Following the media's relentless coverage of the Bachmann clinic and their semi-humorous insinuations that Marcus Bachmann might be gay, MSNBC's Thomas Roberts, who is himself openly gay [1], told viewers today the Republican presidential contender would try to wipe out gays and lesbians.
"But you will replace [Obama] with a person who would extinguish you," Roberts protested Friday morning to Jimmy LaSalvia, executive director of GOProud, a gay conservative organization opposing Obama's reelection. [ MP3 audio here [2].]
Roberts' outburst came in response to LaSalvia's statement that GOProud was trying to arrange a meeting with the Minnesota congresswoman. "We're reaching out to all of the presidential candidates because, frankly, gay Americans are living in the Obama economy too, and it's important that we beat him next November and replace this failed president."
During the course of the interview, Roberts tried to get LaSalvia to openly criticize Bachmann on air, stating that Bachmann "doesn't believe that you have a right in this country to get married, that believes you don't even have a right in this country to be gay because she co-owns a clinic that will convert you," said Roberts.
LaSalvia kept the discussion on the topic of defeating Obama, and did not openly attack Bachmann. "I think all the presidential candidates should hear our perspective as gay Americans who, like you, live our lives openly and honestly because we bring a unique perspective to our American experience, and think it's important for anyone running for that office to hear that perspective."
A transcript of the exchange, which aired at 11:50 on Friday's MSNBC Live, follows:
MSNBC
MSNBC Live
July 22, 2011
11:50 a.m.
THOMAS ROBERTS: Well, that is something that affects everybody across this country. It doesn't have to be - it doesn't have to be with the LGBT community, it talks about all Americans. But I do want to talk about what GOProud is doing in reaching out an invitation to Michele Bachmann to take a meeting. Where does that stand right now? Has the Bachmann camp gotten back to you? Will they meet with you?
JIMMY LASALVIA: Well, at this point we are having a dialogue with them. And when there's something to report, I'll let you know. You know, we're reaching out to all of the presidential candidates because, frankly, gay Americans are living in the Obama economy too, and it's important that we beat him next November and replace this failed president. So we're reaching out -
ROBERTS: But you will replace him with a person that would extinguish you. You're replacing him with a person that doesn't believe that that you have a right in this country to get married, that believes you don't even have a right in this country to be gay because she co-owns a clinic that will convert you.
LASALVIA: Well, I think all the presidential candidates should hear our perspective as gay Americans who, like you, live our lives openly and honestly because we bring a unique perspective to our American experience. And I think it's important for anyone running for that office to hear that perspective.
–Eric Ames is a News Analysis intern at the Media Research Center.