Uganda
 

No vote: Future of Uganda's anti-gay bill in limbo

By MAGGIE FICK, Associated Press

Friday, May 13, 2011

(05-13) 05:26 PDT KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) --

Uganda's parliament adjourned Friday without acting on a criticized anti-gay bill that would mandate the death sentence in some cases, drawing praise from an advocacy group that said parliament's failure to act was a "victory for all Ugandans."

Speaker of Parliament Edward Ssekandi Kiwanuk said there is no time to take up the bill this session, which ends Wednesday, leaving the bill's future uncertain. Kiwanuk adjourned the parliament Friday and set no date for the body to return.

The bill has drawn criticism from U.S. leaders and human rights groups. The U.S. State Department spokesman on Wednesday called the bill "odious" and said no changes to the bill's wording would justify its passage.

Avaaz, an Internet group that champions action on issues like poverty and climate change, called it a "victory for all Ugandans and people across the world who value human rights" that parliament did not take action Friday.

"This vile bill is a matter of life and death for gay Ugandans, and would have seen the execution, imprisonment and persecution of friends of Avaaz, and thousands of others who have committed no crime at all. We must now ensure this heinous bill can never return to Parliament again," said Alice Jay, the group's campaign director.

David Bahati, who authored the bill, has said that if the anti-gay bill was not voted on this session, he would try to move the legislation forward next session.

Helen Kawesa, spokeswoman for parliament, said the anti-gay bill could come back up for debate in the next parliament but that it would likely take time to get back to the floor.

Kakoba Onyango, a member of parliament, said the anti-gay bill has taken so long to be acted on because President Yoweri Museveni did not back it and because of the criticism of human rights groups.

Gay rights groups say that the harassment of gays has increased in Uganda since the introduction of the bill in October 2009.

Last year a tabloid newspaper in Uganda published the names and photos of men it alleged were gay. One cover included the words "Hang Them." Shortly afterward, a prominent gay rights activist whose picture was published was bludgeoned to death, though authorities contend David Kato's sexual orientation had nothing to do with the killing.

Bahati's original bill would mandate a death sentence for active homosexuals living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape. "Serial offenders" also would face capital punishment. Anyone convicted of a homosexual act would face life imprisonment.

Anyone who "aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage of acts of homosexuality" would face seven years in prison. Landlords who rent rooms or homes to homosexuals also could get seven years.

Homosexuality is highly unpopular in Uganda, and pastors in this Christian country speak out loudly against it. Bahati has said he thinks the bill would become law if voted on.

___

Associated Press reporter Godfrey Olukya contributed to this report.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...i042638D37.DTL

Got this in an e-mail today.
 

Uganda's anti-gay law has failed! It looked sure to pass last week, but after 1.6 million petition signatures delivered to Parliament, tens of thousands of phone calls to our own governments, hundreds of media stories about our campaign and a massive global outcry, Ugandan politicians dropped the bill!

It was down to the wire - religious extremists tried to push the bill through on Wednesday, and then convened an unprecedented emergency session of Parliament on Friday. But each time, within hours, we reacted. A huge congratulations to everyone who signed, called, forwarded and donated to this campaign - with our help, thousands of innocent people in Uganda's gay community do not wake up this morning facing execution for whom they chose to love.

Frank Mugisha, a courageous leader of the gay community in Uganda sent us this message:

"Brave Ugandan LGBT activists and millions of people around the world have stood together and faced down this horrendous anti-homosexuality bill.The support from the Avaaz global community has tipped the scales to prevent this Bill going forward. Global solidarity has made a huge difference."

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs' Office also wrote to Avaaz:

"Many thanks. As you know, thanks to a very large extent to the intensive lobbying and combined effort of you, other civil society representatives, EU and other governments, plus our delegation and embassies on the ground the Bill was not presented to the Parliament this morning."

This fight is not over. The extremists behind this bill could try again within just 18 months. But this is the second time we've helped defeat this bill, and we'll keep going until the hate-mongers give up.

Transforming the deeper causes of ignorance and hatred behind homophobia is an historic, long term struggle, one of the great causes of our generation. But Uganda has become a front line in that struggle, and a powerful symbol. The victory there echoes across many other places where hope is desperately needed, showing that kindness, love, tolerance and respect can defeat hatred and ignorance. Again, a huge thanks to all who made it happen.

