Huffington Magazine Issue 16 | Page 92

HUFFINGTON 09.30.12 THE PINK ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM Republican National Committee and former chairman of Log Cabin, said that when he was running as an openly gay candidate for his seat on the RNC, GOProud backed his opponent, a social conservative who did not support gay rights. “I’m not sure what they’re up to,” he said. Others offered harsher criticisms, but not on the record. One thing that the two groups do have in common is the belief that their mere presence in Washington and at the convention signifies real progress in the party. Over and over, gay Republicans in Tampa raised the specter of Pat Buchanan at the 1992 convention. Drawing a contrast with those bad old days, Rich Weissman, the former Democrat, talked about the “gentle acceptance” he’d felt all week at the convention. “That makes me feel really really good,” he said. Jim Kolbe, the former congress- Margaret Hoover, a Rep V&Ɩ6