The Hearing Aid Defense

First there was the Ronald Reagan defense. Tommy Thompson has created the hearing aid defense.

Thompson came out in support of firing employees because of their sexuality during a Republican presidential debate.

Moderator: Governor Thompson, same theme. If a private employer finds homosexuality immoral, should he be allowed to fire a gay worker?

Thompson: I think that is left up to the individual business. I really sincerely believe that that is an issue that business people have got to make their own determination as to whether or not they should be.

Moderator: OK. So the answer’s yes.

Thompson: Yes.

Thompson blamed a faulty hearing aid for his answer.

"I didn't hear the question. All I was thinking about was getting off the stage," said Thompson. "I said it, I'm sorry, and it won't happen again but it's not my record. There's nothing discriminatory about me at all."

Thompson wants you to have sympathy on him. This champion of gay rights was also suffering from the flu and bronchitis. He also needed to pee very badly during the debate. Listening to John McCain talk about Iraq can do that to a guy.

"Nobody knows that," Thompson said. "I've been very sick. I was very sick the day of the debate. I had all of the problems with the flu and bronchitis that you have, including running to the bathroom. I was just hanging on. I could not wait until the debate got off so I could go to the bathroom."

I would have more sympathy if I didn't find his excuses hysterical.