'Joe the Plumber' Wouldn't Let a 'Queer' Anywhere Near His Children

Joe the-worst-kind-of-bigot Wurzelbacher said this in an interview in Christianity Today, via Think Progress:

CT: In the last month, same-sex marriage has become legal in Iowa and Vermont. What do you think about same-sex marriage at a state level?

WURZELBACHER: "At a state level, it’s up to them. I don’t want it to be a federal thing. I personally still think it’s wrong. People don’t understand the dictionary—it’s called queer. Queer means strange and unusual. It’s not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that. You know, God is pretty explicit in what we’re supposed to do—what man and woman are for. Now, at the same time, we’re supposed to love everybody and accept people, and preach against the sins. I’ve had some friends that are actually homosexual. And, I mean, they know where I stand, and they know that I wouldn’t have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they’re people, and they’re going to do their thing."

McCain Advisor Schmidt to Call on GOP to Support Gay Marriage

McCain advisor Steve Schmidt, who recently announced his support for same-sex marriage, will will reiterate those remarks to the Log Cabin Republicans today. Schmidt's speech will make "both policy and political arguments for a Republican embrace of same-sex marriage," CNN's Political Ticker reports.

Speech excerpt: "There is a sound conservative argument to be made for same-sex marriage. I believe conservatives, more than liberals, insist that rights come with responsibilities. No other exercise of one's liberty comes with greater responsibilities than marriage...It cannot be argued that marriage between people of the same sex is un American or threatens the rights of others. On the contrary, it seems to me that denying two consenting adults of the same sex the right to form a lawful union that is protected and respected by the state denies them two of the most basic natural rights affirmed in the preamble of our Declaration of Independence — liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, I believe, gives the argument of same sex marriage proponents its moral force."

Schmidt met with the group in September at the Republican National Convention, thanking them for their support. At the time, he spoke of his sister, who is a lesbian. Said Schmidt at the time: "I just wanted to take a second to come by and pay my respect and the campaign’s respect to your organization and to your group. At a personal level, my sister and her partner are an important part of my life and our children’s life. I admire your group and your organization and I encourage you to keep fighting for what you believe in because the day is going to come."

Ex-McCain aide to call for gay marriage support [the ticker]

News: Cincinnati, RuPaul, Liverpool, Right Whales, Rihanna, Nepal

Cincinnati activists concerned about local NAACP chapter's hiring of anti-gay attorney. Attorney Chris Finney has a long history as an Anti-GLBT Rights Activist and is involved with such groups as the CCV (Citizens for Community Values which has ties to Focus on the Family) and was instrumental in making  sure that the original hate crime laws in Cincinnati did not cover sexual orientation.

Massive comeback of right whales seen in Cape Cod Bay: "An aerial survey done last week by the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies indicated there were 60 right whales swimming in the bay, chowing down on the buffet of zooplankton in the waters offshore. That's six times the number of the endangered whales surveyors saw last year at this time."

Rihanna gets gun tattoo.

McCain strategist Steve Schmidt comes out in support of marriage equality: “I’m personally supportive of [marriage] equality for gay couples and I believe that it will happen over time. I think that more and more Americans are insistent that, at a minimum, gay couples should be treated with respect and when they see a political party trying to stigmatize a group of people who are hardworking, who play by the rules, who raise decent families, they’re troubled by it.”

LOGO renews RuPaul's Drag Race.

Former publisher of Bay Windows, Jim Hoover, dies at 53.

Another kid? Madonna off to Malawi again.

Federer grabs some attention courtside.

Nepal opening up as gay tourism destination: "In a break from the traditional mindset, some of the country’s tour operators have now geared up to lure foreign gay and lesbian tourists. Earlier, this kind of travel used to be closeted. A number of restaurants, discos and hotels have been established in the country that cater to gay and lesbian couples. Employees in these establishments have been trained to behave better so that visiting couples get the respect they are looking for."

Reality explosion: Kathy Griffin and Paris Hilton.

L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center launches fourth episode of its AIDS prevention web soap opera "In the Moment".

Pam Spaulding had her eyes opened at the North Carolina Equality Day of Action in Raleigh: "We had people come from as far away as Duck (that's on the Outer Banks) and to the mountain town of Hendersonville to meet with the legislators to discuss pro-LGBT legislation in the queue and to urge them to oppose the marriage amendment."

