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CNN Panel Clashes Over Allegations Against Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu

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During a heated segment on Sunday’s CNN Newsroom with Don Lemon, a fiery exchange took place between LZ Granderson and Will Cain over the controversy swirling around Arizona Sheriff and former Mitt Romney State Campaign Co-chair Paul Babeu. Granderson observed there was hypocrisy on the part of the GOP as there “always seems as if the person who’s working for…an anti-gay politician for some reasons seems to have these gay ties.”

RELATED: GOP Candidate And AZ Sheriff Admits He’s Gay After Accusations Surface That He Dated An Illegal Immigrant

“I find it interesting he resigned from Mitt Romney’s campaign but he’s still running for Congress?!” Granderson exclaimed. “I’m trying to figure out why would you resign from Mitt’s campaign but still have your own? Either you are qualified to continue on as a co-chair for Mitt Romney or you’re not.” he added, going on to say it said something “horrible about his campaign.”

Cain, while acknowledging that he and Granderson were friends, was aghast at Granderson’s claim about the GOP and hypocrisy in the party regarding the issue.

“He made a broad sweeping generalization about the GOP and its hypocrisy about sexuality,” Cain fumed. “I think these stories should be looked at as individual circumstances and judged as individual circumstances. LZ, by your own standard, I don’t know how you apply a broad generalization to an entire party. I don’t know how you can do that by your own standard.”

Granderson and Cain continued to trade barbs over the matter, with Lemon saying he tended to agree that the Romney campaign appeared to have had a problem with Babeu being openly LGBT.

“I think Log Cabin Republicans or GOProud might have some issues with you guys,” Cain fired back.

Watch the segment below via CNN:

(Update) CNN Interviews the Reporter that broke the Arizona Sheriff Paul Babeu story below:

Editor’s note: This post has been updated since it’s original posting – Jon Nicosia

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  • Anonymous

    Exactly! Why would Sheriff Paul Baebeu step down from the Romney campaign if the story was false? Who cares if he’s gay? So either the story is true or the Romney campaign has a problem with gays. 

  • Anonymous

     FROTH CARES.  GAYS MAKE FROTH VERY ANGRY!!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    If it wasn’t for closeted homosexual­s would there even be a Republican party?
     

  • Anonymous

     CLOSETED HOMOSEXUALS HELP FROTH FIND SWEATER VESTS.

  • sid_id

    It was his decision to step down, not Romney’s. The Romney campaign acknowledged that he decided to step down on his own to focus on the allegations, and that they supported that decision.

  • Anonymous

    I know it was not Romneys decision…

    Who steps down to focus on false allegations?  If the allegations are false what are you gonna do? sounds fishy.

  • Pablo

    So, if you’re not marching with the Gay Mafia, you’re closeted? Interesting.

  • Pablo

    You should try being happier. Maybe you could find someone happy to emulate.

    Hey, I know! Try being like Rick Santorum!

  • Anonymous

    Does this mean we can stop talking about contraception now?

  • Pablo

    No, the accusations, as intended, cast doubt on his integrity. Babeu obviously understands this, and that it isn’t good for a campaign to have its officials under scrutiny. Did the campaign ask him to leave? Unless you know it did, and that it did so not because of the allegations but Babeu’s orientation, how do you assume that the campaign has a problem with gays? Do you have any reason to believe that the same thing wouldn’t have happened if Babeu were being accused of embezzlement? Other than your own bigotry, that is.

  • Anonymous

     LMAO!! thats funny!

  • Anonymous

    LMAO!! my own bigotry? Dude I’m not the republican who got caught with an illegal gay Mexican while supposedly being hard on illegal immigration.

  • Pablo

    “I find it interesting he resigned from Mitt Romney’s campaign but he’s
    still running for Congress?!” I’m trying to figure out why would you
    resign from Mitt’s campaign but still have your own? Either you are
    qualified to continue on as a co-chair for Mitt Romney or you’re not.”
    he added, going on to say it said something “horrible about his
    campaign.”

    Because if you’re trying to help someone get elected, you don’t leave your baggage on his train. He doesn’t seem to think that this is going to sink his own campaign, but it’s obviously not going to help. He can’t subtract it from his campaign, but he can do so with Romney’s campaign.

