Martinez to Head RNC

Mellie-Mel:

Sen. Mel Martinez, the first-term lawmaker who previously served in President Bush's Cabinet, will assume the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, GOP officials said Monday.

Martinez, 60, will replace current chairman Ken Mehlman, who will leave the post in January at the end of his two-year term, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting a formal announcement.

Martinez will remain in the Senate. Mike Duncan, the RNC's current general counsel and a former party treasurer, will run the day-to-day operations at the party's Capitol Hill headquarters.

Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, had these kind words for the senator in a just-issued press release: “Senator Martinez was elected in 2004 by taking page one out of Karl Rove’s gay baiting playbook. His campaign was one of the most anti-gay, bigoted and divisive campaigns in the nation’s history. … For him to be tapped as the head of the Republican Party sends yet another message to our community and the country that the Republican leadership is continuing their old ways of rewarding slash and burn politics instead of being interested in uniting the country.”

In other words, Situation Normal: All Fucked Up, baby.

You know, as far as I’m concerned, if the GOP continues to play to their dim-witted base of bigots while they’re out of power in both houses of Congress, so much the better for our chances of taking back the White House, too. So, congratulations, Mel! You’re a delightful choice.