropical island in Australia.

Ben Cohen gets suddenly modest for Gay Times.

Spain recognizes UK couple's civil partnership after protracted campaign: "Their campaign paid off, as the Spanish government has now agreed to recognise the civil partnerships of UK lesbian and gay couples. 'We visited the British Consul on 29th November to change our status in our passports,' the couple told PinkNews.co.uk. 'We have made a little bit of history by becoming the first UK same-sex couple resident in Spain to have their civil partnership acknowledged in law and in the observations section of our passports.'"

Voyager 2 probe reaches edge of solar system...

Isaiah Washington shows up unannounced to join Grey's Anatomy cast on "diversity day" at the writer's strike: "Asked if Washington was with the Grey's group, Heigl, who had previously publicly criticized Washington told The Daily News, 'He's not with me.' But Washington denied there were problems with his former co-workers. 'They're former castmates. I've been in over 25 movies, I have lots of former castmates.' he said."

Gay Washington D.C. council member calls for transit police probe after recent alleged anti-gay assault on Metro train.

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Florida Governor Charlie Crist Has Beauty Queen Girlfriend

Florida Governor Charlie Crist's new girlfriend, Kelly Heyniger, went public with their relationship to the St. Petersburg Times today:

"She's blond. She's tan. She's a mother of two, a former beauty queen who auditioned for NBC's Fear Factor by eating a live earthworm and hiding four lizards in her mouth. And now, it's official: She's the governor's girl. Kelly Crosby Heyniger, 36, confirmed her relationship with Gov. Charlie Crist, 50, in an interview on WPBF-Ch. 25, the ABC affiliate in Palm Beach County where she lives. Heyniger and Crist met during a charity benefit on tony Jupiter Island early this year, after he traded life in St. Petersburg for the Governor's Mansion in Tallahassee. Heyniger told WPBF, during the interview in her home, that they've been dating since February and see each other about every two weeks. 'We're just hanging out, enjoying each others' company,' Heyniger smiles."

Why is this news? Last October, if you'll remember, independent gubernatorial candidate Max Linn attempted to out Crist during a radio interview on National Coming Out Day in the run-up to the November elections.

Said Linn: "Charlie come out, come out from wherever you are." Linn also reportedly said that "it is common knowledge in Tallahassee that Crist is gay" and it is time that his opponent acknowledged it.

Crist has repeatedly denied that he is gay. The then Attorney General called in to a radio show in 2005 to quell the rumors, and when the host asked him "Are you a homo?", Crist replied, "No, man. No. I love women. I mean, they're wonderful."

In October, 2006, New Times writer Bob Norman claimed that Crist had an affair with 21-year-old Jason Wetherington, the field director for Katherine Harris, based on two different anonymous sources who claim that Wetherington bragged to them at dinner parties that he and Crist had sex at a Tampa area hotel while he was working on the Harris campaign. One of Norman's sources also said that Wetherington named Bruce Jordan Carlton, a convicted felon who also worked for Katherine Harris, as Crist's long-term partner. Norman's claims remain just that, as no sources have publicly come forward.

A question about Crist's sexuality from a reporter last November inspired a swift rebuke from Governor Jeb Bush, who told the reporter: "Put a smile on your face and don't be such a horse's ass."

Crist's campaign for governor was built on an anti-gay platform. "I support a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriages, and I oppose adoption by gay couples," said one phone call put out by the Crist campaign. Crist also appeared to flip-flop on the eve of the elections, withdrawing his previously-stated support for civil unions.

There is one positive note in Crist's recent positions on gay issues. In February, Crist said that the Republican Party should not spend any more money funding groups pushing for a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage in Florida.

A few more notes on Crist's new girlfriend:

"[She's] a former tomboy who says she always preferred fishing and motorcycles to dolls and makeup. She told the Palm Beach Post in 2004 that in Fear Factor's psychological evaluation, she tested '78 percent masculine.' She says she's still a blue jeans gal, but now she's more likely to don a dress for her dates with Charlie. She lets him wear the jeans instead. 'Charlie loves jeans, she told WPBF. He is a great guy, a lot of fun. He's real.'"

We wish her the best with his realness.

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Florida Gov. Charlie Crist Against Funding Gay Marriage Foes

Florida Governor Charlie Crist today said that the Republican Party should not spend any more money funding groups pushing for a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage in that state.

Said Crist: ''I just think [the Republican Party's] money can be better spent on other things that may be more pressing, like elections, for example. I think that the people care about issues like insurance premiums. They care about property taxes. They care about public safety. And I think it's important that not only those of us in government -- but the party -- focus on those issues, too.''

Crist, who has both signed the petition opposing gay marriage and publicly endorsed it, expressed conflicting opinions on the topic in the run-up to the November elections.

There may be other reasons why Crist is trying to turn his party's focus away from gay issues. During Crist's recent campaign for governor, his independent opponent Max Linn called on Crist to come out of the closet, saying ""it is common knowledge in Tallahassee that Crist is gay."

Crist has denied the claims, telling a reporter for Florida's New Times that he has "never" had sex with a man.

And Florida's previous governor Jeb Bush deflected questions about sexuality on Crist's behalf last November, telling a reporter who dared to ask the question: "Put a smile on your face and don't be such a horse's ass."

