And probably offensive to somebody.

And probably offensive to almost everybody! This is just the kind of thing that makes the cliche about "sexist, homophobic" Republicans stick. This guy is in the same class with Ted Rall.

Well, it's a fine line. It's notable that a TV show like Will and Grace makes similar jokes about gays, so I think that it's certainly way too harsh to put this guy in the same class as Ted Rall.

Mocking 9-11 widows? Mocking Pat Tillman? Rall is in a class all by himself.

I'd say that it's more comparable to a highly-diluted version of that racist cartoon about Condi, but the fact is, certain stereotypes are ok and certain stereotypes aren't. It's perfectly acceptable to mock "white trash," sort of situationally acceptable to mock gays and completely unacceptable to mock blacks. IT's not that I agree that all things should be labeled offensive, it's just bizarrely situational.

Personally, I think that non-mean-spirited humor should err on the side of being funny, but standards of taste and political correctness are notoriously inconsistent.

This cartoon really fails all the relevant tests, IMO.

Yes, the cartoon is beyond just simply being bad taste and should be criticized as such. But starting with rabid hatred and then replacing objectivity with demagoguery, the Democratic Party has itself become nothing less than a parody. Thus, any political cartoonist today is going to find it necessary to be an extremist - in some way - when trying to sketch anything that is a parody of the Democrats. And the Democrats seem to be devoting most all their time to outing the homophobes and railing against the evangelicals – which couldn’t be a better way to loose even more precincts in the next election.

Rall is in a class all by himself.

Well, I'll grant you that. And yeah, the Condi cartoon is probably closer to the mark.

As for the Dems losing the next election ... that's assuming they'll even be around for that long.

Well, as one who walked the walk for quite few years before deciding to get out, I can say it takes a lot more than stupid stuff like that to offend my heart. There are much bigger things to worry about now than that. Frankly, it takes a lot more to get my attention, so people are just going to have to try harder.

Well, as one who walked the walk for quite few years before deciding to get out

What exactly does that mean?

I was in the gay lifestyle in San Diego for eight years and had a homosexual identity for over 17 years. I left the lifestyle in 1985.

Interesting. I find that totally odd in a male. I firmly believe that a certain percentage (30%?) of homosexuality is predetermined by a combo of genetic predisposition combined with early environment and another percentage is determined by "choice" or primary environmental influence, but being gay for 17 years and then consciously switching seems odd. Again, no judgment here, just interesting.

I think the term "gay lifestyle" pretty much sums it up. I don't live in the "gay lifestyle", but I am gay. Personally, I don't see how anyone could just turn off that aspect of their sexuality, whether hetero or homo.

Bill, your are correct that McGreevy is not effeminate, especially compared to Frist... anyone else notice that?

nah. But keep an eye on Delay.

(This being the internet and all, just need to be clear that I was kidding - Ed)

Hmmm... Delay. Me curious now ;-)