Surprise, surprise. AS says nothing about the foibles of the pro-gay marriage folks while basking in the "hypocrisy" of even liberal gays who might simply oppose this one issue.

Gay activism is simply Narcissism magnified to the level of political philosophy.

The personal is political to the 1000-th degree.

Ace, you're right that it doesn't look good for Sully on the point.

But as the Designated Devil's Advocate, I'm obligated :-) to advance the possibility that Sullivan has recused himself from the controversy because he's widely known to have personal reasons to hate Signorile's guts and thus he thinks he won't be heard as a neutral commentator. (I'm basing this possibility on the remarks between you and Allahpundit regarding Signorile's supposed role in the "barebacking" imbroglio, with which I have little familiarity.)

It's also possible that Sullivan thinks any damage to Mikulski is already done, that any admonition from him will fall on deaf ears, and thus that anything he says will only serve to advance Signorile's notoriety.

And it's possible on the other hand that Sullivan does think Mikulski could suffer electoral damage or personal grief if he helps spread the story even by means of critical commentary.

And then there's just the fact that in polemical writing, as we both know, the most corrosive vitriol often requires the most careful and, therefore, the longest preparation. Sullivan doesn't only blog; he also writes articles and books, so he's accustomed to long labors. Maybe in Sullivan's mind, Signorile needs more than an offhand comment. Sullivan may, right now, be preparing a response that will require chemists to extend the pH scale.

And yet it's possible, as you suggest, that Sullivan's just giving Signorile a pass because this time Signorile's nastiness is congruent with Sullivan's aims. I can't rule that out.

Aside to Hobgoblin: Match the following to your paragraphs #1, 2, and 3: (a) oversimplifying platitude, (b) insulting overgeneralization, (c) overwrought me-tooism. The answers are below.

Answers: 1, c. 2, b. 3, a.