The Spectacle Blog
Conservatives were electrified yesterday by news that Barney Frank had taken $200,000 from his own pocket to help fund his re-election campaign against insurgent Republican Sean Bielat. Having covered the Bielat campaign, however, I’m not entirely surprised by Frank’s plight:
Hey, when a congressman and his heckler boyfriend fly to the Virgin Islands aboard the private jet of a hedge-fund billionaire in the midst of an economic apocalypse the congressman arguably helped cause…
Do you really need polls to tell you that might hurt his chances for re-election? Yeah, I know it’s Massachusetts, but the economy’s in a ditch, and Barney’s up there sippin’ on a Slurpee, so to speak.
There may be limits even to the credulity of Massachusetts liberals.
Now, before anyone screams “homophobia” for my reference to Barney’s boyfriend (“partner” being the politically correct term), let’s point out that gay conservatives like Daniel Blatt are fed up with having Barney Frank as the Official Gay Political Poster Boy — in much the same way that black conservatives get tired of being told Al Sharpton speaks for their “community.” (Ask Allen West or Charles Lollar about that.)
Barney Frank and some other Democrats appear to be on the verge of learning the hard way that the appeals of identity politics and partisan loyalty can be stretched beyond the breaking point, as Brian McGrory of the Boston Globe explains:
For the last three decades, the political establishments in Boston and Washington have excused Frank’s consistently obnoxious behavior as Barney being Barney. Maybe they’ve done it because he was unique as an openly gay congressman. Maybe it was out of deference for the way he unapologetically and effectively carried the flag for the most liberal of causes. Maybe it was out of fear that he’d train his quick wit and substantial intellect against anyone who happened in his path.
But now voters are looking to D.C. and wondering what has gone wrong in a city and a system that is having such a hard time getting things right. The same character flaws that were forgiven in good times might wear thin when times are tough.
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More Blog Posts by Robert Stacy McCain
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Derek Leaberry| 10.20.10 @ 1:37PM
No need to apologize for not giving Barney Frank. He deserves none. George Washington and his patriots would never have gone through what they did if they knew that sodomite polecats like Barney Frank would be making the laws of the land.
Derek Leaberry| 10.20.10 @ 1:38PM
AMENDED- No need to apologize for not giving Barney Frank RESPECT.
Ralph Davis| 10.20.10 @ 1:40PM
It's obviously Greek to Barney...
Eric Cartman| 10.20.10 @ 1:50PM
Um, Barney and Greek in the same sentence! LOL. Now that's funny. I'm sure Barney knows some Greek.
CalMark| 10.20.10 @ 2:00PM
Several points.
1) Where does a lifelong Congressman get $200K to pony up at the drop of a hat? If he were a Republican, there'd be insinuations, if not investigations. Anyway, I bet there aren't too many "rich" doctors, businessmen, and other "hated class" people who could cough up that kind of coin on such short notice.
2) Enough with the "gay standard bearer" nonsense, already. If his live-in "partner" were female, we'd be laughing at him openly as a pathetic old degenerate. Kind of like ol' "Senator Sex-capades" Teddy.
3) If by "quick wit and substantial intellect" they mean gavelling down dissenting opinions during hearings, insulting constituents at Town Hall meetings, and screaming "racism!" every time the GOP tried to fix his Fannie/Freddie mess...well, OK.
Mad Hatter| 10.20.10 @ 2:31PM
Bielat wishes to send Barney to defeat,
Not the first to be attracted to Frank's seat.
Barney's starting to spend.
Is this his Bitter End?
No, his boyfriend thinks his end is pretty sweet!
Mad Hatter| 10.20.10 @ 2:45PM
Barney has been forced to lend himself money,
Two hundred grand better spent on his honey.
What will Freddy and Mack say?
Nothing - but their Fanny may!
...And his boyfriend will STILL think Sean's not funny!
Oldefarte| 10.20.10 @ 3:36PM
And Brown has the audacity to call Whitman a WHORE??????????????????????????????????
Queer Conservative| 10.20.10 @ 6:43PM
Congressmen (and I use that term LOOSELY) Frank, you are a walking disgrace to liberalism and gay people everywhere. We are fed up with identity politics, bailouts, confiscatory taxes and all this bs about "government revenue". That would be, uh, OUR MONEY, NOT YOURS.
serfer62| 10.20.10 @ 7:03PM
"...quick wit"?, no just trash mouth.
Spicy Joker| 10.20.10 @ 10:41PM
Barney's Frank will be up all night on November 2.
LarryK| 10.21.10 @ 9:08AM
"Barney's Boyfriend and the Bitter End"
Is that a gay slur? ;)