President Kuehl?
Lesbian state Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D) may be slated to become president pro
tem of the California state senate when Sen. John Burton (D), the current
occupant of that influential post, retires at the end of 2004 because of
term limits. While Kuehl’s elevation isn’t a done deal, California
political analyst Tony Quinn wrote recently that Kuehl “is the leading
candidate” for the job, one of the legislature’s two top positions.
“She’s respected by her peers, even some very conservative members of
the Senate,” says a straight-but-savvy Sacramento journalist, agreeing
that she has a chance to climb to the Senate’s top job.
One of four lesbians in the California legislature—they’ve dubbed
themselves “the lavender caucus”—Kuehl consistently gets high marks
from political observers. She was named the assembly member with the most
intelligence and the most integrity in a poll of fellow legislators, key
staffers, and members of the news media conducted by the California Journal,
which also named her “rookie of the year” in her first year in the
assembly.
Should Kuehl move up to Senate president pro tem, she’s likely to be a
major influence for legislation that will help the gay and lesbian
community. And not just gay people—she’s already taking the lead on
legislation to make California the first state to provide paid time off for
family crises. During the six years she served in the state assembly, she
authored some 73 bills that became law, including many providing protections
based on gender and sexual orientation. Indeed, the long-time Sacramento
journalist notes that Kuehl “could have been speaker of the Assembly”
but for term limits.
Kuehl is well known for portraying Zelda Gilroy on TV’s The Many Loves of
Dobie Gillis and still drives a red Porsche that was a product of her
theatrical success. But she’s not just another ballot-lucky celebrity—Kuehl
later graduated from Harvard Law School and has been a professor at several
law schools. Her show-biz background has nevertheless served her well. At
the legislature’s recent annual roast, Kuehl organized a women’s
chorus—complete with a repertoire of bawdy lyrics—that was the hit of
the evening. Stay tuned.
Vitter, Party of One
Although Congressman David Vitter (R-La.) is a solidly conservative
Republican, he has a history of alienating both fellow GOPers and Democrats.
When he was in the legislature, Vitter made bitter enemies with his
holier-than-thou attacks on government perks flowing to fellow legislators
in both parties. And he recently made an enemy of Gov. Mike Foster (R-La.)
over the governor’s granting of a casino license.
Vitter is now declaring moral war on—who else?—gays and lesbians. The
Washington Blade reports that, according to Vitter’s staff, the
contentious lawmaker will try to overturn the District of Columbia’s
domestic partners law, which Congress finally allowed to take effect last
September, after 10 years of keeping the law in deep freeze.
Once again, Vitter’s straight-laced righteousness is likely to lead him
into conflict, not just with Democrats but with his own party. House Speaker
Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) doesn’t like controversial issues getting in the
way of appropriations measures. And many other GOP powers-that-be, in the
White House as well as in Congress, don’t want Republican lawmakers having
to go on record on such issues.
Vitter isn’t likely to get his way. When Congress approved the D.C.
Appropriations bill last September, which had a provision that allowed the
nation’s capital to implement its domestic partners law, a minority of 41
Republicans joined a majority of 184 Democrats to defeat an effort—similar
to Vitter’s—that would have scuttled the law.
So why is Vitter taking such a course? Some recent history: Despite his
passel of political foes, Vitter is a skilled campaigner and fundraiser, so
he had been considered the favorite in next year’s governor’s race. He
even transferred $700,000 from his federal to a state account to accommodate
such a race, putting the money out of reach unless he ran for state office.
Then in May, Vitter surprised political insiders with a sudden reversal,
announcing that—despite the potential loss of $700,000—he would not run
for governor next year. He cited the all-too-familiar reason of family
concerns but went further, noting that he and his wife were undergoing
counseling because of stress from his political career.
Since then, Louisiana’s rumor mill has been working overtime. None of the
sub rosa dish has been confirmed for the record. However, Robert Namer,
Vitter’s opponent in this year’s nonpartisan congressional primary,
contended recently in an interview with Louisiana columnist Jeff Crouere
that he plans to drop “a major bombshell” into the campaign. Namer, a
former radio talk show host and a GOPer, has a kooky reputation, but the
Democrats are trying to recruit a more formidable challenger. Thus, it is
quite possible that—in taking on the District of Columbia’s domestic
partners registry—Vitter hopes to divert attention from his own problems.
Given
Vitter’s history, it’s not a surprise that he would ignore the wishes of
GOP leaders. But it is hard to understand why he would make gays the target
of his diversion strategy. By attacking a domestic partners law in the
District of Columbia, Vitter cannot help but draw attention to his own
domestic difficulties—and in Louisiana, there is no domestic partnership
law to “undermine” his marriage.
Hastings Wyman publishes Southern Political Report, a
nonpartisan biweekly political newsletter. He may be reached in care of
Letters from CAMP Rehoboth or at
HWymanSPR@aol.com.
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