Towleroad Guide to the Tube #316

NORTH KOREA: George W. Bush announces he'll be lifting sanctions on North Korea and may soon be removing them from the "Axis of Evil".

GAMES BEING PLAYED: Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) questioned Fmr. Deputy Asst. Attorney General Office of Legal Counsel John Yoo on detainee interrogation today at hearings.

GAY COWBOYS: 'Brokeback meets Broadway' on this week's America's Got Talent.

JASON KNIGHT: Gay soldier ejected under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" submitted this question for Nancy Pelosi in advance of her appearance tonight on CNN's The Situation Room.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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News: Shanghai, Cynthia Nixon, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Prince William

Australian Capitol Territory holds first same-sex civil partnership ceremony.

Bachelor Summit: Matt Grant towers over Andy Baldwin.

Cynthia Nixon stands by her girlfriend's clothing demands.

Military sociologist Charles Moskos, who helped establish 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', dies in California: "Dr. Moskos' research examined the modern military experience in unprecedented detail, gleaned in part from his ease with the rank-and-file soldiers. 'He truly had an impact on the military,' said Gen. Wesley Clark in a statement. 'He gave many of us the reassurance that someone out there knew us, cared about us and could help see our best interests as a nation and a military were looked after.'" More from SLDN.

Prince William sets sail in the Caribbean.

From the stacks: Grandfather was queer.

Brad Pitt to design green hotel (with team of consultants) in Dubai: "Whilst acting is my career, architecture is my passion. Selecting this development as my first major construction project has been a simple decision. It will underpin not only my values for environmentally-friendly architecture, but also embrace my career in entertainment."

Live Cool: Shanghai gets new gay nightclub.

McCain schedules appearance with country singer John Rich, who once said: "I think if you legalize [gay marriage], you've got to legalize some other things that are pretty unsavory. You can call me a radical, but how can you tell an aunt that she can't marry her nephew if they are really in love and sharing the bills? How can you tell them they can't get married, but something else that's unnatural can happen?" Rich later apologized after public outcry.

Shakespeare's grave getting a makeover.

Queer Quinn : New York news anchor in Freudian slip.

Under Armour issues statement denying relationship with Al Reynolds, Jr. after photo surfaces: "I wanted to clarify what has been reported. Al Reynolds is not a spokesperson for Under Armour, nor is there any business relationship of any kind between the Under Armour brand and Al Reynolds."

Nancy Pelosi endorses gay San Francisco Assemblyman Mark Leno in bid for state senate.

11-year-old trailer once used as canvas for a young Banksy, now may fetch £500,000: "Called Fragile Silence, it shows commandos landing stereo equipment on a beach. The trailer’s owners, Maeve Neal and Nathan Welland, say Banksy has authenticated the work, which he completed before they drove the truck to the Glastonbury Festival in 1998. And instead of them paying him, he gave them two free festival tickets for providing the ‘canvas.’ At the time Banksy, whose real name has never been confirmed, was little known."

Gay Colorado congressional hopeful Jared Polis contributes $2.1 million of his own funds into his campaign.

Fashion world remembers Yves Saint Laurent. Simon Doonan, of Barneys New York: “I have a permanent shrine to Yves in my house: a pair of couture croc thigh boots. His highwayman looks, his Cossacks, his lesbian tuxedos, his sexy safaris, his djellabas, his Spanish cigarette girls, his tartan flings. There is no end to his influence and fabulousness.”

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Same-Sex Marriage in California: The Candidates React

The three leading presidential candidates offered dry, predictable statements regarding yesterday's same-sex marriage ruling in California, reiterating their positions on the issue.

Obama campaign:

"Barack Obama has always believed that same-sex couples should enjoy equal rights under the law, and he will continue to fight for civil unions as President. He respects the decision of the California Supreme Court, and continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it comes to the issue of marriage."

Clinton campaign:

"Hillary Clinton believes that gay and lesbian couples in committed relationships should have the same rights and responsibilities as all Americans and believes that civil unions are the best way to achieve this goal. As President, Hillary Clinton will work to ensure that same sex couples have access to these rights and responsibilities at the federal level. She has said and continues to believe that the issue of marriage should be left to the states."

McCain campaign:

"John McCain supports the right of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution sanctioning the union between a man and a woman, just as he did in his home state of Arizona. John McCain doesn’t believe judges should be making these decisions."

Libertarian candidate Bob Barr:

"Regardless of whether one supports or opposes same sex marriage, the decision to recognize such unions or not ought to be a power each state exercises on its own, rather than imposition of a one-size-fits-all mandate by the federal government (as would be required by a Federal Marriage Amendment which has been previously proposed and considered by the Congress). The decision today by the Supreme Court of California properly reflects this fundamental principle of federalism on which our nation was founded...Indeed, the primary reason for which I authored the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 was to ensure that each state remained free to determine for its citizens the basis on which marriage would be recognized within its borders, and not be forced to adopt a definition of marriage contrary to its views by another state. The decision in California is an illustration of how this principle of states' powers should work."

