Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Barney Frank Speaks to Jake Tapper After Entering Hospice -- Delivers Stern Warning to Progressives
Barney Frank Speaks to Jake Tapper After Entering Hospice — Delivers Stern Warning to Progressives #Mediaite
— #TuckFrump (@realtuckfrumper.bsky.social) 2026-05-03T20:57:10.000Z
The 86-year-old spoke to CNN’s Jake Tapper Sunday about his new book, The Hard Path to Unity: Why we must reform the left to rescue democracy.
snip
Frank said Progressives were making a crucial mistake on culturally sensitive issues like transgender people in sports, by “taking the most controversial parts of the agenda and turning them into litmus tests.”
“Obviously, I’ve been working for gay rights — started in 1972 when I filed the bill, and we in the movement to established fairness for gay and lesbian and bisexual people,” Frank said, continuing:
snip
Frank said Progressives were making a crucial mistake on culturally sensitive issues like transgender people in sports, by “taking the most controversial parts of the agenda and turning them into litmus tests.”
“Obviously, I’ve been working for gay rights — started in 1972 when I filed the bill, and we in the movement to established fairness for gay and lesbian and bisexual people,” Frank said, continuing:
We picked to work on those issues, which were more acceptable. We didn’t get to marriage until after these other things had been resolved. And that’s what I’m suggesting that we do today. The analog is male to female transsexuals playing sports that are for women. I understand a lot of anger about that. And I think in the interest of the transgender community as well as others, it would be better to go at that in a more granular way and not simply announce that if you don’t support it, you’re a homophobe.
https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/barney-frank-speaks-to-jake-tapper-after-entering-hospice-delivers-stern-warning-to-progressives/
It breaks my heart seeing him in his final days.
He is a good man who served Massachusetts well.
14 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
We are making progress. It's now more socially acceptable to be gay than a Congressman.
~Barney Frank
I like him & wish him gentle times.
“Let me just say, on behalf of myself, who’s enjoyed covering you for decades, and admired your passion and your brain, and your quick wit, that I’ll miss you.”