Calling Cindy McCain's recent reversal
on repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” “one of the most brazen
flip flops we've seen in years,” Anderson Cooper kicked off a new
segment titled The RidicuList with McCain as its first
recipient.
After starring in a video where she
appeared to break with her husband, Arizona Senator John McCain, over
repeal of the law that bans gay and bisexual troops from serving
openly, the 56-year-old McCain backtracked the following day,
tweeting to her followers that she stands “by my husband's stance
on DADT.”
For 24 hours Cindy McCain's appearance
in an It Gets Better Project video to support gay teens sponsored by
the NOH8 Campaign suggested she disagreed with her husband on the
policy.
In the video, which stars a bevy of
celebrities, McCain blames discriminatory laws and religious leaders
for driving gay teens to kill themselves.
“Our political and religious leaders
tell LGBT youth that they have no future,” McCain says.
After other speakers say that “these
laws that legislate discrimination teach bullies that what they're
doing is acceptable,” it is McCain that delivers the line, “Our
government treats the LGBT community like second-class citizens –
why shouldn't they?” and as an example she adds, “They can't
serve our country openly.”
“Holding two completely contradictory
positions at the same time? That doesn't make any sense,” Cooper
said on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360. “She's for it and
against it at the same time. It's kind of ridiculous.” (The video
is embedded in the right panel of this page.)
“She's against what 'Don't Ask, Don't
Tell' does, but she's for 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,'” Jon Stewart
said on Comedy Central's The Daily Show.
“Boy no wonder they [the McCains]
need so many houses,” he added. “They need them to keep all
their different beliefs in them.”