when you went to russia to do this reporting, what were your expectations and what surprised you about what you found about the reality of gay life there right now under putin? i think what was really surprising was the pervasiveness of the fear and the perversity of the law, gay propaganda law. you know, one of the items in the law is this idea that same-sex couple can t say that their relationship is equal to a heterosexual relationship. and so it s almost as if they re outlawing love. you see, practically speaking, everyone i spoke to, people were going back into the closet, people had been living happily out lives, people who were forced to flee to keep their families in tact. and it was a very, very dark cloud that really sort of hovered over every aspect of
when you went to russia to do this reporting, what were your expectations and what surprised you about what you found about the reality of gay life there right now under putin? i think what was really surprising was the pervasiveness of the fear and the perversity of the law, gay propaganda law. you know, one of the items in the law is this idea that same-sex couple can t say that their relationship is equal to a heterosexual relationship. and so it s almost as if they re outlawing love. you see, practically speaking, everyone i spoke to, people were going back into the closet, people had been living happily out lives, people who were forced to flee to keep their families in tact. and it was a very, very dark cloud that really sort of
the reality of gay life there right now under putin? i think what was really surprising was the pervasiveness of the fear and the perversity of the law, gay propaganda law. you know, one of the items in the law is this idea that same-sex couple can t say that their relationship is equal to a heterosexual relationship. and so it s almost as if they re outlawing love. you see, practically speaking, everyone i spoke to, people were going back into the closet, people had been living happily out lives, people who were forced to flee to keep their families in tact. and it was a very, very dark cloud that really sort of hovered over every aspect of lgbt life that i encountered. i remember in the beijing olympics, that became a real flashpoint for the policy of the chinese government. remember the olympic torch was essentially chased after by protesters. and there was a feeling among a lot of folks i talked to, chinese experts and chinese
find them. the democrats will be able to assume those votes against hillary clinton, to name somebody? that s what i m saying. the democrats probably think they can assume 242 electoral votes. christie says i can flip blue states. who else in this room, he will say when they have a gathering of the candidates, can flip a state as i have just done in new jersey. and his weakness? his weakness is his success in doing this because some people are going to say if you carry a blue state, you must be suspect. so the strength becomes a weakness in the perversity of modern republican arguments. let s look at that. immigration reform, comprehensive immigration reform for a dream act in state. gun control he s against obamacare but expanded medicaid. how big problems are they for the tea party wing of the party? i think they are negotiable problems.
the democrats will be able to assume those votes against hillary clinton, to name somebody? that s what i m saying. the democrats probably think they can assume 242 electoral votes. christie says i can flip blue states. who else in this room, he will say when they have a gathering of the candidates, can flip a state as i have just done in new jersey. and his weakness? his weakness is his success in doing this because some people are going to say if you carry a blue state, you must be suspect. so the strength becomes a weakness in the perversity of modern republican arguments. let s look at that. immigration reform, comprehensive immigration reform for a local dream act in state. gun control he s against obamacare but expanded medicaid. how big problems are they for the tea party wing of the party? i think they are negotiable problems. i think he can get over