With enormous gratitude and admiration for this amazing community,

Florida Teens Face Suspension For Holding Hands
 

Gallup Poll and Same Sex Marriage
 

May 20, 2011

For First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage Republicans and older Americans remain opposed
by Frank Newport

PRINCETON, NJ -- For the first time in Gallup's tracking of the issue, a majority of Americans (53%) believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. The increase since last year came exclusively among political independents and Democrats. Republicans' views did not change.

These results are based on Gallup's May 5-8 Values and Beliefs poll, which has tracked attitudes toward legalizing same-sex marriage each year since 2004, adding to Gallup's initial polling on the topic in 1996 and 1999.

This year's nine-percentage-point increase in support for same-sex marriage is the largest year-to-year shift yet measured over this time period. Two-thirds of Americans were opposed to legalized same-sex marriage in 1996, with 27% in favor. By 2004, support had risen to 42% and, despite some fluctuations from year to year, stayed at roughly that level through last year.

Democrats' and Independents' Greater Acceptance Shifts the Balance

Democrats' and independents' support for legalized same-sex marriage increased this year by 13 and 10 points, respectively. Republicans' views on the issue did not change from last year. Clear majorities of both Democrats and independents now support gay marriage, 69% and 59% respectively, contrasted with 28% support among Republicans.

Majorities of moderates and liberals support gay marriage, as they did last year, contrasted with 28% of conservatives.


Support for Legal Same-Sex Marriage Decreases Sharply With Age

Support for legal gay marriage decreases markedly with age, ranging from 70% support among those aged 18 to 34, to 39% support among those 55 and older. More broadly, support is highest among younger women and lowest among older men.

Compared with last year, support for legalizing same-sex marriage increased most among younger, 18- to 34-year-old Americans, and among men under 50.

Support for legal same-sex marriage is higher among those who attend church less frequently, among Catholics than among Protestants, and among those who are unmarried.

Implications

This year marks a significant uptick in support for legalizing same-sex marriage, exceeding the symbolic 50% mark for the first time in Gallup's history. Support rose from 27% in 1996 to the low 40% range in 2004 and remained fairly constant through last year.

The issue does, however, remain highly divisive. While big majorities of Democrats and young people support the idea of legalizing same-sex marriage, fewer than 4 in 10 Republicans and older Americans agree. Republicans in particular seem fixed in their opinions; there was no change at all in their support level this year, while independents' and Democrats' support jumped by double-digit margins.

Within the past year, Congress passed and President Obama signed a law allowing gay and lesbian members of the military to openly reveal their sexual orientation, rather than keeping it hidden as part of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. A majority of Americans have supported such a change in policy since 2005, rising to two-thirds support in 2009 and again last year. It is unclear whether the highly publicized official change in government policy on Don't Ask, Don't Tell may have been a factor in the rise in Americans' support for legalizing same-sex marriage.

Most legislation dealing with legalizing same-sex marriage occurs at the state level. At this point, five states -- Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, plus the District of Columbia -- allow legal same-sex marriages. Most of the remaining states specifically outlaw it. At the moment, those advocating changes in constitutions and laws to allow same-sex marriage in additional states can take heart in the apparent shift in national sentiment in their direction.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/147662/Fi...-Marriage.aspx

Sad news for wrestling fans...
 

http://www.popeater.com/2011/05/20/m...1_lnk3%7C64440

Wrestling legend, snack pitchman and actor "Macho Man" Randy Savage died Friday in Seminole, Florida after losing control of his car while suffering a heart attack, his brother tells TMZ. Lanny Poffo says his brother was behind the wheel around 10 AM when the accident occurred. He was 58.

The Florida Highway Patrol later told the website that Savage and his wife, Lynn, were driving their Jeep Wrangler when the car veered across a concrete median, rushed through oncoming traffic and "collided head-on with a tree."

Savage was taken to Largo Medical Center where he died, and Lynn was rushed to a different hospital, but survived with minor injuries. According to officials, both were wearing their seat belts and alcohol is not suspected. An investigation is underway.

The couple had just celebrated their 1-year anniversary.

