If you're just tuning in now to the story about the Saxby Chambliss homophobic slur, here's a recap. Yesterday afternoon after the GOP filibuster of DADT, a commenter named Jimmy left a comment on the blog Joe. My. God. proclaiming that "All faggots must die."
The thing that separated that comment from the typical example of homophobia is that it came from an IP address belonging to the U.S. Senate. Moreover, it was located in the same Atlanta office park shared by Georgia's U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson.
CNN now reports that Isakson's office has determined the IP address is not on their network. By process of elimination, that means the comment must have come from the Chambliss office, but Chambliss-land will only say that they are investigating. Given the speed with which Isakson was able to absolve his office of involvement, Chambliss must know by know whether the IP address belongs to his office. Deflecting questions by claiming an investigation seems like an obvious effort to avoid accepting responsibility.
It doesn't really make any sense why Chambliss would be dragging his feet, although I suppose if the comment were left by a senior staffer it could develop into a bigger problem. The only thing that Joe Jervis, who runs the blog where the slur was left, has asked for is an apology from the staffer. He isn't demanding anyone be fired. As Jervis says, the issue here is that the comment reflects the sort thinking that permeates too many Republican offices, and that thinking needs to change and adapt to the 21st century.
Finally, it would only be natural to wonder how a staffer for a U.S. Senator could say such a bigoted thing. Well, in this case, you need look no further than the U.S. Senator himself, because Saxby Chambliss has proven himself in his own words to be quite intolerant when it comes to gay Americans.