    My question is this: Seriously, Paul? Romney? Really? 

  • 12voltman1

    No, as long as it is being attacked by prudes and religious zealots.

  • Anonymous

    Is Marcus Bachman going to pray the gay out of Beabeu? 

  • Pablo

    Since you hate gays, you can get some from a straight guy! http://tinyurl.com/7fpxmcj

  • 12voltman1

    Figures, I’d find you here gay bashing.

  • Anonymous

    Is hypocrisy a requiremen­t to join the Republican party or is it an affliction one is infected with through too much contact with them?

  • Pablo

    There’s no such thing as gay rights. Rights belong to everyone or they’re not rights.

    Just because you’re gay doesn’t mean you’re special.

  • 12voltman1

    Do you like to argue just for joy

  • Pablo

    Right, you’re the guy bashing the gay dude for being gay and being attracted to a Mexican.

  • 12voltman1

    That has always been a GOP platform.

  • Pablo

    I do enjoy it, but it’s much more fun with someone capable of making a cogent argument. Any idea where I might find someone like that?

  • Pablo

    I’m not gay bashing. I’m bashing militant identity politics.

  • Anonymous

    Is Marcus Bachman going to pray the gay out of Beabeu?

  • Pablo

    Ask a Republican.

  • 12voltman1

    He is!
    He is being a dickhead .Just like your bud and bestest friend, Ricky.

  • sid_id

    Excuse me…my mama used to tell me that I was special all the time. You would go against my mama???

  • Anonymous

    Or maybe your in the closet also. (O.o)

  • 12voltman1

    Only if he pays him.

  • Anonymous

    For the same reasons that Cain suggested… Baebeu is the face on the fight against illegal immigration in Arizona.  He constantly is challenging president Obama in that regard and is ever critical of the president’s and federal government’s lack of effort in closing the southern border.  For him to have an illegal immigrant for a lover does make one question just what this guy is all about…  His face is know to anyone paying attention, so has his whole effort been about making a name for himself or does he really believe in the issue he is fighting for.  I don’t think his sexuality is as large an issue as who and what his lover is given how he has built his political career.  The scandal that may follow should be his and he was right to step down from Romney’s campaign, Romney is capable enough of creating his own problems, he does not need Baebeu’s help.

  • Anonymous

     Never bashed him for being gay. I bashed him for being a hypocrite.

  • 12voltman1

    Try your local playground.

  • Pablo

    At Mama’s house, you’re very special. Otherwise… ;)

  • 12voltman1
  • Pablo

    You’d have to ask Marcus Bachman. Babeu doesn’t look to me like someone who’s personal business I’d want to stick my nose in. But then, I’m not that way with most people.

    What does Marcus Bachman have to do with this? Do you have some sort of Marcus Bachman fixation? Do you want to get your nose in his business? How close?

  • Anonymous

    Yea,it’s part of the entertainment at the Repugnant Convention.

  • Pablo

     ”If it wasn’t for closeted homosexual­s would there even be a Republican party?”

    Lie much, freak?

  • Pablo

    No, I already know where I can find the likes of you.

  • Anonymous

    BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    awwwwwwww. Its ok Pablo I would be embarrassed too if I were a republican.

  • Anonymous

    FROTH LIKE FROTH.

  • Anonymous

    FROTHY

  • Anonymous

    I bashed the republican party not closeted homosexuals Pablo.

  • Pablo

    Or maybe not. I like boobies. Even little boobies on slender girls. Femininity slays me.

    You know how I always have something incisive to say? A sweet girly girl is the one thing that can bring all that to a grinding halt. Unless she’s behind me egging me on.

    Your mileage may vary.

  • Pablo

    No, he isn’t. He’s being a proggtard.

  • Pablo

    That should give you an opportunity to get in touch with yourself. 

  • Ben

    I didn’t know there was a gay mafia.
    Are they dangerous?

  • OSTL

     rent free

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    Lol!! He was asking a Republican, he was asking YOU!!

    Do you seriously expect people here to think you’re not a Republican?? That’s funny!!