His former colleagues and admirers in the wrestling business have already begun pouring out their grief, including tag team partner Hulk Hogan who took to Twitter to reveal he had just begun talking to his old friend.

"I'm completely devastated, after over 10 years of not talking with Randy, we've finally started to talk and communicate," Hogan said. "I just pray that Randy's happy and in a better place and we miss him."

Dwayne Johnson, or The Rock, posted on Twitter: "You were one of my childhood inspirations and heros. Strength, love and prayers to the Savage/Poffo family."

The man known to millions of fans for his flashy outfits, his "Oooooo Yeaahhhh" catchphrase and his feuds with countless rivals, Savage broke into wrestling in the early 1970s while at the same time playing minor league baseball under his born name Randall Poffo. After injuring his throwing arm he put the focus on pro wrestling.

He picked the name 'Randy Savage' because a booker said his nickname at the time -- 'The Spider Friend' -- didn't suit since he "wrestled like a savage." In 1985 he signed up with Vince McMahaon's World Wrestling Federation and quickly became one of the league's more popular figures. His match with Ricky Steamboat in 1987's WrestleMania III is still considered one of the greatest ever.

Some of Savage's most memorable moments involved his manager and real-life wife, "Miss Elizabeth" Ann Hulette. Though they were officially married in 1984, the WWF staged an elaborate "wedding" for the pair at Madison Square Garden in 1991. A year later they divorced and she died of a drug overdose in 2003 at the home of her boyfriend, Lex Luger.

Savage left the WWF for the World Championship Wrestling in 1994.

Savage also tried his hand in other forms of entertainment throughout the years, most notably as the celebrity spokesman for Slim Jim beef snacks dating back to the mid-1990s. "Snap into a Slim Jim, oooooh yeah!"

His acting career included the role of wrestler Bonesaw McGraw in the 2002's 'Spider-Man' and most recently he was the voices of "the thug" in Disney's 2008 animated film, 'Bolt.' Savage also showed up in several TV shows as himself, in 'Mad About You,' 'Baywatch' and 'The Jeff Foxworthy Show.'

Story of Nikki Araguz Continued
 

Transgender widow's marriage debated at hearing
By JUAN A. LOZANO Associated Press © 2011 The Associated Press
May 20, 2011, 1:46PM

TSA will oversee the searches at a Santa Fe prom

First TSA is at the airports. Then they began doing random checks on trains, subways and buses.

I thought the purpose of TSA and DHS was to prevent terrorist attacks. A prom has nothing to do with terrorist attacks.

TSA hasn't caught a single terrorist.

When do we say enough?

Andrea

We might indeed live in a militarized society, but "patting down" teens in prom gowns seems almost surreal.

Saudi Woman Arrested for Opposing Driving Ban
 

Saudi woman arrested for challenging driving ban
Reuters: Sunday, May 22, 2011

Source: http://www.globalnational.com/world/...291/story.html

Gay and transgender teens find refuge at home created for them
 

Gay and transgender teens find refuge at home created for them
By Theresa Vargas, Published: May 21

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/...k8G_story.html

Maltese transwoman fighting for marriage rights
 

The story of a Maltese transwoman recently denied the right to marry in Malta. She and her lawyer are taking her case to Strasbourg/the European Court of Human Rights.

NATIONAL Monday, May 23, 2011
Updated | Transgender case 'going straight to European Court of Human Rights' - lawyer

By Raphael Vassallo

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/tr...-rights-lawyer

The assault on Planned Parenthood and women continues:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/us...s/23abort.html

U.S. Objects to New Law on Clinics in Indiana
By ROBERT PEAR
Published: May 22, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is raising serious objections to a new Indiana law that cuts off state and federal money for Planned Parenthood clinics providing health care to low-income women on Medicaid.

The enitre GOP post mid-term elections agenda has been about anti-abortion and attacking women's health care rights! Humm.. what about those jobs bills that they were going to work on???

Re- Brian Stowe here in the Bay Area
 

He was arrested because he looks like the drawing and has tattoos on his neck also. This looks like a dozen of my former students. They went looking for a scapegoat and found one. Typical LA, months of poor or poc murders and assaults vs. bunch of drunks get into fights over a baseball game. It is sickening the amount of publicity this has gotten.

