What can you say, folks? When you’re lumped in there with the likes of arch-homophobe Lou Sheldon of the Traditional Values Coalition as supporters of John McCain, it’s just pathetic.

“John McCain will be a marvelous selection as our nominee,” said the Rev. Lou Sheldon, who heads the Traditional Values Coalition in Anaheim and was a staunch supporter of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. “He is with us on abortion. He is with us on the marriage issue.”

With regard to concerns about McCain’s relationship with lobbyists - the subject of a recent New York Times story - Sheldon was not in the least worried. “The John McCain I know is a man of the highest integrity,” he said.

James Vaughn, the California director of the Log Cabin Republicans - the gay GOP organization - echoed the same unbridled enthusiasm.

“John McCain is sort of ideal,” he said. “He doesn’t use social issues as wedge issues. He emphasizes the things that united all Republicans.”

“I believe that the institution of marriage should be reserved for the union of one man and one woman, said Sen. McCain. The Protect Marriage Arizona Amendment would allow the people of Arizona to decide on the definition of marriage in our state. I wholeheartedly support the Protect Marriage Arizona Amendment and I hope that the voters in Arizona choose to support it as well.”
– John McCain in 2005, supporting Protect Marriage Arizona’s ballot initiative (that eventually failed at the polls).