Playacting

How many people play at being liberal or conservative, religious or aetheist? Too often our elected officials, or those hoping to be elected, take on the characteristics of whatever group pushes the hardest. Recently Romney appointed a well qualified gay man to be on his team. This man , an expert in foreign relations, became the target of conservatives.

How, they asked, could Romney and his legions appoint a gay man? They pulled out all the stereotypes and pinned them to the man. Romney kept quiet. I assume he had initially felt the man was suited to the task. But his silence resulted in the man resigning.

What was Romney playing?