You know, Trump has taken a similar tack trying to convince LGBTQ people that he is on our side. He and his campaign are touting the fact that he appointed a gay man, Richard Grenell, as ambassador to Germany then later briefly as Director of National Intelligence, a cabinet level position.

The claim is that Trump must be pro-LGBTQ (despite a terrible track record) because he appointed the first openly gay man to a cabinet post. The reality is far different given that Grenell himself, even though he is gay, has an abysmal track record on LGBTQ equality issues.

Yet just as with Palin, Republicans call us hypocrites for not appreciating Trump’s gay appointee.

It’s ridiculous. Grenell does no more for LGBTQ equality than any woman appointment by Trump will do for women’s equality.

It’s all just optics, deceptive optics.