And a bonus reaction, your Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi:

"I welcome the California Supreme Court’s historic decision. I have long fought against discrimination and believe that the State Constitution provides for equal treatment for all of California’s citizens and families, which today’s decision recognizes. I commend the plaintiffs from San Francisco for their courage and commitment. I encourage California citizens to respect the Court’s decision, and I continue to strongly oppose any ballot measure that would write discrimination into the State Constitution. Today is a significant milestone for which all Californians can take pride."

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #282

NANCY PELOSI: Has the House Speaker's personal love for Bush gotten in the way of her disagreement with his policies?

BILL O'REILLY: Responds to Karl Rove's suggestion of a question for Hillary Clinton (who is appearing on his show tonight): "That question is way too smart for me. I have stupid questions, but they’re fun."

THE ONES: New video for "When We Get Together" featuring Debbie Harry, Scissor Sisters, Jody Watley, Casey Spooner, Ultra Natè, Colton Ford, Ari Gold, Peppermint, and Nick Scotti.

JOHN MCCAIN: Screw 100 years in Iraq. How about a million?

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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News: Botox, Life Before Death, Shelter, Aladygma

An update on yesterday's post. Defense Secretary Robert Gates reversed decision and allowed Tammy Baldwin's partner Lauren Azar to travel on congressional trip after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi intervened.

Soul departed: "Life Before Death" photographic portrait project shows in London.

Like Ryan Seacrest, Madonna and Guy Ritchie sleep with their BlackBerries.

Thailand Public Health Ministry bans castration: "The Medical Council of Thailand last week also warned that castration is a health risk. Providing the operation for young boys was unethical and could damage hormone growth and physical development, it said. The warning came after Natee Teerarojjanapongs, the leader of the Gay Political Group of Thailand, called on the council to take action against clinics performing castrations on young ladyboys. Castration is a step towards a sex-change but is also a standard treatment for some kinds of cancer. Mr Natee said many parents of young boys keen to have their testes removed had complained about the influence of advertisements on the internet that say the surgery is inexpensive and the result similar to a sex-change operation."

ALADYGMA: Viral campaign suspected to be sequel to Cloverfield begins.

NYT on gay surf romance Shelter: "Coming out has rarely looked so pretty."

Arts Council England asks applicants for grants about their sexuality: "Individuals and arts bodies applying for money are invited to state if they or their board members are bisexual, gay, straight, lesbian or 'unknown'. Arts Council England insisted last night that the voluntary request would never be used to decide whether an artist or organisation should receive money for projects. A spokesman also denied reports that artists would have to answer the question for the rest of the grant application form to be valid." Sir Ian McKellen: "It sounds extraordinary, It shouldn't be on a form. It's quite inappropriate."

Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List: Heroes star Hayden Panettiere to star in movie about gay boy love triangle.

Still recovering from cancer-related surgery, film critic Roger Ebert will begin writing reviews again. Ebert cannot currently speak: "But I still have all my other abilities, including the love of viewing movies and writing about them."

American Idol contestant David Cook hospitalized and released after heart palpitations.

Lab tests warn one form of botulinum toxin can move from the face to the brain: "Scientists injected rats' whisker muscles with botulism toxin. Tests of the rodents' brain tissue found that botulism had been transported to the brain stems, the researchers said in the Journal of Neuroscience published April 2." Human issues unknown.

The Collin County Commissioners Court scraps plans to discuss "job status" of City Council candidate Justin Nichol's employment as coordinator of the county’s teen court that were scheduled after revelations that he is openly gay: "Mr. Nichols, who is running for council against Pat Miner, said he hoped the matter would soon be resolved. 'I look forward to getting back to teen court and bringing my message back to the voters of Plano,' said Mr. Nichols, 23. The brouhaha started last month after the Dallas Voice, a weekly gay and lesbian newspaper, ran a story about Mr. Nichols’s candidacy that mentioned his sexual orientation. Though Mr. Nichols was openly gay before the article’s publication, he said the story and subsequent attention it drew spurred the request to discuss his job."

Gay-themed children's books pulled from British school concerned over "lack of consultation" with parents: "One of the library books was a fairytale about a king who couldn’t find a woman to love and eventually married a prince. This was for children aged five to read. The issue should have been, how do we stop bullying in general, and teaching about homosexuality can be a part of that. This was completely one-sided. Homosexuality is not a priority to parents, but academic achievement is. This just makes parents think 'What the heck is my child being taught at school?’"

