Administration defends nominee’s anti-gay remarks.

The Bush administration has mounted a defense of surgeon general nominee James Holsinger’s 1991 anti-gay remarks, offering the following rationale:

“It should be noted that in 1991, homosexuals were banned from the military and several years before that, homosexuality and Haitian nationality were considered risk factors for HIV/AIDS.” said Health and Human Services spokeswoman Holly Babin. “Over the last 20 years, a clearer understanding of these issues has been achieved.”

Frank Lockwood of Bible Belt Blogger notes, “Of course, gays are still disproportionately impacted by AIDS in the United States. And gays are still banned from the military.”