Isn't sickening for the Stowe family. This guy will never recover and has two little kids. Also, how this suspect was identified was had to do with a lot more than the sketch. These assholes attacked this guy without provacation- there were witnesses. They just attacjed him because he had on a Giants shirt! And the suspect was identified after being taken into custody by those witnesses.

There was information by his parole officer that led to his arrest in which he had had his tats covered with new ones because the description of the tats was accurate- and they were unique. Another aspect the parole officer took notice of.

Yes, the LAPD doesn't have a great history with POC or the poor- I get that and it pisses me off. But, sometimes, the truth of the matter is that a POC is guilty. However, before you shoot your mouth off and cry racism, get the facts. And have a little respect for the real VICTIM in this case. The guy in the hospital that is hooked up to machines and did nothing other than go to a basebal game.

I want him and if they arrest the other guy and the woman to get a fair trial.

Araguz's marriage to be voided...
 

Wtf...anything so that they don't have to give a transwoman marriage benefits. If she has had her gender marker changed then they should be forced to recognise the marriage. Same-sex marriage should be legal everywhere at this point, but at the same time they should be recognising her as woman.

Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/24/365...-marriage.html

First Openly Gay House Speaker Opposes Marriage Equality...
 

Vote: Do you agree with Gordon Fox? http://myvoternation.com/mvn/questio...riage-equality

Gordon Fox takes heat for gay marriage vote in Rhode Island: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_863486.html

I wonder what's going to happen to the benefits? Who is going to get them? I always think about the money in this kind of case.

I think benefits are part of the reason same-sex marriage is still illegal.

Suspect in Shooting of Giffords Ruled Unfit for Trial
 

Update on Long
 

From JoeMyGod:

It appears that Atlanta's Bishop Eddie Long has paid off the four young men who last year accused him of coercing them into totally gay homosexual sex. Long had regularly and viciously railed against LGBT people from his megachurch pulpit.

Barbara Marschalk, who represents New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Long Fellows Youth Academy, said she anticipates " the lawsuits will be dismissed, with prejudice, by close of business tomorrow." B.J. Bernstein, who represents the four men who sued Long, New Birth and LongFellows, also confirmed the lawsuits had been settled. Neither side would comment further and settlement terms were unknown. According to Bernstein's office, neither she nor the plaintiffs -- Maurice Robinson, Jamal Parris, Anthony Flagg and Spencer LeGrande -- would be available for an interview "on this matter, now or in the future. "

VIDEO: Once again, here's Cadillac Kimberly's now-classic rant upon hearing the news last fall. Totally NSFW and totally hilarious.

Priest Sex-Abuse Case Hits Church of Pope's Adviser

GENOA) — The latest sex-abuse case to rock the Catholic Church is unfolding in the archdiocese of an influential Italian Cardinal who has been working with Pope Benedict XVI on reforms to respond to prior scandals of pedophile priests.

Father Riccardo Seppia, a 51-year-old parish priest in the village of Sastri Ponente, near Genoa, was arrested last Friday, May 13, on pedophilia and drug charges. Investigators say that in tapped mobile-phone conversations, Seppia asked a Moroccan drug dealer to arrange sexual encounters with young and vulnerable boys. "I do not want 16-year-old boys but younger. Fourteen-year-olds are O.K. Look for needy boys who have family issues," he allegedly said. Genoa Archbishop Angelo Bagnasco, who is the head of the Italian Bishops Conference, had been working with Benedict to establish a tough new worldwide policy, released this week, on how bishops should handle accusations of priestly sex abuse.


ETA: I don't know if if this is *Breaking News*, but I don't see a thread on sexual abuse by *religious* figures.

Some good news in Wisconsin
 

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/05/...ing/index.html

Wisconsin judge strikes down collective bargaining restrictions

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...ster_540w.jpeg

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/2...y-pride-event/

While we have the right to march, he is still standing guard for us.

Kevorkian dies
 

Anthony Weiner Twitter Scandal: New Photos Emerge

From HuffPo

Seriously, when will they learn?

I knew this was to blow up. And he is using the "Clinton defense!" You know, sexting, sending sexy pics and phone sex are great between partners and spouses- don't see a thing wrong with that (as long as it is done on a personal phone, etc. not on the public dime). This is cheating and does say something about his level of commitment to his marriage. It could also be something that is pathological.

