Portland Gay Mayor Sam Adams Sworn In

@ Diane What about Mark Foley? He is a lifelong Republican and had SEVERAL inapproriate relationships with congressional pages- young men for whose well-being our FEDERAL government is responsible for! He wasn't even censored by the Senate, yet alone arrested for solicting a minor-which last I checked was a CRIME. All Sam Adams is guilty of is having a relationship with a 18 year old young man-which may have been misguided but it's not illegal. I don't agree with what he did, I am just saying that at least Sam Adams is no Mark Foley, and I think that we need to put these things into perpective. And while age is not a `magical step` into adulthood, legally this young man was able to make his own choices. (If he under duress, that's a different story all together.) And hundreds of 18 year olds make the same choice everyday. Maybe you should to try to decrease the number of teens having sex and teen pregnancies in your own community.....just a suggestion.

Why do people excuse this type of behavior because the young man was 18 or almost 18? That is still a child! The point is that the mayor exploited a young person, lied about it, and then had the young person whom he had a totally inappropriate relationship with, lie as well. A birthday is not a magical step into adulthood. He was obviously just looking to not have a legal problem and was very manipulative in his behavior. Why would anyone want someone that acts that way leading a city? Leaders are supposed to be people we can look up to, as well as people we can trust. We need a different leader.

Mr Mayor, although I am a straight Asian male I am a huge fan of yours and what you do for Portland. In fact I am thinking about starting a relationship with a hot little 17 y/o chick I met at a local high school. Just to make sure, it is ok to get into the relationship now, and then tell people I waited until she's 18 before it got sexual. I look forward to reading more tips on how to take advantage of young adults so I will keep following your story. I am sure this example of wonderful judgement on your part will serve the citizens of Portland well.

The remarks of some of these bigots are just plain stupid. First of all, the young man was 18. That's legal...end of story. Second, his opponent tried to smear him by using the gay card...not his ability to be Mayor or the positions that he represented....his opponent doesn't sound like a man of very much integrity. Third, stick the sodomy issue where the sun don't shine. Sodomy isn't a crime...just because you don't like the type of sex someone else is having, doesn't make it not right...keep your self righteous religious views to yourself. Fourth, stop mouthing things like White Power, Black Power, Latino Power...get off your ass and make things happen. Don't condemn others who are in the forefront doing things. Lastly, I grow tired of people with computers saying anything that they want. You should be held accountable in a court of law for your big mouths

in addition to exercising incredibly questionable judgement with the 17-18 year-old, he hired a young journalist with no experience to hold an important position on his staff. this young journalist was pursuing a story about the 17-18 year-old boy sam liked, and was going to go public with it at her newspaper. must be nice to hire on anyone who's after you. one last question: EXACTLY WHY, AGAIN, IS IT THAT I KNOW SAM IS GAY?

YOUR Mayor is a liar. He LIED about an affair with whom he now claims he did not have a sexual affair with until the young man was 18 years of age. Hmmm, if he lied about having the affair, why should we believe that he isn't lying about having gay sex with the young man while he was 17??? Secondly, you say that it would be an "HONOR" to have more gays in congress????? What HONOR is that? How about electing people with integrity and honesty? I'm sure that sodomy is not an honor filled tradition.

Another gay (Democrat) politician is found to have had sexual relations with a young male intern. Yet another strike against the gay community in the eyes of the straight community. I am finding it hard to believe Mr. Adams waited until the intern turned 18. After all, Sam Adams lied about the relationship to begin with. Why should we believe him now?

As a straight man who has lived in portland all my life I'm proud to have him as our Mayor. Good luck to you Sam, and good luck to everyone seeking the rights that we all should have. Those rights that have been granted to me but have not been granted to all. We still have a long way to go but at least we're taking it step by step down the path. Cheers!

I performed at the inauguration party with Wanderlust Circus (I'm the ringmaster); and I'm happy to say that Mr. Adams did indeed acknowledge his partner. He even brought him up onstage for a minute, but he seemed like a very shy fellow who didn't like being up there very much. Also, there were WAY more than 40 people in there. I'd call it 250-300. Last but not least: I myself am an impoverished high school dropout who hasn't held a straight job in about 4 years, and Sam was extremely nice to me. Very humble, very friendly. There were people of all colors and shapes and sizes chumming around with him. This is one of the things I love about Sam Adams, who is not a personal friend by the way. I once saw him cross a room full of supporters to give a big hug to my pre-op transsexual friend Llewyn, who has tattoos all over zir face and a literal bone through zir nose, while press cameras crowded around with flashbulbs popping. Sam Adams makes me so proud.

In your speech, you never acknowledged or thanked your partner. That type of visibility was upsetting, seeing as how you showed charisma, excellent public speaking and empathy for the public.