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Pentagon and House at Odds over Tammy Baldwin Spouse Travel

The definition of the word "spouse" appears to be at the center of a tangle between House speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Pentagon over allowing Wisconsin Rep. Tammy Baldwin's partner Lauren Azar to travel with her in official situations similar to other congressional spouses.

Politico reports: "Under House guidelines, members of Congress may take their spouses with them on military flights if there is room for them and when it is 'necessary for protocol purposes.' Although Baldwin, the only openly gay woman elected to Congress, exchanged wedding vows with Lauren Azar in 1998, her home state of Wisconsin does not officially recognize same-sex marriages, and military officials were apparently unwilling to consider Azar a 'spouse' within the meaning of the House guidelines. In appealing to [Defense Secretary Robert] Gates, Pelosi aides said their boss was simply asking the defense secretary to follow a precedent established by her predecessor, former Republican Rep. Dennis Hastert of Illinois. Pelosi told Gates that Hastert had allowed Baldwin to take Azar on a previous trip abroad. Gates, who was apparently unaware of any earlier trips, told the speaker that she was responsible for the House travel rules and had the authority to make an exception, according to officials on and off the Hill. His only requirement was that Pelosi send him a letter authorizing the trip. Pelosi sent such a letter moments after the phone call ended, and Azar was allowed on the plane."

While some suggest that the military is uneasy about the use of its planes in a situation that would be legitimizing a same-sex relationship while it still treats its employees according to the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy, Rep. Barney Frank believes it has more to do with the Bush administration's policy in other areas.

Says Frank: “I think the military was following orders. I think the administration disapproves of same-sex marriage.”

Pentagon balked on gay partner travel [politico]

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #253

NANCY PELOSI: Talks to Charlie Rose about the race for a Democratic nominee and her party's efforts to end the Iraq war.

JANET JACKSON: The singer teaches Larry King a few dance moves.

RESPONSE to HILLARY CLINTON NICHOLSON ENDORSEMENT: A response to Jack Nicholson's Hillary Clinton endorsement.

FIRST AMENDMENT: Catherine Dent of The Shield taped this PSA for FirstFreedomFirst.org on the right to religious privacy.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here.

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Tim Gunn Dubs Hillary Clinton's Fashion Sense 'Gender-Confused'

Last night Tim Gunn, whose Poindexter presence makes Project Runway, appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Conan had him analyze the fashion sense of a couple political figures, starting with a photo that was taken last summer of President Bush wearing a pair of Crocs and black socks with a Presidential seal on them.

Tim seemed a bit hesitant to lay into the president, saying "I can only imagine that the Crocs are a metaphor."

However, Gunn really dug into Hillary Clinton's fashion sense:

Gunn: "When she was in the White House I really thought there was hope for her. And then she became the senator from New York and I thought 'hurray, hallelujah, she's from New York, she's representing us, her fashion will really be ramped up,' but I think she's confused about what her gender is. She's so mannish in her dress, and I believe the suits are probably made out of Kevlar. I just don't get it. There is one Capitol Hill leader whose fashion I think can't be beat and that's Nancy Pelosi."

Ouch. Of course, Clinton herself has recently poked fun at her own fashion sense but I can't help but think calling her gender-confused might not sit too well with some people. Though it certainly inspired a roar from the audience.

Watch the full clip, AFTER THE JUMP...

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California Democratic Representative Tom Lantos Dies at 80

Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) died today at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland after a battle with esophageal cancer. He was 80, and a survivor of the Holocaust.

The Washington Post reports: "Lantos, born in Budapest to Hungarian Jews, served 14 terms in the House of Representatives. He is the only Holocaust survivor elected to Congress. His district included southwest San Francisco and much of San Mateo County, where he was known for supporting the socially liberal agenda of his constituents. Last year, he announced he would not seek reelection because of his cancer treatment...President Bush issued a statement praising Lantos as 'a man of character and a champion of human rights... As the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress, Tom was a living reminder that we must never turn a blind eye to the suffering of the innocent at the hands of evil men.' House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), said Lantos 'used his chairmanship of the [House] Foreign Affairs Committee to empower the powerless and give voice to the voiceless throughout the world.' She said his death 'is a profound loss for the Congress and for the nation and a terrible loss for me personally.'"

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese also issued a statement, saying, in part, "Over his tenure in Congress, Rep. Lantos was a strong ally in our community's fight for equality. He voted against a constitutional amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman, but also took the rare and courageous step by voicing support for same-sex marriage. He believed GLBT people should be allowed to adopt, and supported worker employment protections and hate crime legislation. On behalf of the Human Rights Campaign we remember the work of Rep. Tom Lantos and say thank you."

Congressman Tom Lantos Dies — VIDEO [ap]

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Pelosi to Foley Investigators: No Access to House Computers

Last week I posted that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement had put in a request with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to try to gain access to House computers in their criminal investigation of former Florida Rep. Mark Foley and his communications with underage pages.

