G.O.P. Consultant's Marriage Is a Gay One

New York Times ^ | April 9, 2005 | ADAM NAGOURNEY

[FreeManWhoCan]

WASHINGTON, April 8 - Arthur J. Finkelstein, a prominent Republican consultant who has directed a series of hard-edged political campaigns to elect conservatives in the United States and Israel over the last 25 years, said Friday that he had married his male partner in a civil ceremony at his home in Massachusetts.

Mr. Finkelstein, 59, who has made a practice of defeating Democrats by trying to demonize them as liberal, said in a brief interview that he had married his partner of 40 years to ensure that the couple had the same benefits available to married heterosexual couples.

"I believe that visitation rights, health care benefits and other human relationship contracts that are taken for granted by all married people should be available to partners," he said.

He declined further comment on the wedding, which was in December.

Some of Mr. Finkelstein's associates said they were startled to learn that this prominent American conservative had married a man, given his history with the party, especially at a time when many Republican leaders, including President Bush, have campaigned against same-sex marriage and proposed amending the Constitution to ban it. Mr. Finkelstein has been allied over the years with Republicans who have fiercely opposed gay rights measures, including former Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, and has been the subject of attacks by gay rights activists who have accused him of hypocrisy. He was identified as gay in a Boston Magazine article in 1996.

One of Mr. Finkelstein's associates, who declined to speak on the record, citing Mr. Finkelstein's desire for privacy, said Mr. Finkelstein did not view his marriage as a political statement and had specifically decided to have a civil ceremony rather than a religious one. This associate argued that over the past 20 years, Mr. Finkelstein had identified himself as a libertarian and an opponent of big government, distancing himself from social conservatives as they have gained political muscle and dominance in the party.

Mr. Finkelstein's associates declined to provide his spouse's name. He was married at his home by a gay state official, whose name and office were not released. The ceremony was attended by relatives of both men, a few friends and a state legislator, an attendee said.

None of Mr. Finkelstein's better-known political clients, among them Gov. George E. Pataki of New York and former Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato of New York, attended, that person said. Several of Mr. Finkelstein's long-term political associates said that he had not told them about the wedding, and that they had learned about it from a reporter.

The wedding was disclosed by an associate of Mr. Finkelstein's, and he confirmed it in the interview.

Mr. Finkelstein has frequently come under criticism by gay rights groups for representing politicians who have been ardent foes of gay rights. He helped create the template for a line of attack he repeatedly invoked against Democrats, including Mario M. Cuomo of New York, describing them as liberal.

In Israel, Mr. Finkelstein used similar attacks against the Labor Party as an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and as a consultant to the winning and losing campaigns of Benjamin Netanyahu, the former prime minister.

Mr. Finkelstein has regularly described himself as a libertarian who supports same-sex marriage and abortion rights while opposing big government. In an interview with Maariv, an Israeli newspaper, after the American elections last year, he criticized the Republican Party as growing too close to evangelical Christians, warning it could cause long-term damage to the party.

Details of Mr. Finkelstein's relationship have appeared in regular news accounts over the years, as they did in the Boston Magazine article, which reported that Mr. Finkelstein lived with his partner and two children in Ipswich, Mass.

Still, some conservative friends said Mr. Finkelstein's marriage would roil conservatives and highlight divisions among them over the importance of social issues to their movement.

"In recent years, Arthur hasn't pretended to be a social conservative," said one longtime conservative associate, who cited Mr. Finkelstein's aversion to publicity in declining to be identified. "But this is the same man who was the architect of Jesse Helms's political rise."

[Republican Wildcat]

The media likes to pick up stories on this guy every few years or so. I thought liberals promoted the right to privacy?

[Aetius]

I just hope he isn't a friend of the Bush family, lest the President change his position out of 'compassion.'

[BurbankErnie]

This guy hasn't worked on a campaign in years. An "Associate" discloses his wedding.
Exactly how and why is this news?

[RockinRye]

"I thought liberals promoted the right to privacy?"

See, hypocrisy is the worst crime. You can do anything as long as you don't get caught telling someone else what to do. (Case in point: Limbaugh's drug addiction.)

