BREAKING NEWS! HUGE SCANDAL! CONTROVERSY!
Rebecca Kleefisch, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, is opposed to gay marriage, like Scott Walker and Tom Barrett and Obama.
Kleefisch has a gay uncle, Chris Pfauser, and he doesn't agree with her stance on gay marriage and her opposition to extending benefits to the partners of state employees. He's speaking out. He's very disappointed with his niece.
It's quite remarkable timing that this story has just emerged a few days before the election given that she made the comments currently the subject of controversy about NINE MONTHS AGO.
Back in January, Kleefisch made her statements about extending benefits to the domestic partners of state employees during a radio interview on WVCY Christian radio.
Only now are her remarks being used as fodder by Tom Barrett and his "willing partners" in the liberal media to attack her. Obviously, the intent is to damage Scott Walker and give Barrett a boost, to create a controversy.
In January, Kleefisch said:
"We can't at this point afford to just be handing out money to anyone. This is a slippery slope in addition to that -- at what point are we going to OK marrying inanimate objects? Can I marry this table, or this, you know, clock? Can we marry dogs? This is ridiculous."
Kleefisch has apologized for her comments, regretting her insensitivity.
"My comments were meant to relay my concern with redefining marriage," Kleefisch said in the statement reported by the Associated Press. "I never intended to sound insensitive, and have the utmost respect for all people. I apologize for my poor choice of words."
That's not a squishy non-apology apology. She takes responsibility for what she said. She explains herself. She says she's sorry.
End of story?
No way.
Barrett is desperately trying to paint Scott Walker, and now Rebecca Kleefisch, as extreme even though they are all in agreement on the issue of gay marriage and their views reflect those of the majority of Wisconsin voters.
It's a losing strategy. Barrett's utilization of a wedge issue is not going to cause voters to reject Walker.
This election is about the economy and Barrett can't win on that issue. So, he's flailing around trying anything that might erode support for Walker.
That's not going to happen. Voters aren't going to turn their backs on Walker. Nonetheless, the liberal media, Barrett's "willing partners," are doing all they can to help.
Here's a sampling:
TMJ4: Lt. Gov. Candidate Apologizes for Gay Marriage Comments
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kleefisch's uncle objects to anti-gay marriage statement
WISN: Kleefisch Apologizes For Gay Marriage Comments
FOX 6: Lt. Governor candidate Rebecca Kleefisch apologizes for comments on gay marriage, Kleefisch's gay uncle says her comments are hurtful
Here's video of Uncle Chris Pfauser, a resident of Michigan:
As the video shows, Kleefisch's uncle doesn't accept her apology.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
[H]er uncle isn't buying it.
Pfauser, 46, said he was so upset by his niece's remarks that earlier this month he gave $500 to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the Democratic nominee for governor. Barrett is running against Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, the Republican nominee. Kleefisch is part of the GOP ticket.
"She must finally be feeling the pressure," Pfauser said. "Unfortunately, I don't think she really means it."
He said he was close to Kleefisch when they were younger, pointing out that he is closer in age to the former television reporter than he is to her mother. He said he was something like an older brother to Kleefisch.
Never during that time did she express any objection to his relationship with his partner, Rob Gow, who runs a real estate business for properties along Chicago's North Shore. The couple recently moved to New Buffalo, Mich.
"For years, I was told and led to believe that she was in full support of my relationship," Pfauser said.
In fact, he said, he has talked with Kleefisch and his relatives about Gow on many occasions, particularly at holiday gatherings.
"Obviously, Rob has been a part of their life growing up," Pfauser said. "We've always been, for years, welcome and felt love and support from my sister and her kids."
I think an apology from Kleefisch was in order. Being in a relationship with another person is not like having some sort of relationship with a table or clock. It was a poor choice of words to use inanimate objects to illustrate the impact of opening the floodgates in terms of relationships that would qualify for benefits.
It's legitimate to question what the limits of qualifying relationships would be. Is it wrong to prevent individuals in polygamous relationships from receiving benefits? What about the rights of those adults? The process of redefining social unions isn't that simple.
Pfauser acts as if feeling love and receiving support from Kleefisch for his relationship and her opinion on extending benefits to domestic partners of state employees are mutually exclusive.
They aren't. Kleefisch is talking about spending taxpayers' money, not about her respect for others, particularly her love for her uncle.
This is really a weird and sad story. The involvement of the media, Barrett's media, is sleazy.
I think it's very small of Pfauser to not accept Kleefisch's apology. He was hurt by her comments, but she must feel hurt as well by what he's said and what he's doing.
As far as this election goes, Pfauser isn't even a Wisconsin resident. To attack his niece this way at this time is very unseemly.
You know that Barrett had this blitz all planned. It's no accident that Pfauser is talking to the media now.
Of course, if he did accept Kleefisch's apology, there would be nothing more for the liberal media to report. Pfauser is cooperating, doing the Dems' bidding. Barrett and his "willing partners" have a stake in keeping this story alive.
They're losing.
Why?
It's the economy, stupid.
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