GOProud Slams Tim Pawlenty Over Calls For Defunding DADT Repeal

The chairman of gay Republican group GOProud lashed out at former Minnesota Gov. and potential 2012 presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty Tuesday, saying that his "stature" in the party didn't even stand up to the likes of Herman Cain, a dark-horse conservative who's announced plans to enter the race for the White House.

Here's the statement from Chris Barron, chairman of the board at GOProud, relayed by AMERICAblog:

I understand that Pawlenty is trying hard to get people to pay attention to his campaign. Its certainly a challenge for someone with such little stature in the conservative movement to compete with high profile conservative leaders like Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, etc. Unfortunately for Pawlenty, comments like this simply show how totally out-of-touch he is with the issues that rank and file conservatives care about. If he wants to show he is a committed social conservative he would be much better served talking about the need to defund Planned Parenthood, end federal funding for abortion, reign in an out of control judiciary and support for a parents rigths [sic] amendment to protect home-schoolers.

The basis of Barron's jab appears to be repeated comments made by Pawlenty, a noted social conservative, concerning his desire to take steps to reverse the overturn of "don't ask, don't tell."

In an interview with Wonk Room Monday, Pawlenty said that he would even support rescinding the funds required by the Department of Defense to implement the repeal.

As Slate's Dave Weigel points out, Pawlenty's position seems focused on a futile and "disconnected" commitment to reinstating something that has already been publicly opposed by the highest levels of leadership on the military policy.

The wrinkle in the relationship between GOProud and Pawlenty could possibly get more complicated at CPAC later this week, a high-profile conservative conference that both are expected to attend.

Tensions between social conservatives and GOProud have already flared repeatedly in the run-up to CPAC. A bloc of top lobbying groups have mounted a boycott of the annual meeting for the organizers' decision to include the gay Republican group. The Heritage Foundation and the Media Research Foundation, organizations traditionally thought to be more concerned with fiscal issues, have also signed onto the boycott because of GOProud's presence at the event.

Comments

[sushi27]

01:06 AM on 02/14/2011

The republican answer to the people - we don't care if there are laws that the people want - we will just defund and the people be damned. We will cut funding for every social program until there is nothing free, no free airways (radio or tv) - so big corporations alone decide what information the public is allowed to know. Egypt moves forward toward freedom of information as America moves backward - amazing.

America for the Corporations, by the Corporations - one Corporation under God - brought to you by Republican Party.

[Horus45]

10:34 AM on 02/14/2011

There is a term for what you describe.
It's call Fascism!

[PollyTics]

12:43 PM on 02/10/2011

The entire GOP party has fallen into the wasteland of life. Sure they may have rallied from their garbage dump depression of a few years back, but the out right lies, continued violent rhetoric with those who disagree along with total fabrications and the rewriting of history is beyond the pale. And we should all hold the current media to task for allowing such nonsense to continue without correction!

GOProud, or GOPomg; it's all the same in the fuller view and light of day. Nonsense, hatred and lies gives birth to more of the same especially when fueled with the daily vitamins of FOX Noise.

I am sickened by this party's hypocrisies, their blatant bigotry

[Horus45]

11:36 AM on 02/10/2011

GOProud you take the cake!
In one breath you want no one interfering with your rights and in the next breath you are in support of taking away someone else's rights! How hypocritical of you!

Nothing but a bunch of Self-Loathing homosexuals, that is the ONLY explanation why any Gay would vote Republican.

[Joel Redman]

12:42 PM on 02/10/2011

Stockholm Syndrome.

[follygirl]

10:17 AM on 02/10/2011

JOBS?

[montn2]

10:03 AM on 02/10/2011

Hey GOPPROUD.....I am a strong supporter of your equal rights. Now kindly return the favor and leave my uterus alone. Thank you.

[sushi27]

05:17 AM on 02/15/2011

Ya think!

[moose and squirrel]

06:07 AM on 02/10/2011

oh nice, GOProud throws another group whose rights are threatened under the bus. 
 
real classy.

[TheHandyman]

03:57 AM on 02/10/2011

So, a Gay group whose members are still denied the full rights guaranteed to them under the Constitution want to deny other people their rights. Some people are just so utterly stupid!

[ahumbleopinion]

10:15 AM on 02/10/2011

Not stupid, selfish. It's the GOP main principle - I've got mine, too bad about you.

[Horus45]

11:32 AM on 02/10/2011

and Greed, more than anything else.

[derekc06]

02:32 AM on 02/10/2011

"Its certainly a challenge for someone with such little stature in the conservative movement..."

This is incredibly ironic coming from GOProud.

They are so oblivious..

[Ronnie Avatar Dixon]

02:18 AM on 02/10/2011

This is good news for the Democrats: right-wing fractions, such as GOPround, are dividing the conservative social movement. Granted it is not hindering their ardent attempts to dehumanize women, but it seems to be chipping away at them a little, nevertheless.

[manyamile]

12:50 AM on 02/10/2011

Wow, GOProud, what a colossal fail.
"If he wants to show he is a committed social conservative he would be much better served talking about the need to defund Planned Parenthood, end federal funding for abortion"

sooo, stick it to women to take the heat off defunding DADT repeal ? THAT is your solution?
Barron's statue as a spokesperson here doesn't rate any better than Pawlenty. Both seem extremely confused.

[ahumbleopinion]

10:16 AM on 02/10/2011

Well, it makes sense. Why would GOProud care about women?

[Joel Redman]

12:43 PM on 02/10/2011

Lesbians are members of GOProud also. For what purpose I can't understand, but there you have it.

[cityspeak]

12:44 AM on 02/10/2011

It's official, Pawenty is this generation's George Wallace. George Wallace realized why too late that the freight train to politcal power fuleled by fear and racism stopped working on a majority of Americans.
Someone tell Pawenty that the drum beating to fear and hate our fellow gay American citizens doesn't work anymore. It is over.

[Horus45]

11:39 AM on 02/10/2011

Unfortunately it still works with those over 50 yrs old.

[Zork4]

10:28 PM on 02/12/2011

Yeah, it's a shame that they don't realize that in many cases they have Lesbian and Gay friends and relatives who have never been able to be honest with them.

[matthewnsea]

11:54 PM on 02/09/2011

GoProud, when are you going to wake up?

[rockinrod]

11:48 PM on 02/09/2011

They don't want you, gay and lesbian Republican's. What part of that do you still not understand???

[Horus45]

11:40 AM on 02/10/2011

Their Greed outweighs their rights.

[Scott Stevenson]

11:46 PM on 02/09/2011

I'm so glad I'm a Liberal Queer.

[montn2]

10:05 AM on 02/10/2011

Add smart to that statement.

[Zork4]

10:29 PM on 02/12/2011

Fanned

[1oldhippie]

11:39 PM on 02/09/2011

"de-fund" DADT ? What exactly are the 'costs' to eliminate it?