Well, kudos to this guy for having the same 'partner' as when he was age 19. That's not easy to do.

[RockinRye]

How come it wasn't hypocrisy and front-page news when Dick Morris, a conservative Republican, was advising Clinton?

I'll let this author in on a secret. Political consultants are in it to win it. Personal politics is tertiary when the campaign is paying you to put the candidate over the top.

[Khurkris]

Proving, once again, that the GOP is indeed the PARTY OF INCLUSION!

[Huck]

prominent American conservative

Are you kidding me?

[MisterRepublican]

So "prominent" that most people have never heard of him. But that's the NYT.

[Route101]

...As the Church Lady would say...Is'nt that special?

[kcvl]

One reason the NYTs finds it necessary to trash the man is this...


Hunting Hillary Clinton
Arthur Finkelstein, long-time GOP political consultant, to lead campaign
to defeat Hillary re-election and derail her presidential hopes

February 17, 2005

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Feb05/Berkowitz0217.htm

[FreeManWhoCan]

Thanks for finding that link. This puts it all into perpesctive now...

[Liz]

Mr. Finkelstein (who works for Republicans) has regularly described himself as a libertarian who supports same-sex marriage and abortion rights while opposing big government. In an interview with Maariv, an Israeli newspaper, after the American elections last year, (Finkelstein) criticized the Republican Party as growing too close to evangelical Christians, warning it could cause long-term damage to the party.

Better think again, Finklestein----or hasn't this RINO seen the map? The Nation's values were topmost in 2004 voters' minds, including opposition to abortion and gay marriages. Values are preeminent so much so that even Hillary is slithering to the right. Here's why:

Conservative pro-life Christian voters made monumental contributions to GWB's 2004 vote totals. Pres Bush won with 63 Million Votes (13 million more than 2000).

The map, though impressive, conveys the misleading impression that blue state Catholics voted for Kerry (a CINO).

According to EWTN "The World Over Live" analysts, with the exception of VA, where Catholics spit 70/30 in favor of Bush, the majority of Catholic voters split 55/45 for Bush.....a whopping number of votes since Catholics number about 52 million Americans.

According to CNN exit polls, Bush voters included 38% of union members, 40% of those with union members in their households, 42% of those earning $15,000-$30,000, 44% of those who earn under $50,000 and 44% of Latinos, 45% of youth (aged 18-29), 13% of liberals—even 11% of Democrats voted for Bush.

2004 Election polls indicated 34% called themselves conservative, 21% liberal.

America's census bureau said 159 million US citizens describe themselves as Christians. The National Association of Evangelicals represents 39 million churchgoers. There are an estimated one billion Catholics around the world, and according to the Church of England, there are 70 million Anglicans.

If you look closely, the map appears to place the insignificant "Other Voters" in the ocean.....that's accurate, because "Other Voters--RINO Republicans" were on cruise ships.

(MAP UPDATE Bush won Ohio, Iowa and New Mexico later.)

Now, tell us again why Bush should distance himself from Christians, Mr Finkelstein. So much for this RINO's worthless political advice.

[Calpernia]

bump!!!

bump!!!

bump!!!

bump!!!

[Just mythoughts]

"(Finkelstein) criticized the Republican Party as growing too close to evangelical Christians, warning it could cause long-term damage to the party. "

Interesting isn't it that for one who claims to oppose "big government" gleefully supports government paving the way for his perverted lifestyle.

These perverts sure like the blessings bestowed upon this nation but are first in line to destroy the very things that are required to maintain these blessings.

[Liz]

Nice, very nice take. Many savvy Repubs years ago predicted pro-abort squatters would bring their foul nest into the party.


Now it looks like this RINO's attempts to subvert Republican party principles failed miserably. RINOS invariably show their true colors---they are latter-day Uriah Heeps---Charles Dickens' character was notorious for wielding undue influence, a bounder who was always planning and plotting, ingratiating himself into the confidence of others.


RINOS should take notice. We're onto you. We don't like you, we don't want you, and we don't need your worthless blathering.

[lepton]

said in a brief interview that he had married his partner of 40 years to ensure that the couple had the same benefits available to married heterosexual couples.

Without any of the responsibilities...