op-ed
Christian Grantham was a student activist in the late 90s and later was a consultant to domestic policy forums for the Clinton Administration as well as events for HRC and GLAAD.
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November 11, 2004

Indiana Democratic Party (IDP) Chair Kip Tew has a lot of explaining to do following loses and a failure of principled leadership.

Following Tuesday's Democratic losses, Tew was a changed man. He called a reporter to apologize for being nasty during the campaign. He called himself a "loser" and said he was "pretty defeated."
[Daniels will take wheel for his RV1 victory tour - Indy Star - 11-07-04]

In September, Tew personally assured me that "the Indiana Democratic Party strongly condemns bigotry in every form." That was his response to charges made here that someone sent a gay-baiting email from the IDP headquarters. Although the party denies this ever occured, the facts are clear. Kip Tew's scurilous behavior as IDP Chair is not the future of the Democratic party.

Now comes word that Kip Tew sent mailers to voters a week before the elections condemning equal marriage rights.

"Any Way You Slice It, Vern Tincher Believes Marriage Should Be Between a Man and a Woman" is the way the flier put it.

Gauzy images showed a wedding cake being sliced by a man's hand holding a woman's and beaming heterosexual couples. "Because he believes in the sacred institution of marriage, Vern Tincher will always vote to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, and also vote against recognizing homosexual marriages from other states."
[Group says Democrats betrayed gays on marriage issue - Indy Star - 11-11-04]

And what did Kip Tew have to say about engaging in behavior he himself condemend a month prior?

Tew responded with apologies but defended Tincher's decision. The race, he said in the letter, was about winning.

"I will not allow us to go down without a fight, nor will I allow us to take a stand on principle that will cause us to go backwards and diminish our chance for success for many years."
[Group says Democrats betrayed gays on marriage issue - Indy Star - 11-11-04]

Kip Tew, YOU'RE FIRED!