  • OSTL

     if you’re an idiot..yea, it’s funny

  • OSTL

     no, we already know you’re a racist and a homophobe no matter what sock you’re wearing

  • Anonymous

    FROTH GLAD YOU FIND IT FUNNY

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    You wrote this below: “Even little boobies on slender girls.”

    I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you meant to say women instead of girls!!

  • Anonymous

    GAYS HAVE MAFIA? UH OH…

  • Anonymous

    GAYS HAVE MILITARY? UH OH…

  • Anonymous

    Is hypocrisy a requiremen­t to join the Republican party or is it an affliction one is infected with through too much contact with them?

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    I agree, why would a Republican feel comfortable expressing his/her sexuality due to the fact that Republicans treat them the way they do??

  • Anonymous

    GAYFIA

  • Anonymous

    NO!!!

  • Anonymous

    NO PRAY GAY AWAY, FROTH BASH GAY AWAY!!!

  • Anonymous

    Sheriff Paul paying your rent too?

  • http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

    It blows me away that people wonder why he stepped down from Romney’s campaign….

    Distraction, anyone? 

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    Rights do belong to everyone, but some people have felt they have the power to take certain people’s rights away or have separate rules for them because they acted differently then themselves!!

  • Anonymous

    FROTH ALSO SPECIAL

  • Pablo

    You’d have to ask a gay Republican about that, Leedog. Try GOProud or the Log Cabin Republicans.

  • Ben

    lol

  • Pablo

    You ever heard of a Girls Night Out? I have and I’m damned glad of it.

  • Pablo

    I’d be embarrassed if I were you.

  • Anonymous

    That’s actually a sensible reply.  I agree with you.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    Haven’t you heard?? Romney is old news and no one expects him to win once Santorum takes Michigan!!

  • Pablo

    I don’t expect you to think anything factual, Leedog.

  • 12voltman1
  • Ben

    funny stuff

  • 12voltman1

    Greatest and funniest clown show ever!

  • Anonymous

    @PabIo:disqus

    awww you got me! 

  • sid_id

    All the Arizona newspapers reporting on this have not definitively declared that he is an illegal immigrant. They are claiming that Babeu’s lawyer is the one stating he has an expired visa.

    However, Jose’s lawyer says that Babeu’s lawyer has falsely claimed that Jose’s visa had expired and then went on to remind Babeu’s lawyer that truth is an absolute defense to any of these claims.

    Another lawyer interviewed for the article put it this way, either the sheriff had a long relationship with someone he knew was undocumented, while all the time being Mr. Bluster about the border and using it for political gain, or he threatened to deport someone he just broke up with.

    Regardless, you are right, this scandal is one of his own making, and as is usual with politicians, they just seem to make it worse. They just don’t know when to shut the hell up. 

  • http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

    that is irrelevant to my point.

  • Anonymous

     Your the expert.

  • Anonymous

     I believe you would feel most comfortable in the goproud section.

  • Anonymous

     Come on, man, right or left this dude is hilarious!

  • Anonymous

     But you cannot prove he is a hypocrite.

  • Pablo

    Yes, FROTH. There are programs for you and others like you. Athletic programs, even!

    http://tinyurl.com/caldpr

  • Pablo

    Yeah, like Catholics!

  • Pablo

     You should apply at Dairy Queen.

  • Anonymous

     Hey FROTH ( that’s very original by the way) you should get MrsPorkChops to show you how to guest like your comments. 

  • Anonymous

    WENDY’S HAS THE FROTHY DESSERT

  • Anonymous

    FROTH NUKE IRAN FOR ISRAEL & JESUS. HOW YOU LIKE FROTH NOW?

  • sid_id

    You are cracking me up tonight….that Gay Mafia link was pretty good too….I remember back in the day, I gave a spot on impression of Stuart Smalley…I had that lisp down pretty good.  I also kinda feel like Beavis & Butthead tonight as well, every comment I read, I think to myself….tee hee…he said “hard” line on immigration….tee hee…she said…”blows” me away.  I am having way too much fun at this Sherrif’s expense. Poor sap.

  • WiddleBabyDanielson

     Rights belong to everyone or they’re not rights.

    Tell that to Santorum.  Heck, most of the republican field.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    Lol!! You ain’t kiddin’!!