That request has been denied.

Yesterday, the Palm Beach Post published an opinion piece arguing that investigator's should have access to the machines:

"Unfortunately, members of Congress have tried to use the 'speech or debate' clause to avoid searches for incriminating material. A federal appeals court ruling this summer, associated with the Jefferson case, extended congressional rights so far that the Justice Department correctly has appealed it. Prosecutors fear that the ruling might prevent them from speaking with congressional aides, a practice vital to probes into the dealings of imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The effect on Foley's case isn't clear, since the FDLE is not a federal agency. Still, the state now should go to court, because there remains a workable solution. Rep. Pelosi should allow the FDLE access. Foley should be allowed to declare which files he thinks are protected. If a judge agrees, those files would be withheld. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton, has the correct perspective: 'I don't think any of us are above the law,' he said. 'If there was a law that was broken, they should turn it over.' A lawmaker's legislative materials should be off-limits. But we already know that Foley sent all those lewd messages to former pages. In a milder exchange, he said of a teenager's shorts, 'Love to slip them off of you.' That remark has nothing to do with lawmaking. The public deserves to know whether it had to do with law-breaking."

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Florida Authorities Still After Mark Foley's Computers

I thought this case was pretty much over last August, when it was reported that The Florida Department of Law Enforcement wanted to wrap up their investigation of Former Rep. Mark Foley, and his communications with underage pages.

At that time, FDLE spokesperson Heather Smith told the AP: "We have requested to review federally owned computers that Mr. Foley used during his time as a representative, but the U.S. House of Representatives ... cited case law restrictions that prohibited them from releasing those computers."

It appears that the FDLE is still pursuing the case. The Blotter reports that as recently as last month the FDLE sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting access. Wrote Commissioner Gerald Bailey to the Speaker: "We are respectfully requesting access to any and all computer equipment that the U.S. Government possesses that former Representative Foley utilized during his time in office."

According to Pelosi's spokesperson, her office is preparing a response., wants to cooperate, and is consulting House lawyers.

Previously
Mark Foley Investigation Stymied by Lack of Access to Computers [tr]

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Peter LaBarbera and Folsom Street Fair on Hannity & Colmes

On Tuesday, I posted the letter from Peter LaBarbera, the President of the right-wing religious group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, to Nancy Pelosi demanding she respond to the sexual fetish shenanigans going on at the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. Here it is, to refresh your memory.

Yesterday, LaBarbera held a screening of the footage he had collected at the National Press Club, and also took his crusade to Hannity & Colmes to show some of it off again (does anyone doubt he watches the tape over and over in his hotel room?).

A few responses to the LaBarbera appearance from around the web. One from conservative blogger Joe Murray who comments on LaBarbera giving Arnold Schwarzenegger a free pass, and another from transsexual blogger Happy Cat at Pam's House Blend who extends an invitation to LaBarbera for a meeting.

Previously
"Pro-Family" Leader to Hold Gay Fetish Film Screening in DC [tr]
Miller Pulls Logo from Folsom Ad Over "Last Supper" Parody [tr]

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"Pro-Family" Leader to Hold Gay Fetish Film Screening in DC

Peter LaBarbera, the President of the right-wing religious group Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, plans to hold a screening for the National Press Club on Wednesday in an effort to embarrass House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The screening will feature footage taken by the group at the Folsom Street Fair, the annual leather/fetish event held annually in San Francisco.

You may remember the controversy drummed up by right wing religious groups over Miller's sponsorship of the event after it was discovered that organizers had created a parody of "The Last Supper" to market the Fair.

Pam Spaulding reports: "LaBarbera plans to broadcast his unedited fetish footage collection to journalists in an attempt to 'educate others about liberal tolerance run amok in San Francisco,' and calls for Pelosi to 'publicly condemn the Folsom event and to use her considerable power to help stop similar affronts to public decency.'

AFTAH's letter to Pelosi, AFTER THE JUMP...

***TEXT OF LETTER TO HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI***

Americans For Truth About Homosexuality

December 3, 2007
Via Courier

Ms. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker
House of Representatives
United States Capitol Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Madam Speaker:

Because you frequently extol San Francisco's values to the rest of America, we are compelled to call your attention to what actually takes place at the Folsom Street Fair and other egregious and offensive "gay pride" celebrations in your Congressional District.