Just thought I'd pop in to say that my ability to be faithful to my spouse has nothing to do with my ability to do my job. I think it's really unfair/shitty that we live in a world where what politicians (and celebrities and boring people who play golf for a living) do and do not do with their dicks is considered relevant.

I don't disagree with you. :) But, really, my point is that it -shouldn't- give the opposing party an edge. It does, yes. But it shouldn't.

I agree with you too :)

In a perfect world Theo, this would be true.

Unfortunately, and as it has been proven by the popularity and reach of the Tea Party Movement, the US has a lot of conservative folks who are totally concerned about this and will use to to gain political clout. The US, as most of Europe, has moved more towards the Right and this is what the Right feeds on.

I for one don't care what Weiner's weiner looks like, but there are those who do, only because they can use it to their political advantage and they have and will.

I disagree, I think Weiner's political future is hanging by a very thin thread, mainly because he lied, tried to cover it up. I don't think he has Clinton's charisma to get away with that. Besides, as more women and pictures come up, the more pressure he will have to resign.

Actually, because he is a progressive and very outspoken and bright- this makes me more angry with him. I want more like him in Congress.

I question his judgment on this as this stuff in terms of the fact that anything over the internet is going to be called out when someone holds public office. And he really messed up with how he initially handled this. It would have been far better if he just said he did it and the pics are of him. He has never put himself out there as a "family values" guy like so many of the right-wing office holders that have caught in these kinds of activities (although, they actually had affairs, etc.)- and that kind of hypocracy is what drives me crazy with these bozos.

Now, he has been caught in several lies, being abusive to the press, along with questions arising about the ages of some of the women (and his remark that he "believed" they were all 18 or older did piss me off in terms of what does happen via the internet and minors).

There is a general election coming up and if this could have a negative effect on the Dems (or more liberal/progressive candidates) gaining House seats- which is needed so that the right is held at bay. There are so many more progressive legislative issues that need to be addressed. Obama is vulnerable with the economy as it is and the unemployment rate.

Weiner is very popular with his district but not with many of his House colleagues who find him abrasive and self-centered. Senate Dems are not in love with him, either. He does not have a strong group backing him in the Democratic Party overall in the House or Senate. He is not viewed as a team player. Some of this I like about him- but now he has himself in a dumb mess that the Dems just want to go away.

I want him to remain in office because he aligns more with my kind of politics in general, but if he is going to help more GOP candidates get elected to the House in 2012- I say leave. Remember Mark Foley during the Clinton re-election and mid-terms for House GOP candidates? Weiner could become the Mark Foley for the Dems and losing more seats in Congress next year.

Another take on the Weiner situation- interesting to consider
 

How 'sex scandal' is sexual harassment
Behind the rightwing rumour mill about Democratic politicians like Anthony Weiner runs a misogynist phobia of 'loose women'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...big-government

Amanda Marcotte guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 1 June 2011 17.30 BST Article history

Over the weekend, a would-be sex scandal erupted when the rightwing website Big Government started claiming to have evidence that Representative Anthony Weiner of New York had tweeted a picture of his penis to a young woman living in Seattle. After the initial buzz of excitement at the potential of a paper-selling sex scandal, the story started to die from lack of evidence. There was no physical evidence of the picture or the tweet, only an alleged screenshot of the photo that could have easily been photoshopped and a retweet of the alleged tweet. Both were courtesy of the single known witness to the tweet, a conservative who tweets constantly about his hatred of Congressman Weiner. While there's no solid evidence whether this is or isn't a hoax conducted by the sole witness to the tweet, the preponderance of evidence points in that direction, and media outlets new and old, such as Gawker and the New York Times, are leaning towards the view that it is a hoax. Other outlets are avoiding weighing in either way on whether or not Weiner sent the picture.

Extreme scepticism that Weiner is anything but the victim of a political hit job is more than warranted in this case, and not just because of the lack of evidence or the fact that this is being heavily promoted by Andrew Breitbart, who has a long history of disseminating falsified evidence to support his claims (see the Shirley Sherrod affair etc). Nor should you be sceptical only because of the timing of this story – remarkable, if true, that this should happen right after another New York congressman resigns from office after sending an inappropriate picture to a woman online, only to see the Republicans lose his seat to a Democrat in the special election to replace him. Nor should you be sceptical only because the photo in question so crassly lends itself to puerile "weiner" jokes at the congressman's expense.

