Well, this isn’t going to help McCain pull in those women. “Within hours of McCain’s surprise introduction of the little-known, charismatic mother of five as his running mate, the scandals began to emerge as quickly as flies at a Labor Day picnic. “While putting to rest one scandal, Palin appeared to have opened another of even greater significance. Staunchly antiabortion …

“The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government and I won’t be buried under their damn flag. I’ll be buried in Dawson. And when Alaska is an independent nation they can bring my bones home.” – Alaskan Independence Party founder Joe Vogler, speaking in 1991. McCain’s campaign has proven that Sarah Palin did …

Round One, Gov. David Paterson. A New York state judge has thrown out the first direct legal challenge to the governor’s move to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Judge Lucy Billings says in her ruling Tuesday that the policy is a “permissible” step toward equality for gays and lesbians. Thousands of New Yorkers are expected to take advantage …

On weekend evenings, the Port Authority Trans-Hudson station on Christopher Street disgorges hundreds of mostly underage, mostly poor, black and Latino gay kids from New Jersey who are often escaping horrific home situations to experience just a few hours of exuberantly open queerness. The PATH train into the West Village serves these kids as a literal and spiritual Underground Railroad, …

The Republicans will be trotting out Levi Johnston at the convention. The boyfriend of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s unwed, pregnant daughter will join the family of the Republican vice presidential candidate at the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn. Levi Johnston’s mother said her 18-year-old son left Alaska on Tuesday morning to join the Palin family at the convention where …

Convention bounce? Palin anti-bounce? Great news for now, but let’s see how the numbers are after the RNC ends. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has reached the 50 percent milestone in the latest Gallup Poll, the first time he has hit the threshold considered to be a safe number for victory. According to Gallup’s Daily Tracking Poll, the Democratic presidential …

Not surprising, but here’s the press release. Log Cabin Republicans today announced its endorsement of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for President of the United States. Log Cabin’s national board of directors voted 12-2 to endorse the Republican nominees for President and Vice President. Log Cabin announced the decision at its “Big Tent Event” during the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. …

It’s so incredibly laughable to have thrice-married adulterer and deadbeat dad Newt Gingrich shilling for the sanctity of marriage. Via Pam’s House Blend: “Newt dumped cancer-stricken 1st wife. When his pastor criticized him for not supporting his two kids, he left the church. Newt dumped 2nd wife after cheating on her with the Congressional aide who is now his 3rd …

Here’s Sarah Palin’s message to the Alaskan Independence Party’s 2008 convention. Prior to becoming a Republican, Palin belonged to the AIP which calls for a state vote on seceding from the United States. In this clip, the current VP of the AIP describes Palin as still “very sympathetic” to their movement. It was scrubbed from the AIP’s site yesterday, but …

From the GOP’s approved 2008 convention platform: “We consider discrimination based on sex, race, age, religion, creed, disability, or national origin to be immoral.” Who’s missing from that list? Oh, right, we are. The GOP says it right there: discrimination against gays IS NOT IMMORAL. On DADT: Personnel policies The all-volunteer force has been a success. We oppose reinstituting the …

Via Wonkette, this latest in a string of Craigslist Twin Cities M4M ads: Discretion Required – m4mm (Upscale Hotel) ATTN: discretion is mandatory. must be willing to submit to background check and strip searches. absolutely no recording devices or wireless communication devices allowed. you will be examined and scrutinized by security before you make contact. 50yo Male looking for VERY …

It seems that much of Sarah Palin’s pre-political background may be fabricated, including her claim that she was Miss Congeniality in the 1984 Miss Wasilla pageant. Amy Gwin, 43, of University City, grew up in Alaska and competed in the Miss Wasilla, Alaska, competition in 1984 against GOP vice presidential choice Sarah Palin. Gwin said Friday that she won the …

“Well, we hit the ground in Minneapolis and, as you can imagine, it’s been quite hectic. The McCain campaign did a brilliant job today of quickly stealing back the spotlight after Sen. Obama’s successful speech in Denver. Sen. McCain’s choice for Vice President, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, is a smart choice on many levels. She unifies the GOP across the …

The Unconvention is a “non-partisan collaboration for creative public participation in civic dialog.” Make An Effort is a campaign for The UnConvention designed by Campbell Mithun to encourage Twin Cities residents to find their own unconventional ways to welcome the visitors who will be arriving for the Republican National Convention. The campaign does not ignore the undeniable irony of the …

John McCain’s campaign said today that they “have a team on the ground in Alaska” to look more thoroughly into Sarah Palin’s background. Barn door wide open, horse seen accepting nomination. The New York Times reports that not only had McCain only met Palin once prior to asking her to join the ticket, he’d been holding out until the last …

And notice how he fidgets with and then removes his wedding ring. In poker, that’s called a “tell.”

Bosnian Muslims are demanding that this month’s first-ever gay pride events be canceled because they occur during Ramadan. Opposition to gay pride has been fueled by the Islamic magazine Saff. Columnist Ezher Beganovic has called for the government to cancel the festival. Calling the four day event a “festival of homosexuality” that is an affront to Islam, Beganovic warned in …