Something About Janet

What is it with Democratic presidents putting women named Janet -- who uncannily seem to share a few other things in common -- in law and order positions in their cabinets?

President-elect Obama is tapping Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano to head the Department of Homeland Security. The bachelorette guv has for years denied that she is a lesbian -- and is opposed to marriage for gays and lesbians -- but that is certainly not going to stop the speculation, which we all remember was constant back when the similarly unmarried and mannish Janet Reno was attorney general. The discussion about Napolitano's sexual orientation is already percolating on the gay blogosphere.

I think the DHS is an overblown, unnecessary bureaucracy -- and has that creepy Nazi-like name, "homeland" -- but looking at her record Napolitano seems to be right for the job.

But since Napolitano denies she is gay and now is going to be a highly visible federal official who defines marriage as "between a man and woman," do you think it would be right and necessary for journalists and gay activists to reveal the truth if she is in fact being dishonest? Sure, she was opposed to the amendment in Arizona banning marriage in the state constitution, but like Obama and other Dems who oppose the bans she also says she is opposed to marriage. If she were a lesbian herself that would be quite contradictory, would it not? Let me know your thoughts.