  • WiddleBabyDanielson

     Looks like he was being real HARD ON illegal immigration.

  • WiddleBabyDanielson

    Well there are the Gay Banditos.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-id4GKsaQk

  • WiddleBabyDanielson

     pwnd

  • sid_id

    I hope Jose’s “contact” with the Sheriff didn’t “infect” him. I hope he used protection, that Sheriff sounds like he got around. He posted on at least 2 of those gay hook up sites that we know of. His infidelity is what caused this scandal in the first place.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/3EV7LMBN3SWQMEVDJCAKUCTCKM Top

    I don’t know what gave me the impression that this tough on immigration, gay sheriff outed by his Mexican lover was a non-story.

    I mean, nobody has seen his multiple appearances on the Fox gNOp Propaganda Network, Babeu was not supporting Mittens’ campaign, he is not running his own campaign as a gNOp.

    I did hear some of the resident clowns saying Babeu is a RINO, a gay RINO behaving like a Democrat.

    Imagine that! Babeu was looking to ride Mittens until the Santorum came home!

  • sid_id

    Good one…it is true though…one must have matching pumps or it just doesn’t look right…it ruins the whole look.

  • Anonymous

     I think more of this is going to come out.

  • Anonymous

    I saw him in California… real Funny guy!

  • OSTL

     1 guest lick…disturbing

  • Anonymous

    Oh yes Pablo, I am special. But I don’t want special rights, just equal rights.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    I shall pray you disappear from this site.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    Fiji. Enjoy the trip. We will.

  • Anonymous

     Do you want him to pray for you?

  • Smack80

    Wait! I thought Marcus Bachman WAS gay?

  • Smack80

    One can wish but unfortunately, if they stop talking about contraception they will have to deal with actual issues like war, the economy, immigration… No one wants to talk about those.

  • Smack80

    I thought that was the only reason any of us are here! We certainly don’t think these threads are going to change anyone’s opinions. We LOOOOVE to argue!

  • Smack80

    “Proggtard” sounds like something I used to wear to do aerobics back in the 80′s.  I just love these cute little words people make up, makes them seem so intellectual.

  • Anonymous

    your an idiot to make sure a stupid statment even on a liberal site….

  • OSTL

     a lick from “greg” disturbing

  • Anonymous

    LOL

  • Anonymous

    WHY YOU MEAN TO FROTH? FROTH NOT MEAN TO YOU? MAKES FROTH ANGRY!!! FROTH SMASH!!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Murphy/100000566621491 Neil Murphy

    Hmm you think, I also liked the Terrorist attack the FBI set up. We might have fallen for this schwag once but those days are over. l8r babeu, sorry you screwed up so bad.

    Rommney/West

  • Anonymous

    FROTH THOUGHT THAT TOO. MADE FROTH VERY ANGRY!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Murphy/100000566621491 Neil Murphy

    Hi froth!

  • Anonymous

    FROTH LIKE CLOWNS. MAKE FROTH LAUGH.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Murphy/100000566621491 Neil Murphy

    Well this guys a turd but if hes running against a democrat hes still the cleanest turd in the room.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Murphy/100000566621491 Neil Murphy

    Epic!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Neil-Murphy/100000566621491 Neil Murphy

    Oh my, you have your game on Froth. hats off.

  • Anonymous

    HEY NEIL!

  • Anonymous

    HEY NEIL HOW ARE YOU?

  • Anonymous

    THANKS NEIL!

  • http://profiles.google.com/shle896 Shane Lear

    Republican?  Strike One.  Gay Republican?  Strike Two.  I take him about as seriously as I would a black KKK member or a Jewish Nazi or a Hispanic skinhead.  Give me a break.

  • Pablo

    And you have them. Congratulations.

  • The Real Royal Emperor

    OK. So, what is the point? I’m sure we’d all like to know.

  • Pablo

    That it’s obvious why he’d step aside from the Romney campaign. Duh. Reading is fundamental, Kook.

  • 12voltman1

    Well,it looks like you have a nice cogent relationship with newest buddy FROTH.
    LOL

  • 12voltman1

    Black hoods with matching pumps, very tasteful.
    LOL

  • 12voltman1

    One of my favorites

  • Anonymous

    Correct, which is why gay people should be allowed to marry each other. 

