Barney Frank: Criticisms "Inappropriate, Unfair"

I interviewed Barney Frank today about his introducing the trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act in Congress this week; the LGBT agenda that Congressional leaders met on this week; the Defense of Marriage Act brief by the Department of Justice; President Obama on LGBT rights; and the gay DNC fundraiser in DC tonight.

Barney became very unhappy with me and pretty heated when I played Howard Dean's comments on the DOMA brief, trying to stop me and saying he didn't come on for me to "play records."

He defended the brief, defended the President on LGBT rights, defended Democrats in the House (though he said we need to take on Democrats in the Senate) and defended the DNC fundraiser.

Barney and I have known each other for many years, agree on many things, disagree on others, and often when he comes on the show it can be a spirited discussion. This time I'd say he was a bit more angry about issues, particularly about how some of us have criticized the Democrats and the White House. And like I said, the Howard Dean clip really rubbed him the wrong way. Let me know your thoughts.