Good luck, Euan

The most astonishing news of the weekend was that Euan Blair, 21-year-old son to Prime Minister Tony Blair, will be taking an internship in Washington working for – egads! – a Republican. According to the BBC, Blair will be working on the exciting-sounding House Committee on Rules which, according to Democrats is “one of the most partisan” committees in Congress. Given the Dem’s obstructionist approach to virtually everything these days, that’s saying something.

But The Independent picks up the story today with a new twist:

US congressman with anti-gay voting record to be Euan Blair's mentor

Apparently Blair (Euan, not Tony) will find himself under the tutelage of one David Dreier, the California Republican who chairs the Rules Committee. It soon becomes clear, however, that by “anti-gay voting record” what the Indy actually means is a moderately conservative voting record on things which have nothing whatsoever to do with homosexuality. We learn that “In 24 years in the House he has consistently advocated lower taxes and smaller government and a muscular foreign and national security policy” and that he was criticized by “the right” for his “relatively moderate stance on immigration.”

Of his voting record on actual “gay” issues, however, we learn nothing whatsoever, it being mentioned solely in the headline and the lead sentence , but then nowhere else. We do find out, however, that this “anti-gay” congressman was himself outed as a homosexual during his last campaign, a claim which Dreier apparently has not confirmed, although The Independent helfpully points out that Dreier "is not married". It is a tightrope The Independent is walking, trying to smear the guy as both “anti-gay” and a closet homosexual at the same time. But they do manage it, and all within the confines of objective journalism by adding the required “critics allege”.

Well done, guys.