I was in San Francisco with a videographer on Sunday, September 30 and verified but a small segment of the most immoral and outrageous sexual behavior that ever disgraced the streets of any American city. On Wednesday, December 5, at 1:00 p.m. at the National Press Club in Washington, we will release the un-retouched DVD of the public debauchery which we videotaped during the city's Folsom Street Fair just two months ago. Included is raw and unedited verification of:

• Large numbers of men walking on public streets either fully or partially naked;
• Groups of men engaged in orgies on the public street, including acts of oral sex and mutual masturbation, as crowds waked by and snapped pictures.
• Fully exposed men "greeting" other men by grasping other men's genitals and massaging them in full view of passers-by. The police stood by and did nothing;
• A man sitting on the curb in broad daylight masturbating as crowds of people gawked and took pictures (he even posed for photos with others as he sat there naked and aroused);
• Theatrically dramatic sadomasochistic whippings and floggings - drawing blood and turning the willing "victim's" skin bright red;
• Abundant flaunting of female nudity and real or simulated sexual acts;
• "Master-slave relationships" in which one man or women would "walk" their subservient "slave" with a dog-collar and chain. Others imitated animals (dogs and ponies) as yet another "fetish" on display: we talked to one woman whose mouth was bridled like a horse;
• Blatant anti-Christian bigotry in the form of "The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence," men dressed in drag mocking Catholic nuns, greeting incoming attendees at Folsom; one male "Sister" wore a shirt that read "Bottom for Jesus" ("bottom" refers to his position in anal sex); entrance stickers featured a twisted, S&M-fetish version of DaVinci's "Last Supper" painting;
• Young children with their parents witnessing this perverted and revolting spectacle.

Additionally, Madam Speaker, we have been told that you were presented with an opportunity to condemn this heinous event and the blasphemous artwork used to promote it. Folsom Street Fair's promotional poster featured a drawing mocking Leonardo DaVinci's classic "Last Supper" painting by substituting sexual fetishists with their "sex toys" for Jesus Christ and his twelve disciples. You refused to denounce both. In fact, we understand that you maintained that Christianity would not be harmed by the poster. Were Judaism, Islam or any other religion so offensively mocked and affronted, would you have remained silent? We doubt it.

As a respectable lady and practicing Catholic, we assume that you have not been present at the Folsom Street Fair to witness the rampant public nudity, street orgies and perverse sexual extravagances that are allowed to occur there, on San Francisco's blocked-off city streets, without police intervention. We give you the benefit of doubt that you are not fully aware of what actually takes place.

Nevertheless, it's time for San Francisco's cover-up to end. Decent Americans can no longer remain silent about this outrageous, licentious and egregious conduct and illegal, flaunting behavior that insults basic decency. Radical sexual activists, pandering politicians and complicit media can no longer disguise and misrepresent reality. The truth is out.

We are, of course, aware that both you and San Francisco city government pride yourselves in the city's (misdefined) reputation for "tolerance." Paradoxically, it has been widely reported that when Christian, military and other advocates of traditional values voice their views (such as the 2006 "BattleCry" Christian youth rally), they have been protested, threatened, condemned by city officials, and even assaulted by unrestrained opponents. Where was San Francisco's much-vaunted "tolerance" on those occasions?

In your October 6 speech before the homosexual lobby group Human Rights Campaign (portions of which we will show on Wednesday, December 5th at the National Press Club), you said:

"People always say it is easy for me ... to be out front on these issues because San Francisco is so tolerant. Tolerant? It's not about tolerance. It's about respect. It's about the respect we have for each other. It's about the pride we take in our community. That sentiment is now spreading across America."

Should the profane, disgusting and bigoted behaviors we witnessed in your district in San Francisco be "tolerated" by the rest of America? How much tolerance is too much tolerance? Are you proud of the Folsom event? Should the rest of America tolerate public nudity and homosexual orgies on their city streets? Where was the "respect" for people of faith who saw their Lord blasphemed by Folsom organizers, working with the grotesquely anti-Christian Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (which was a major beneficiary of Folsom)? Notwithstanding your pandering before the partisan HRC audience of homosexual advocates, your assertions about San Francisco and failure to condemn the extreme and public perversions at Folsom impugn your veracity as a credible national leader.

After viewing what undeniably took place at a public, outdoor event in your Congressional District, as characterized above, we hope you will publicly disavow such conduct - including the "Sisters'" bigoted mocking of Christianity. As Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives -- for all Americans -- you have a national responsibility to condemn these public perversions and use your great influence to stop them from happening in the future in San Francisco. We are calling upon you to muster the necessary courage to take the leadership to which you were elected.

For more information about Americans for Truth's coverage of the Folsom Street Fair, please refer to our website at www.AmericansForTruth.org or contact us by telephone: 630-717-7631. I will be pleased to be of whatever assistance possible in accurately clarifying this important matter.

Most sincerely,

Peter LaBarbera
President, Americans For Truth

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House Passes Employment Non-Discrimination Act 235-184

House passes ENDA 235-184. 35 Republicans joined the Democrats.

