The Advocate has details: Mr. Schmidt's sister is gay; she and her partner, Schmidt told the gay GOPers, were vital parts of his family.
In what represents a marked shift from the Republican campaign rhetoric of 2004 - where some George W. Bush advisors stoked anti-gay sentiment in an attempt to drive social conservatives to the polls - Steve Schmidt, senior campaign strategist for the McCain campaign, stopped by a Log Cabin Republican luncheon Thursday to welcome the group to the convention.
"I just wanted to take a second to come by and pay my respect and the campaign's respect to your organization and to your group," said Schmidt, who many view as the new architect of the Republican Party. "Your organization is an important one in the fabric of our party."
In his brief remarks, Schmidt weaved in a personal anecdote about his lesbian sister and her relationship to him, his wife, and his children. "On a personal level, my sister and her partner are an important part of my life and our children's life," he said. "I admire your group and your organization and I encourage you to keep fighting for what you believe in because the day is going to come."
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