Human Rights Campaign chastises GOP 'facade'

From CNN's Brad Wright

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The nation's largest advocacy group for gay and lesbian equality called the moderate, unified image of the GOP convention a "facade," and asked why the Bush campaign seems to be shutting off media access to vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter, Mary.

Mary Cheney cheers as her father speaks to the Republican National Convention, Wednesday night

"Notions of privacy are not what we are dealing with here," said Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, a Washington-based organization that has been lobbying for gay rights and other issues since 1980.

"Some have tried to swat back journalists from making an inquiry about his daughter -- rebuffed based on some false notion of privacy. ... But her sexual orientation is not a private matter and the press should not be intimidated by this pseudo-privacy wall that has been erected, no doubt, by the Bush-Cheney campaign," she added.

The HRC says the moderate, inclusive image of the Republican Party is a facade because its message of inclusion is not backed up by its platform or policies.

The group noted that the GOP platform affirms that "homosexuality is incompatible with military service." And, while it calls for all Americans to reject the forces of hatred and bigotry, it "stands united with private organizations, such as the Boy Scouts of America, and support their positions," Birch said.

The Human Rights Campaign would like to know what Mary Cheney thinks about her father's stand -- when he served as secretary of defense under President Bush -- against permitting known homosexuals from serving in the military.