  • Tan

    What he really meant was ‘exclusively small little pubescent boobies on very underage slender young girls, usually my teenage daughters friends that i always encourage to come over and have a sleep over pillow fight party, as many as possible before they reach 17 and I lose interest’

  • Anonymous

    The Sheriff’s statement was definitive, and thus the story has no legs unless the guy has some proof to back up his claim. I expect better from both CNN and Lemon.  

  • Tan

    Pablo, serious question; Do you ever get tired of your insane commenting and perpetually looking like a total noob? I swear to god every chance article I read on any site has YOU there with the same old stuff, never clever nor informative nor witty not correct! Why? Seriously; do you work for a living at all? You mustn’t have time. And you talk about liberals being a drain on society!

  • Anonymous

    Throw those illegals out… But I’m keeping this one cause he’s cute. Paul.

  • Anonymous

    Since Obama refuses to endorse the idea of “gay marriage” publicly, how is he any different? What political platform other than opposition to “gay Marriage” does the Republican Party promote, to make it “anti-gay”? I understand why it’s fun to be gay and beat up on Republicans. But if you fail to mention Obama and his opposition as well, then you’re just a bunch of hack, stains.

  • sid_id

    In this day of electronic media, photographs, texts and emails are quite easy to save and share. From what I have seen, the ex-lover has  plenty to go around. Of course the Sheriff can always try and use the Anthony Weiner defense and claim someone hacked into his account, we see how well that worked for him. 

  • http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

    Don Lemon: “Why are there so many more examples of gay conservative closet cases?”

    “To be fair, there are Democrats like Jim McGreevey who were pushed out of the closet. But the question is: why are there so many more examples of gay conservative closet cases? Perhaps the GOP’s own repressive platform is the very thing that forces gay members to live a lie, and wouldn’t it be easier and a whole lot less embarrassing to just come out?”

    http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/02/19/cnns-don-lemon-why-are-there-so-many-more-examples-gay-conservative-c 

    This from the guy who didn’t come out until last year, when he was 45….

    “Jose’s attorney says DeRose launched a series of attempts to keep Jose from posting comments and to get him to sign a non-disclosure statement about the relationship. ”

    That doesn’t necessarily mean to not disclose he’s gay, but could very well mean to stop posting intimate details about their sex life, and posting the nude pics on the internet. Lemon presents this story as if many of the accusations are fact…

  • Hout Bosques

    Is being santorumed – Rick-frothed – the American equivalent of being Rick-rolled? I think so.

  • Hout Bosques

    You’ve blown your own argument – away! 

    By your reasoning, it’s all about the right to do [onto] others, whether those others are opposites or sames – or omies or sapposites.

  • Hout Bosques

    Admit it, everyone: from the first time you saw that, you thought, This guy ought to be elected a U.S. senator.

  • Anonymous

    Baebeu admitted he was gay! And HE stepped down on his own accord. So far as we know, the Romney campaign took no action.
     
    Regardless, Baebeu should have been straight-up (no pun inteneded) with the Romney campaign from the get-go.
     
    Why do you lefties always want to demonize the right (if you can even refer to Romney as being on the right)? Because they have morals? Standards?

  • 12voltman1

    Sometimes it nice to chat with someone who may have a different point of view without the insults and button pushing.

  • Smack80

    While I agree with you, a lot of what goes on on discussion threads tends to be arguing for fun rather than debate. Although, for the most part, this group doesn’t seem to resort to insults and name calling as much as others I’ve seen. Also, one man’s chat is another m
    an’s argument!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_25WWJUN2TT26DE3KDKROL7ZNEE frank

     WHOA there frothy, you & ole neil boy used to date?!  Oooooooooooo Yea.

  • http://www.facebook.com/grey.parker Grey Parker

    The issue here is not his sexuality. It’s that he allegedly threatened to use his official power to deport his ex-lover, an “illegal,” while simultaneously running to FOX every few days to complain that his hands were tied by the Obama administration and THAT kept him from deporting “illegals.”

  • Anonymous

    FROTH NO BELIEVE IN DATING. MARRIAGE OR NOTHING.

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