David Dreier

Former California Congressman David Dreier (R) could've been a contender. Except for the homophobia. Closet case Denny Hastert, then GOP speaker, named him Majority Leader for half an hour, but when the House Republican leaders started melting down over the "gay thing," Hastert relented and gave it to a perpetually tanned alcoholic instead. Poor Dreier; he worked so hard before bumping into a glass ceiling he never imagined would end his career.

About 5 years ago a closeted Republican retired from Congress-- not a case like Mark Foley who was really forced out because he was found to be molesting underage pages-- but just a garden variety gay guy who, though notorious inside the Beltway, was relatively unknown for his homosexuality in his own district.

A few weeks ago a friend invited me to a formal dinner at which former L.A. area congressman David Dreier, a mainstream conservative, would be delivering a keynote address. I had nothing better to do-- and it was at Culina, a restaurant with a good reputation I'd been meaning to try-- so I went. The restaurant was OK, but nothing I would go try again. Dreier was even worse. You may have missed it, but John Kerry asked him to represent the U.S.