McCain secretly met with gay Republicans

While John McCain shifts to the right on social issues, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, he and his campaign staff are having secret meetings with the Log Cabin Republicans, a national group of LGBT Republicans. One such meeting with McCain was confirmed by Log Cabin president Patrick Sammon, although the McCain campaign kept that meeting off his scheduling books.

“We’ve had a series of productive meetings with the campaign since Sen. McCain won the nomination—including a recent meeting with the Senator," Sammon told conservative gay blogger Gay Patriot. "We expect to have more conversations with the campaign as we head toward November.”

McCain is one of few Republican presidential candidate to meet with the Log Cabin Republicans in recent history. In 1995, Bob Dole, who was vying for the Republican nomination, met with former Log Cabin executive director Rich Tafel to discuss AIDS policy. Log Cabin also gave the Dole campaign $1,000. When the media caught wind of the meeting, Dole harshly condemned the Log Cabin Republicans and returned the money. 

In 2000, the "Austin 12," a Republican group of 11 gay men and one lesbian met with candidate George W. Bush to discuss the challenges of being gay and lesbian in America.