THE MORAL CONSISTENCY OF THE LEFT:

Defying the predictions of many on the Right, both The New Republic's Etc. and The American Prospect's Tapped--the two preeminent blogs of the Left--have written excellent posts condemning the use of a gay-bashing ad by Montana Democrats and making it clear that just as such behavior is unacceptable when Republicans engage in it, so is it unacceptable for Democrats to....

What's that?

They haven't said any such thing?

Oh, okay, we must have jumped the gun.

They must plan on posting those comments later today. Surely they don't intend their silence to suggest that they approve of homophobia just so long as it's the Democrats who use it to defeat Republicans; that would be too, too cynical.

UPDATE:
This just in, Etc. actually does note the ad in passing. Here's what they have to say:

[L]later in the day came word that the Republican U.S. Senate nominee in Montana, state Senator Mike Taylor, was dropping out of the race after his opponent, incumbent Democrat Max Baucus, aired a commercial so hard-hitting it quickly expanded Baucus's lead from 19 to 33.

"hard-hitting"?

Meanwhile, they also suggest that it is "ironic" that two Republicans, Randy "Duke" Cunningham and Dick Armey, broke down in tears during their remarks on the war resolution because Mr. Cunningham, once referred to gays as "homos" and Mr. Armey once mistakenly referred to Barney Frank as "Barney Fag". We'll assume that they don't mean to imply something about the manliness of these fellows, bad enough that they feel the need to resurrect their remarks when they can't find a moment to condemn equally offensive and far more timely homophobia within their own party.

UPDATE:
THE BARBER OF CIVILITY:
Gay-bashing, or just wussy-bashing? (Charles Murtaugh, 10/10/02)

Having downloaded the now-infamous Montana "gay-bashing" ad from Josh Marshall's site, I'm inclined to agree with him that the charge may be overblown. Actually, it's a little more interesting than that. The very obvious implication from this ad is that its target, GOP candidate Mike Taylor, is not a real man, he's a hair-clipping [w]ussy. From what I've seen of Montana, on a loooooooong drive on I-90, it's a manly-man kind of place, and no haven for pantywaists. So this is a perfectly normal underhanded attack ad, akin to Bush I's ridiculous ad showing Dukakis in a tank with weird, engine-grinding sound effects. [...]

Are gays not real men, or is it possible to criticize someone for being a wimp without automatically gay-bashing him?

I'd actually go further than Brother Murtaugh; I believe someone's sexuality and their sexual behavior to be legitimate political issues. I think Bill Clinton should have been impeached for cheating on his wife and doing so in the White House, on our dime(and on our furniture), and I'd be less likely to vote for a gay Republican than for a conservative and straight Democrat, like Max Baucus.

But if these things are legitimate issues then be a man and bring them up in public, where the "wussy" has an opportunity to respond or to kick the stuffing out of you. Don't hide behind the skirts of the Montana Democratic Party and don't use a video clip that looks like something out of "Boogie Nights".

One other thing, there may be some cultural differences involved in how people view this ad. I don't personally know any straight men here in NH who go to a hairdresser. We go to barbers, with the red-white-and-blue rotating pole and all. The leather of the chair seats is cracked and duct-taped. The magazine selection tends heavily toward guns and things with motors, with the salacious material kept behind a counter so the kids can't see it--they get Mad magazine. The barbers use clippers. The scissors and combs are kept in jars of blue Barbicide. They don't shampoo your hair. And, when they're done they vacuum your head with an R2-D2 lookin' thing. For this entirely impersonal and non-gratifying experience you pay $6. I look at that ad and I not only think that Mr. Taylor must be gay but so must anyone who would visit his "salon". I doubt Montana is too much different.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 12, 2002 10:32 AM