Cory Booker, sexuality, and the GOP's regressive politics

They're forcing him to admit he's either banging other dudes or white chicks. Either strategy alone is probably too provincial for New Jersey; but combined it might appeal to older, blue-collar, married voters who feel culturally or morally "stranded."

 

The Republican is an offensive ignorant jerk. Really? Somehow he's more of a 'man' than Booker who's actually rescued a woman from a burning building?

What a joke.

 

I'm not sure you and I read the same article. The article wasn't about how Cory Booker is having culture war problems but how his opponent is.

Given how demographics are going and that we already have gay mayors of major cities, gay congressman and gay judges I'm sure Cory Booker will trade losing some older voters who feel morally stranded for voters who are offended by Lonegan's backward comments.

 

I read the article just fine. It's possible to comment on the hypothetical outcomes of a certain strategy without agreeing with the values behind it.

 

That is fine except the article didn't really talk about this as Lonegan's strategy but more how this is benefiting Booker. From the article it's not even clear that was Lonegan's strategy and not some off the cuff comment he made.

[rquoter]Lonegan unwittingly defined himself as a stereotypical Tea Partier who stereotypes others. That sparked headlines, got attention from cable and radio talkers, allowed Booker to go on the offensive, and totally drowned out whatever message Lonegan would have wanted to propagate. Lonegan tried to change the subject with reporters in Paramus on Thursday: "I'm concerned about a potential war in Syria, not validating Cory Booker's lifestyle," he told them. "This election is not about whether or not Cory Booker is gay or straight."
[/rquoter]

 

Given the coded comments of wanting to "expose" Booker and using Newsmax to wonder aloud repeatedly in an interview of Booker's weirdness, I'm leaning toward agreeing with pouhe's guess of Lonegan using textbook social conservative/teepee dip**** strategy.

 

Did the republican actually make fun of gays and lesbians like booker says he did? In the quote he never mentioned them, just mocked booker for going out at 2 am to get his nails done. Booker is using that comment, which appears to be nothing more than a teasing jab at booker as a slander against gays?

Seems like booker wants to exploit the gay vote.

 

Wait - where did Booker say he made fun of gays and lesbians? He seems to be more taking aim at Lonegan's "I like being a guy" comment:

It's just disheartening to hear somebody, in this day and age, in the United States of America, say basically... that gay men are not men...

 

It was a jab at gay men at least.

 

This was the context of the comment:

In an interview with Newsmax, Lonegan said it was “kind of weird” that Booker is unconcerned with speculation about his sexuality.

“As a guy, I personally like being a guy. … I don’t know if you saw the stories last year. They’ve been out for quite a bit about how he likes to go out at 3 o’clock in the morning for a manicure and a pedicure,” said Lonegan. “Maybe that helps to get him the gay vote by acting ambiguous. … I don’t like going out in the middle of the night, or any time of the day, for a manicure and pedicure. It was described as his peculiar fetish is how it was described. I have a more peculiar fetish. I like a good Scotch and a cigar. That’s my fetish but we’ll just compare the two.”

On Saturday, when TPM talked with Lonegan, he described himself as mystified by Booker’s personal and family life.

“It’s mysterious. That’s all I can say. It’s mysterious,” Lonegan said.


http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/08/steve-lonegan-sick-single-moms.php

 

Well it is weird that Booker is acting the way he is. He doesn't want to say he's straight apparently. It's weird. He doesn't want to say he's gay or straight. My only guess is that he's straight but wants to enjoy the benefits of anti-homophobia.

It's not bad strategy. Backlash against homophobia is high right now, but it's hard for a straight politician to fully reap that benefit. Now he gets to.

 

He implied it clearly enough with this statement.

Strategy and personal values notwithstanding, there's actually a cognitive dissonance of sorts among more politically correct people, who are also publicly unattached socially, that constrains them from forthrightly clarifying their heterosexuality, out of fear that their diction or temperament may imply homophobia. It's also the root behind Carlin's old "happens to be black" joke.

 

If you start answering some questions, you open a pandora's box, because people will assume you're hiding something as soon as you don't answer. The only way to avoid is to answer none of them. The main people who really care are going to be the homophobes, so he's basically daring people to show their bigotry.

 

Lonnegan is a populist clown who's only support in NJ comes from his anti-immigrant positions. The man is not a serious contender.

 

I don't care if Cory Booker is straight, as long as he acts gay in public.

 

I find it interesting that someone who is criticizing someone for doing something "gay" like getting manis and pedis would then extol the virtues of putting a phallic-shaped item in his mouth. Maybe Lonegan is actually telling us he digs dudes in kilts?