Above, Barney Frank's remarks on ENDA — on the left, his comments at the beginning of debate, at right his tearful comments at the end, after a motion was made to send the bill back to committee, in order to kill it. The motion to recommit was made on the basis of marriage: "Motion to recommit "to modify, limit, restrict, or in any way overturn any State or Federal definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, including the use of this Act as a legal predicate in litigation on the issue of marriage."

The motion to recommit failed 222-198.

Tammy Baldwin withdrew her amendment adding transgender protections at the end of debate. Baldwin released a statement following the vote.

Here are a few clips of the debate this afternoon:

Below, Representative John Lewis speaks in favor of the bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's statement in support of the bill.

Below, Representative Barbara Lee speaks in support of the Baldwin amendment that would add protections for transgender people. Representative Kathy Castor speaks in favor of the bill.

Jeremy at Good As You has a whole line-up of audio recordings of the debate that went on this afternoon.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #194

KEITH OLBERMANN: A recent eviscerating special comment on waterboarding.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Introduces Nancy Pelosi at the Glamour Women of the Year awards.

THE POLITICS OF PARSING: John Edwards unleashes attack video on Clinton positions. Clinton: "I wasn't at my best the other night. We've had a bunch of debates and I wouldn't rank that up in my very top list. But I've answered probably, I don't know, more than 5,000 questions over the last 10 months and I have been very clear about where I stand and what I want to do for the country."

VICTORIA BECKHAM: Promo for her appearance on Ugly Betty this Thursday.

Check out our previous guides to the Tube here!

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Bush and Pelosi Exchange Harsh Words Over Policy, Action, Legacy

In some of the sharpest verbal sparring between them to date, George W. Bush and Nancy Pelosi have spent the last couple of days in a war of words over their stymied agendas.

President George W. Bush bashed Congress in a speech yesterday at the Heritage foundation: "Some in Washington should spend more time responding to the warnings of terrorists like Osama bin Laden and the requests of our commanders on the ground and less time responding to the demands of MoveOn.org bloggers and Code Pink protestors."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded quickly and angrily: "What does he have to show for his presidency? He is the President of the United States already talking about his library -- what is he going to have in the library? A tax cut for the wealthiest people in the country at the expense of the middle class and a war without end that is a total failure?"

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Human Rights Campaign Dinner Features Pelosi and Protests

The National Transgender Advocacy Coalition picketed Saturday night's Human Rights Campaign National Dinner in Washington, D.C., urging support for a trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

House speaker Nancy Pelosi was awarded the National Equality Award (by Ambassador James Hormel, pictured) at the dinner and offered some words on LGBT rights (full text here).

She finished her speech with a statement on ENDA:

"As members and supporters of HRC, you understand that it is truly historic that the House of Representatives will soon pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The tremendous progress we have would not have been possible without the great leadership of Chairman Barney Frank of Massachusetts. With his brilliance, his wit and legislative skill, he persevered in bringing ENDA before the Congress. America is a great and wealthy country, but we cannot afford to squander the talents of any of our citizens, nor should we. We all benefit if everyone gets a chance to work hard, and support their families. Yet today, in more than 30 states you can be fired for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. That is wrong. Federal action is needed, and it is long overdue. I strongly believe that transgender individuals deserve the same rights and the same protections as any other Americans and will work to see that ENDA also protects their rights. In a few weeks, the House will be voting on ENDA. And those who oppose us will be lobbying on the Hill and working to defeat any version of ENDA. We cannot allow the forces of discrimination succeed. Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and others will do the inside maneuvering. But we cannot succeed without outside mobilization. Working together, we will mobilize, and educate. Each and every one of us must take personal responsibility for passing the strongest possible ENDA – one vote at a time. History teaches us that progress on civil rights is never easy. But justice is inevitable. It's about time. Many saw the 1957 Civil Rights Act as not having done enough, but it helped lay the groundwork for the great Civil Rights Act that followed. On the occasion of receiving the HRC Equality Award, I give you my commitment as Speaker of the House that I will fight for the most inclusive ENDA possible so that our nation's laws are in harmony with our nation's ideals. "

(image courtesy HRC - more images from the dinner here)

Previously
Barney Frank to Speak on ENDA Controversy [tr]

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Whoopi Goldberg Wants to "Do" Nancy Pelosi and Her Husband

From yesterday's The View.

And one YouTube commenter makes the note: "Can you imagine if a group of males treated the wife of a politician that way on national television?"

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News: Bush and Petraeus, NYC HIV, Britney Spears, Tom Ford

New York City sees jump in HIV infections, particularly in those younger than 30.

20th annual Provincetown "Swim for Life" raises $170,000 for AIDS support groups.

Queerty discovers where the Advocate's 40th anniversary cover found its inspiration.

