David, you are correct that this will only change as it becomes an issue that Christian opinion makers discrediting such things.

ken – I don’t know Pawlenty well enough to know what he might say. He might truthfully say he did not know that Fischer thought that way and distance himself in a big way. After the last election when both sides made every past association relevant, I expect that this will come back. IMO, any candidate that appears with Fischer will see the 6 million dead Jews quote in the general election.

If Fischer’s views do become an issue, Pawlenty can simply say he was merely talking to Fischer’s conservative listeners, and that doesn’t mean he agrees with everything Fischer says and distance himself more if it becomes an issue. The likelihood that Pawlenty will be viewed as being just as extreme (crazy) as Fischer is small. Even if Pawlenty does have to distance himself from Fischer he may still keep the support, if Fischer’s followers believe Pawlenty is only doing it because of “liberal media elite” distortions.

On DADT (and related matters) itself: here’s an amusing anecdote …

Back in the mid-1960s, when the decriminalisation of consensual homosexual acts was being discussed in the U.K., the son of Lord Wolfenden 9the author of the famous Wolfenden Report) was recruited by British Intelligence. He told the ‘talent-spotter’ that he was gay, to which the talent-spotter allegedly replied, “Oh, don’t worry about that, old boy, some of our best chaps are queer!” Of course, the talent-spotter did go on to say that his new recruit should make sure he didn’t end up in a situation where he might be blackmailed.