Dreier's albatross.

It only takes a rumor--a gay rumor, that is. According to some political insiders and lawmakers in Washington, D.C., a long-standing assumption that California Republican David Dreier is gay likely cost him the party's top spot in Congress.

When House majority leader Tom DeLay of Texas announced on September 28 that he was stepping down because of an indictment in his home state, Dreier was reportedly picked to succeed him. But within hours Missouri's Roy Blunt got the job. "[Speaker of the House Dennis] Hastert had chosen Dreier," said openly gay Democratic representative Barney Frank. "He is very good as a public face. But an antigay feeling was a factor in his being rejected."

Frank dismissed reports that Blunt was chosen because Dreier was too "moderate." "That word was being used the same way you would say 'I was marching in a moderate pride parade,' or 'I went to a moderate bar,'" Frank said.

Longtime gay activist and blogger John Aravosis took the mainstream media to task for avoiding the gay angle in Dreier's rejection. "The ick factor killed the story," Aravosis said.