Simon Cowell on the Britney bomb: "If I had been looking after Britney I'd have taken one look at her in rehearsals and I wouldn't have allowed her on stage. It would have been worth pulling her off the bill - no matter what the cost - to save any chance she had of resurrecting her career. She wasn't ready for that show in every possible way. The song wasn't right, the image wasn't right and she just wasn't rehearsed. If she had turned up and given that performance at the X Factor auditions then I wouldn't have put her through to the next round. The problem she has now is that she could have killed her career. It's difficult to come back from that performance, for a while at least." EW takes a look at some tracks off her new album.

Forget Hollywood's gay mafia. Welcome the Rubyfruit mafia.

Sugarland: Straight Brooklyn bar and pizza joint is transformed into gay club and performance space: "The crowd—attractive local hipsters, artists, club kids, and even a few yuppies—was torn. 'The skinny Williamsburg hipster fags need the carbs,' griped Earl Dax, a promoter and performance-art curator. Some wished for a happy medium. 'In a perfect world . . . ' sighed a man in a harlequin get-up with sad, wistful eyes. Justin Bond (of Kiki & Herb) found the solution: 'I've done performance where I strapped a pizza to me and then served it to the audience.'"

Ice cream dispenser offers miserable people a larger scoop: "Demitrios Kargotis unveiled his Mr Whippy machine at the Ars Technica festival in Linz. It's a self-serve frozen custard machine that doles out portion sizes based on the amount of misery it detects in a voice-stress analysis. The sadder you are, the more ice-cream you get. Employing voice stress analysis of the user's answers to specific questions, varying degrees of unhappiness are measured and the counteractive quantity of ice cream is dispensed: The more unhappy you are, the more ice cream you need."

At Heatherette: a patriotic Amanda Lepore busts out, and Chad White struts his stuff.

I reported on it briefly previously, but the web has grown more tangled, and Pam Spaulding at AmericaBlog attempts to untangle what may be the GOP's next big scandal.

Tom Ford's fragrance for men certainly isn't for gay men.

Bush to announce drawdown of troops by 30,000: "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Bush appears poised merely to bring the country back to where it was before the election that put Democrats in control of Congress _ with 130,000 troops in Iraq. 'Please. It's an insult to the intelligence of the American people that that is a new direction in Iraq,' she said. 'We're as disappointed as the public is that the president has a tin ear to their opinion on this war.'" Pelosi statement: "The Bush-Petraeus plan of 130,000 Americans in Iraq for 10 more years is not a reduction in our footprint; it is an insult to the intelligence of the American people to call that a new direction. It is a status quo plan that tells the Iraqi government that they do not need to change."

"Ex-gays" claim they were attacked by gay activists at the County Fair in Arlington, Virginia.

Anti-gay Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle will be on Michelangelo Signorile's Sirius radio show today at 3:30 pm.

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News: Cindy Sheehan, Alzheimer's, Lindsay Lohan, Ottawa Gay Kiss

Anti-gay marriage advocates in Massachusetts announce they won't attempt to get a proposed amendment banning gay marriage on the ballot in 2010.

Kiss-in at Ottawa, Canada restaurant restaurant results in apology from owner: "Adam Graham and Phillip Banks were sitting on the patio of Mexicali Rosa's at Dow's Lake, enjoying a few beers and gently kissing. The weather was bad, so the two were alone on the patio. 'This guy comes up to us, out of the blue, and he awkwardly says 'there are children inside and they have questions',' says Graham. It was the restaurant manager, and he asked the two to 'cool it down or leave.' According to Graham, the manager said he would tell any 'normal' couple to do the same."

Scientists stop progression, reverse Alzheimer's Disease in mice: "The treatment is a protein, specifically designed for the job, based on the three-dimensional structure of two other proteins involved in the progression of the disease. It works by sticking to one of these proteins so that it cannot bind with the other - a step that triggers a succession of biochemical events that lead to the death of the nerve cell and ultimately to the patient's symptoms."

Daniel Craig inks £13 million Bond deal to become Britain's highest-paid actor.

FLASHBACK: The tunes of Tammy Faye.

Kylie Minogue choosing cover as first single off new album — either Culture Club's "Victims" or Roxy Music's "Love is the Drug".

Spanish judge faces disciplinary action after stripping mother of custody of her two daughters because she is a lesbian: "The judge in the south-east region of Murcia handed the girls over to their father's care, arguing that a homosexual environment threatened their education and upbringing. The decision has provoked outrage among Spain's gay community, and the Supreme Court has opened disciplinary proceedings against him."

Gay porn clip on Conan O'Brien used without studio's permission.

Huh? Lindsay Lohan arrested for driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, and possession of cocaine. Her second DUI arrest within three months.

25%: Bush approval rating hits new low in American Research Group poll.

Before being arrested at a sit-in at Rep. John Conyers office, anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan announced she'll run against Nancy Pelosi in the 2008 Congressional election: "The Democrats will not hold this administration accountable so we have to hold them accountable, and I for one will step up to the plate and run against Nancy Pelosi."

