Barney Frank: GOP Gays Are 'Uncle Toms'

Plus, he slams 'Myth Romney' at convention
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 7, 2012 2:31 AM CDT
Barney Frank: GOP Gays Are 'Uncle Toms'
Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts waves to delegates after his speech at the Democratic National Convention.   (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Barney Frank blasted "Myth Romney's" economic record at the Democratic National Convention yesterday, but the Massachusetts congressman got almost as much attention for remarks he made earlier in the day. Frank, who is openly gay, slammed gay Republicans for praising Paul Ryan, despite his opposition to gay marriage and repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell, reports Talking Points Memo. I'm "inclined to think they’re called the Log Cabin Club because their role model is Uncle Tom," he said, referring to the leading gay Republican organization.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, Frank accused Log Cabin director R. Clarke Cooper of "accepting second-class citizenship." Cooper, in turn, accused Frank of undermining the group's efforts to reform the GOP. "Frank calls us 'Uncle Toms,' and pretends that Log Cabin hasn’t been on the front lines of the fight for equality," he said. "The truth is, by speaking conservative to conservative about gay rights, Log Cabin Republicans are doing some of the hardest work in the movement, work that liberals like Barney are unwilling to do and couldn’t do if they tried." (More Barney Frank stories.)

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