Thank you for negotiating the release of Aijalon Gomes from North Korea. 

I attended the Democratic National Convention in Madision Square Garden in 1976.  I met both you and your wife.  I knew then and I’ve known since then that you are an honorable man, stubborn as a bulldog with southern charm.  You achieve your goals.  I am sick and tired of hearing variations on: “the failed Carter Presidency,” from newscasters and pundits alike.  You were not then and are not now a failure.  (I could go into the secret Bush/Reagan deal with the Iranian hostages but I won’t tonight.)

Peace be with you, Sir.  Honorable men are in short supply in the United States right now.  Thanks for reminding the people what one acts like. 

To:  Ken Mehlman, former Republican National Committee Chairman 

and all the other gay men who come out of the closet after supporting anti-gay issues for years:

I have to say I don’t get it.  There is not a bone in my body, there is not a sprig of my hair, there is no part of my brain that understands people like you, Mehlman, who spew your hatred toward yourself, toward your own self-interest, toward all the other gay people in this country so you can win elections and now, you happily trot your self-hating ass out and what?  Expect me to cheer?  Expect me to overlook your past?  Sorry, bud.  There are certain things that aren’t negotiable, there is certain behavior that is inexcusable.  There are some issues that don’t have two sides, there is right and wrong.  You were wrong.  You are still wrong.    

This afternoon Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in the state of California, was overturned by 9th Circuit District Court Judge Vaughn Walker. The bigots who lost will appeal, most likely up to the Supreme Court, but for today let’s celebrate. . . and thanks to Boies and Olson, the attorneys who argued that Prop. 8 was unconstitutional.