No, we should be sceptical of this story chiefly because it fits a larger pattern of rightwing culture warriors ganging up and sexually harassing random young women after floating facetious insinuations about improper relationships between these women and Democratic politicians.

Blame Monica Lewinsky. Or, more specifically, blame rightwing nostalgia for the year of Monica Lewinsky, when conservatives were able to openly indulge their hatred of a popular Democratic politician, their prurience and their love of smacking down young women who devote their energies to pursuits other than being good Christian housewives. The days of Monica Lewinsky were a heady time indeed for the right; ever since then, they've been trying to recapture the magic. In the process, they've built up a long list of deplorable vilifications of innocent young women and their friends and family, usually for no other reason than said young women look how conservatives imagine the next Monica Lewinsky will.

During the 2004 campaign, the Drudge Report floated rumours that John Kerry was having an affair with a woman named Alexandra Polier, based on the "evidence" that Polier was young and cute and had met the senator. In 2006, feminist writer and activist Jessica Valenti was subject to a barrage of online harassment after blogger Ann Althouse accused her of making goo-goo eyes at former President Clinton, based on the evidence that Valenti wore a blue sweater and stood near Clinton in a group shot of a blogger lunch he hosted. In 2008, forgetting the failed attempts at bringing down Kerry with rumours, the rightwing noise machine claimed that Barack Obama had had an affair with campaign staffer Vera Baker. Once again, the "evidence" to bear was that the rumour-mongers looked at the woman in question and deemed her hot enough.

Being targeted by these baseless sexual harassment campaigns is traumatic for the objects, as the latest victim, Gennette Cordova, is finding out. Your dating history and your looks are combed over by strange men, who are clearly wiping the drool off their mouths as they analyse the shape of your breasts and the length of your skirt for more "evidence" that you are the honeypot their hated politician has fallen into. Every picture of you available becomes the new Zapruder film, examined endlessly for some tiny detail that could be used to claim you're a slattern, a girl gone wild, a despicable flirt who can't be trusted not to sleep with every man who isn't a rightwing blogger. If you recede from the public view in response, you're accused of hiding something. If you face down your accusers, you're accused of being an attention whore.

Of course, political harassing young women for perceived non-chastity didn't start with Monica Lewinsky, though that scandal certainly shapes the way this harassment looks today. For decades now, conservative ideologues have used opposition to abortion rights as an excuse to gawk at and harangue thousands of women for supposed sexual deviance. The stereotype of a woman who gets an abortion as a sexy young thing trying to conceal her shameful fornication draws protesters every week to the hundreds of abortion clinics in the country, so they can holler invective or passive-aggressively "pray for" women trying to manage the unwanted consequences of sexual intercourse. Unfortunately, the social tolerance of sexual harassment means there's no end in sight to the abusive scenes in front of abortion clinics; and, in fact, these harassment campaigns pretending to be "protests" have been exported beyond American borders and are starting to appear in places like the UK.

And just as the culture of misogynist harassment around abortion clinics shows no signs of fading, so we can expect to see more harassment aimed at random young women who've done absolutely nothing wrong but happen to support Democrats while being attractive and female. One rightwing blogger has already floated the suggestion that Representative Weiner's Twitter followers be looked over carefully, so that other women deemed "luscious" can be similarly singled out for a barrage of online abuse.

-----------------



On another note- Weiner's wife is pregnant- a recent announcement. Whatever happens with this, I hope that what is between them is allowed to be kept private. Now there are rumors floating around that he called her when this story broke and told her the "hacked" story, too. During one of his initial interviews he said that she knew about his engaging in this kind of activity "in the past" with women online. Who knows and it is up to them to design their own marriage.

Damn, I wish he had just come clean right away and kept it short and sweet. His defensive behavior and calling news people jackasses on TV was as stupid as his doing this in his House office, etc. Fergoddessakes, these folks have apartments and such that they stay in while in DC. Go do this there!

Ugh- the media is now doing all kinds of speculation about Uma and her motivation for marrying him.