Craziest Republican of the Day: Ken Buck

By Michael J.W. Stickings

On NBC's Meet the Press yesterday, the Colorado Republican candidate for Senate said that being gay is a choice and then, pressed by host David Gregory, unleashed this gem:

I think that birth has an influence over it, like alcoholism and some other things, but I think that basically you have a choice.

In Buck's view, then -- if we try to wade into and through this nonsense -- homosexuality is mostly a choice but nature/genetics may have something to do with it. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, what he is saying is that people may be genetically predisposed to it, as some (probably) are to alcoholism.

But there's no reason to give him the benefit of anything. He's obviously wrong about homosexuality being a choice and his comparison of homosexuality to alcoholism (as opposed to any other example he could have given) reveal him to be an ignorant and intolerant -- and crazy -- moron. And yet, as Steve Benen explains (link above):

It's also a reminder about a larger truth this campaign season. Like Wisconsin's Ron Johnson, Pennsylvania's Pat Toomey, and Florida's Marco Rubio, Buck has benefited greatly from the fact that he's been overshadowed by other extremist candidates.

In a typical year, someone like Buck would be an almost cartoonish right-wing nut, and the subject of national ridicule. After all, the far-right candidate supports repealing the 17th Amendment, eliminating the Department of Education, scrapping the federal student loan program, banning certain forms of birth control and all abortion rights, even in cases of rape or incest. He's said Americans he doesn't like are a bigger threat than terrorists, and is on record talking about privatizing Social Security, the V.A., and the Centers for Disease Control.

And now Buck is insisting sexual orientation is a choice and gays are like alcoholics.

I like to think Colorado is better than this, but I suppose we'll find out in 16 days.

This year, it's hard to know what to think. Whether Buck wins or not (and Colorado is a tough state for predictions), the crazies are sure to do well in November and may even win back the House while making significant gains at the state level all around the country.

Colorado, and America, should be better than this, but the polls suggest otherwise.