Max Staver, an attorney who argued for the amendment before Florida's highest court, told the Miami Herald: "Charlie Crist has his priorities misplaced if he thinks it's not money well spent. It's one of the most important issues government can face. It deals with the marriage and the family."

Of course the reason he's decided marriage doesn't deserve protection may be that Charlie Crist's first priority is to protect himself.

Crist: Issues 'more pressing' than gay marriage [miami herald]

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Charlie Crist's Election Eve Civil Union Flip-Flop

Charlie Crist, Florida Attorney General and Gubernatorial front-runner, has said that he supports civil unions for gay couples, but a recent statement from a Crist spokeswoman reveals a distrubing flip-flop on the eve of the election.

Said spokeswoman Erin Isaac to the Daily Business Review: "Charlie Crist … believes that private individuals may enter contractual relationships with each other; however, he does not support the state extending marital benefits to nontraditional couples."

The significant narrowing of Crist's definition has upset Log Cabin Republicans in Florida:

"[Crist's statement is] not what most gay rights supporters mean by civil unions...'Charlie Crist has adamantly said he supports civil unions,' said Patrick Howell, an Orlando attorney who supports Crist. 'He needs to put his money where his mouth is and get a constitutional amendment to create unions.'"

Does Crist really want to be drawing attention to his dubious positions on gay issues when allegations that he has had homosexual relationships are beginning to spatter across the media? Is it only so long before Crist becomes the next Mark Foley?

(via americablog)

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Jeb Bush Blocks Reporter Questioning Charlie Crist's Sexuality

Florida's Attorney General and Gubernatorial front-runner Charlie Crist got some protection from Governor Jeb Bush (seen here with Crist at a September fundraiser) at a campaign stop in Orlando Friday when TV reporter Steven Cooper asked Crist a question regarding his sexuality.

Jeb Bush interrupted the reporter and said: "Put a smile on your face and don't be such a horse's ass."

Bush later reportedly apologized, but the incident once again drew attention to rumors swirling around Crist.

Crist's opponent, Independent Max Linn claimed on a Florida radio show that it was "common knowledge in Tallahassee that Crist is gay." And the Broward Palm Beach New Times recently published reports that Crist has a long-term male lover who is a convicted thief and has had sexual trysts with a young former male field director for the campaign of U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris.

Gov. Bush snaps at Orlando reporter [florida times-union]
Jeb Bush Defends Charlie Crist's Sexuality [wonkette]

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Fla GOP Gov. Candidate Charlie Crist: I Never Had Sex with a Man

On the hypocrisy watch, a reporter for the Broward-Palm Beach New Times alleges that Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist, whose recent campaign phone calls proclaim "I support a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriages, and I oppose adoption by gay couples," has a long-term male lover who is a convicted thief and has had sexual trysts with a young former male field director for the campaign of U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris.

Rumors of Attorney General Crist's sexuality are nothing new. Recently his opponent, independent candidate Max Linn, told a radio interviewer that "it is common knowledge in Tallahassee that Crist is gay."

New Times writer Bob Norman bases his claims that Crist had an affair with 21-year-old Jason Wetherington, the field director for Harris, on two different anonymous sources who claim that Wetherington bragged to them at dinner parties that he and Crist had sex at a Tampa area hotel while he was working on the Harris campaign. One source also said that Wetherington named Bruce Jordan Carlton, a convicted felon who also worked for Katherine Harris, as Crist's long-term partner.

Of course anonymous sources aren't much good in substantiating anything unless they'll come forward, and the subjects of the rumors are in denial mode. When approached by Norman, Wetherington claimed that the extent of his contact with Crist was "shaking his hand" and denied claims by Norman's sources that he had bragged of an appointment should Crist win election. Said Wetherington: "I sent him a resume. I want to work for him, but I never said that I had a job with the administration."

Crist denied remembering who Jordan was, although the reporter spoke to Jordan's father and said that his son and Crist were friends. Crist told Norman that "of course it's fair" for reporters to ask about his sexuality. When Norman asked Crist directly if he'd ever had sex with a man, the Attorney General's reply was "never".

Crist Denies Trysts [broward-palm beach new times]
Florida: Newspaper Seemingly Outs Crist and Names Names [politics1]

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Opponent Outs Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist [tr]

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Opponent Outs Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist

Looks like the Foley scandal may be starting to uncover the skeletons buried in the Republican backyard.

Independent Gubernatorial Candidate Max Linn took the bold step of calling out Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist on his sexuality during a radio interview on National Coming Out Day, according to reports.

Said Linn, who is running against Crist for Governor in the November election: "Charlie come out, come out from wherever you are." Linn reportedly said that "it is common knowledge in Tallahassee that Crist is gay" and it is time that his opponent acknowledged it.

Crist's office had no comment, and neither did the Democratic candidate, US. Rep Jim Davis.

It's not the first time Crist has been questioned about his sexuality. He was asked in an August radio interview, and replied, "The point is, I'm not. There's the answer. How do you like it? Not that there's anything wrong with that, as they say on Seinfeld. But I just happen not to be."

We also reported on a call Crist made to a radio interview back in January 2005 when he was asked "Are you a homo?" At that time, Crist replied, "No, man. No. I love women. I mean, they're wonderful."

Opponent Outs Florida GOP Governor Candidate [tr]

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