Posted on 07/16/2005 12:12:46 PM PDT by gopgen
Gay-rights opponent Santorum stands by outed aide
BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN
Knight Ridder Newspapers
WASHINGTON - (KRT) - The senior spokesman for Sen. Rick Santorum, R- Pa., Friday confirmed to a web log that he is gay.
According to PageOneQ, an online gay and lesbian publication, director of communications Robert L. Traynham, said that he was an "out gay man who completely supports the senator."
Santorum, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate leadership has been an outspoken opponent of homosexual rights and a leading proponent of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Santorum, who was traveling in Pittsburgh, released the following statement:
"Robert Traynham ... is widely respected and admired on Capitol Hill, both among the press corps and among the congressional staff, as a communications professional. Not only is Mr. Traynham an exemplary staffer, but he is also a trusted friend confidente to me and my family. Mr. Traynham is a valued member of my staff and I regret that this effort on behalf of people who oppose me has made him a target of bigotry in their eyes.
"It is entirely unacceptable that my staffs' personal lives are considered fair game by partisans looking for arguments to bolster my opponent's campaign. Mr. Traynham continues to have my full support and confidence as well as my prayers as he navigates this rude and mean spirited invasion of his personal life."
Mark Rodgers, chief of staff at the Republican conference, which Santorum chairs, said, "Robert is a tremendous employee and we're all for standing by him." Traynham's homosexuality was not news to the senator or his staff, he added.
In the online interview, Traynham defended his decision to work with the senator. "Sen. Santorum is a man of principle, he is a man who sticks up for what he believes in. I strongly do support Sen. Santorum.
Asked whether he supported Santorum's views on lesbian and gay issues, Traynham told PageOneQ, "Sen. Santorum is a family man. I have been with him for eight years and I am very proud to be with him."
The two-term senator is up for reelection next year. His expected Democratic opponent is State Treasurer Robert P. Casey, Jr.
Traynham began working for Santorum since 1997 as a press assistant and then deputy press secretary. He was press secretary for the senator's 2000 reelection campaign in Pennsylvania. Just prior to becoming communications director in the Senate office, Traynham served as director of communications for the Senate Republican Conference.
Traynham holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, where he currently serves on the Council of Trustees.
In supporting the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would prohibit gay marriage, Santorum has equated homeland security with the sanctity of traditional marriage. He has referred to gay marriage as "messing with the basic family unit."
During an interview with The Associated Press two years ago about a challenge to the constitutionality of Texas's sodomy law, Santorum said that if the Supreme Court allows gay sex at home (which it ultimately did), "you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything."
On the marriage issue, Santorum also said: "In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be."
---
© 2005, The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Visit Philadelphia Online, the Inquirer's World Wide Web site, at http://www.philly.com
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.
I guess you don't know too many gay folks. It's like any other "group". What you see in public screaming their heads off may not be the heart and soul of the group. Kind of like Americans.
I know too many gays you couldn't pick out on the street. I also lived and worked in Greenwich Village for a while. I know all about flaming homosexuals.
You're really fighting with shadows here. I have never on this thread said anything whatsoever about Santorum's aide. Nothing. As far as I know, as he is quoted as saying, he supports the conservative goals. Fine. I never said he should be fired or anything else. What do mean "leave him alone"?
Wrong, idiot.
Santorum follows his principles, as I would expect all to do. You don't, therefor you are the hypocrite.
"Hate the sin, but love the sinner."
'' In the online interview, Traynham defended his decision to work with the senator. "Sen. Santorum is a man of principle, he is a man who sticks up for what he believes in. I strongly do support Sen. Santorum. ''
I know too many gays you couldn't pick out on the street. I also lived and worked in Greenwich Village for a while. I know all about flaming homosexuals
Huh, I notice that you don't mention that the driving force for the homosexual agenda comes from such places as Greenwich Village and they vote overwhelmingly for politicians who promote the homosexual agenda.
Get back to me when san francisco boots out nancy pelosi.
About the same time nmh and a significant portion of the right realize it I guess.
The reason I mentioned abortion was that you stated that sexuality and abortion should have no place on a party platform. Now you say you are pro-life. I never heard of someone who was pro-life who thought that it should not be part of the platform.
Second, it is not conservatives who have brought up "gay" marriage. To avoid the topic and say nothing about it guarantees that judges will mandate it. Is that what you recommend?
Is there or is there not a political movement to promote a homosexual agenda in modern America.
You should really read the links I posted.
If most homosexuals do not espouse the radical "gay" agenda, it sure would be nice if they'd say something opposing it, since their silence is deafening.
Meanwhile, the small fraction of homosexuals who are radical are the ones pushing the agenda in schools, in the courts, pushing for open homosexuals in the military, "gay" marriage, and so on.
What's your trip?
AMEN brother!
Kick him to the curb!
Put him on the dole!
Ooops. That didn't turn out right.
"Ooops. That didn't turn out right."
LOL!!!
The left doesn't really care about homosexuals any more than they care about blacks, or any other "special interest" group. The left wants to destroy America's Judeo-Christian culture and marriage is a big part of that. In the 60's and 70's the left through the "sexual revolution" tried to destroy the institution of marriage, but they failed. Now, they want to push homosexual marriage on us; however, it's not about "equal rights" for homosexuals, it's about devaluing the meaning of marriage for everyone else.
The reason that Santorum's spokesman was "outed" is because Santorum is tied or trailing Casey in the polls. He is vulnerable.
This stunt is being done by the media/DNC to try to pry off support from Santorum from conservatives because they assume that the right believes that gays should be burned at the stake.
Meanwhile, to lose Santorum in the Senate would be a tremendous blow to the right and those who support family values because he is THE MOST VOCAL SUPPORTER OF FAMILY VALUES in the Senate.
Yes, he supported Spector and that was a mistake but to lose him in the Senate would be terrible for the traditional values crowd.
Think about it. Who is as outspoken about traditional family values as Senatorum?
One can love the sinner but hate the sin. One can also respect other individual's choices but refuse to condone his/her actions.
Seven Deadly Sins: pride, avarice, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth.
Pride is regarded as the sin that most surely separates a sinner from the grace of God.
You are correct. The Roman Catholic Church condemns the sin of engaging in homosexual behavior and calls on homosexuals to be celibate. Aside from the homosexual act being sinful, it is also adultery, because adultery is having sex with any person out of wedlock.
No, I haven't, just like I don't see anybody standing in the park supporting Bush as I do once week from anti-Bush protesters. Using the margins to characterize the whole is one of the left's favorite weapons.
Then you won't be supporting Santorum's nomination to the Supreme Court?
Uh all I'm doing is using common sense.
First of all I will ask you the same question as I did to pa mom.
Is there or is there not a political movement to promote a homosexual agenda.
And second where does that political movement get it's backing(pardon the pun) and where is this political movement concentrated.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.