Qantas Airlines' new kangaroo logo scrutinized: "Fat and pregnant, and a bit like a wombat."

New York Times Michele McNally F-bomb brouhaha widens as gays at the paper demand action: "A Times source tells us that assistant managing editor Bill Schmidt, who's in charge of newsroom administration, will hold an open meeting with the gay caucus tomorrow at 2:30. Steve Reed, the head of the gay caucus, e-mailed members to announce the meeting and that Schmidt will "be unable to discuss in detail the specific case we've been talking about, because it's a personnel matter."

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News: David Geffen, Creationism, Iraq Surge, Prince Harry

Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in letter to Bush — the escalation is a failure: "As many had foreseen, the escalation has failed to produce the intended results. The increase in U.S. forces has had little impact in curbing the violence or fostering political reconciliation. It has not enhanced America’s national security. The unsettling reality is that instances of violence against Iraqis remain high and attacks on U.S. forces have increased."

David Geffen yachting with Rupert Murdoch? Nikke Finke: "I'm told that the partner in DreamWorks SKG who's worth $4.7 billion, and the News Corp chief worth $9 billion, kept in contact during Geffen's quixotic quest to buy the Los Angeles Times. Murdoch tried to talk him out of it. I hear the New York Post and Times of London owner (whose Behemoth Media corp also owns print outlets around the world) Murdoch advised Geffen this about owning a newspaper: 'Every day is going to be a headache for you. I'm used to these headaches. You're not.'"

Ptown or bust: Cape Air grounds most of its fleet to repair engines.

British TV entertainer Michael Barrymore arrested in murder case: "Essex police said three men were arrested on suspicion of the murder of Mr Lubbock, who was found dead in Mr Barrymore's swimming pool in 2001. They were also questioned over allegations of serious sexual assault. According to sources, Mr Barrymore was one of the men arrested. The other two arrested men were named by sources as Justin Merritt, a dustman from Harlow, and Jonathan Kenny, Mr Barrymore's ex-lover. Police refused to name the three...Last year, the police launched a fresh inquiry into Mr Lubbock's death, after the Independent Police Complaints Commission announced an investigation into the way detectives handled the original inquiry. The IPCC said it had suspended its inquiry following the three arrests. Mr Barrymore left Britain for New Zealand in 2003, but he appeared on Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother in January 2006. He then went back to New Zealand but he returned to Britain a month ago."

Prince Harry works the rosy cheeks.

Battlestar Galactica (and Jamie Bamber towel scenes) coming to an end. Here's a flashback...

Boyband mogul Lou Pearlman taken into custody in Indonesia: "Pearlman was thought to be in Germany when federal investigators began to link him to several cases of bank fraud. He is being transferred to Guam to report before a federal judge. Pearlman has been involved in a number of legal battles. On Tuesday, thousands of items that once belonged to Pearlman were auctioned off in an effort to raise money toward the millions of dollars in debt claimed by a number of banks and individual investors. Initial numbers showed the auction brought in approximately $200,000."

A bride's prayer in Chelsea.

Boy George cancels tour, cites "last minute" commitments.

New Gallup poll reveals that more Americans believe in theory of creationism than evolution: "The majority of Republicans in the United States do not believe the theory of evolution is true and do not believe that humans evolved over millions of years from less advanced forms of life. This suggests that when three Republican presidential candidates at a May debate stated they did not believe in evolution, they were generally in sync with the bulk of the rank-and-file Republicans whose nomination they are seeking to obtain. Independents and Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe in the theory of evolution. But even among non-Republicans there appears to be a significant minority who doubt that evolution adequately explains where humans came from."

Freddie Mercury's piano is for sale.

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Towleroad Guide to the Tube #77

ROSIE O'DONNELL: Slams Bush "surge" on The View, calls for impeachment.

WEDDING WIG OUT: Bride has massive hair wig out. Brilliant.

MICHELE BACHMANN DEATH GRIP: Newly elected anti-gay Congresswoman won't let go. For a reminder of Bachmann's anti-gay antics, here's a flashback.

BLINK-OFF: Dick Cheney vs. Nancy Pelosi at the SOTU.

Check out our past guides to the Tube here!

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Nancy Pelosi Zings Bush on Iraq War Strategy

Yesterday, CBS news reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she wasn't consulted by President Bush before he announced his new Iraq war strategy

"In an interview, Pelosi also said she was puzzled by what she considered the president's minimalist explanation for his confidence in the new surge of 21,500 U.S. troops that he has presented as the crux of a new 'way forward' for U.S. forces in Iraq.

'He's tried this two times — it's failed twice,' the California Democrat said. 'I asked him at the White House, 'Mr. President, why do you think this time it's going to work?' And he said, 'Because I told them it had to.'

Asked if the president had elaborated, she added that he