Through My Eyes: New documentary from the Gay Christian Network looks at how the homosexuality debate within the Christian church affects young gay people who identify as both Christian and gay.

British synth-pop singer La Roux drives in to town.

Last week, Michelangelo Signorile interviewed Tennessee lawmaker Stacey Campfield, who spearheaded the "don't say gay" bill that would forbid any discussion of homosexuality in schools in that state. Listen to the audio HERE.

James O'Connor gets life sentence for slaying of gay Liverpool teen Michael Causer: "Sentencing him to a minimum of 11½ years in prison Mr Justice King accepted O’Connor did not act out of homophobic motives, but described him as 'ignoble' and 'cowardly'. Co-defendant Michael Binsteed, 19, who was accused of perverting the cause of justice, was sentenced to 34 weeks in custody, suspended for two years. He was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service in 12 months. Speaking outside court, Michael’s parents, Marie and Michael Causer, said: 'This is another black day for Michael. It’s just pathetic.'"

Rachel Maddow and Meghan McCain on the State of the GOP

Meghan McCain appeared on The Rachel Maddow Show to talk about what's wrong with the Republican party. Though her posturing appears to indicate it, McCain says she'll never run for office. McCain talks about her criticism of Ann Coulter, the age divide in attitudes, Twitter, hate mail, Republican policy on economics, and her parents.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

News: Daft Punk, Dianne Feinstein, End the Lies, Rihanna, Jacko

Sore Loser: Why is John McCain being such a jerk?

Harder, stronger, faster: Daft Punk to score Tron2.

Chris Brown to Rihanna: "You just did the stupidest thing ever. I'm going to kill you."

HRC launches EndTheLies website to counter false statements made by anti-gay right wing groups: "As we gear up to fight for passage of our legislative agenda in Congress, EndTheLies.org will feature an “interactive wall” of anti-LGBT crusaders (i.e. the AFA, Sally Kern, and George W. Bush) and will provide ways for visitors to take action against their efforts. Users will also be able to nominate their own candidates for the wall."

POLL: Dianne Feinstein would be instant front-runner in California gubernatorial race.

Michael Jackson takes mask off.

Suspects in hate crime attack of 41-year-old man elude Seattle police: "According to police, the victim was assaulted by two men as he walked toward his home from a bar. The victim told police that he didn't get a clear look at the men, but from their voices he believes they were in their late teens or early 20s. He suffered a broken tooth, eye lacerations and injuries to his chin, nose, hands and ribs. According to a police report, the victim was wearing a white sailor suit costume that he had worn earlier in the evening while working at Gay Bingo in downtown Seattle"

Two men arrested for killing gay man and stabbing his partner on London doorstep.

Man receives community service for punching gay man in face in San Francisco, calling him "stupid faggot": "Under a plea agreement reached in San Francisco Superior Court in January, Andrew Duhamel, 29, will be placed on formal probation for four years. As conditions of probation, in addition to a stay away order from the victim, Jerry Deal, 32, and payment of full restitution to him, Duhamel was ordered to pay $1,000 to Community United Against Violence. He was also ordered to perform 250 hours of community service or serve four months in county jail."

Lindsay Lohan thinks she's like a virgin.

Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Kitsch Wolverine promo photos unleashed...

NPR reporter bashes gays over Prop 8 donations: "[These incidents have] given rise to charges that as gay rights advocates tried to change public opinion, some stepped over the line and turned their protest into a witch hunt."

Rick Schroeder gets back to nature (nsfw)...

Russian scholar says gays will have hand in U.S. collapse: "[Igor Panarin] also noted he had been predicting the demise of the world's wealthiest country for more than a decade now. But he said the recent economic turmoil in the U.S. and other 'social and cultural phenomena' led him to nail down a specific timeframe for 'The End' - when the United States will break up into six autonomous regions and Alaska will revert to Russian control. Panarin argued that Americans are in moral decline, saying their great psychological stress is evident from school shootings, the size of the prison population and the number of gay men."

Towleroad Guide to the Tube #437

HELICOPTERS: President Obama calls on Senator John McCain at today's White House Financial Summit.

ALAN KEYES: Stop Obama, or the U.S. will cease to exist.

LUCA ERA GAY: "Ex-gay" sings to 14 million Italian TV viewers of conversion from homosexuality at the Sanremo Festival.

TOOL: George W. Bush turns down job as hardware store greeter.

To see previous guides to the tube, CLICK HERE.