With the GOP poised to win big in November, Vanity Fair has created a photo-shopped, softly-pornographic calendar of some top Republican leaders in scandalous poses and garb — or rather no garb.
“Far, far sexier than the president and his drooping poll numbers are the crusading challengers of the Republican Party, whose tea-swilling followers are fogging up the windows of the 2010 midterm elections. If Obama’s a shipwreck, the 13 bare-chested men of Red Meat: Vanity Fair’s Official 2010–11 Republican Beefcake Calendar are total dreamboats. Ahoy,” the magazine introduces their risqué foray into the world of semi-nude GOPers.
Despite a year having only 12 months, the calendar features 13 Republicans (there are two “Novembers”). The calendar begins and ends in November, with Ohio Republican Rep. John Boehner in a pink speedo gracing the pages of the first.
A shirtless ski-bunny version of Todd Palin follows Boehner to make December’s cover shot, bare-chested Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown is January, and a buff former Speaker Newt Gingrich is featured in February.
The year continues with Alaska Senate candidate Joe Miller beckoning in March, Arizona Sen. John McCain wears a skimpy sailor suit in April, a topless Glenn Beck is Mr. May, and Arizona congressional* candidate Ben Quayle flashes a lot of skin in June.
Kentucky Senate hopeful Rand Paul graces July’s pages wearing nothing but boxing gloves, RNC Chairman Michael Steele offers a nude yoga stance for August, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal bathes in September, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee flexes for October, and Florida Senate hopeful Marco Rubio strikes an Abercrombie-style pose for the final November.
Obviously photo shopped, the faces of these Republican politicos are put on bodies in very compromising positions. Michael Steele’s picture is notable for its utter inappropriateness. Vanity Fair has placed the chairman’s head on the body of a completely naked man, with only the strategic positioning of his leg to cover his parts.
Glenn Beck’s portrait is also a stand out. The conservative pundit is featured leaning forward against a door, in a snakeskin belt and tighty-whiteys.
Also especially noteworthy is Vietnam war-hero John McCain in a sailor hat clutching his groin area.
The conservative Media Research Center (MRC) is outraged about the calendar. Dan Gainor, vice president of business and culture for the MRC, told The Daily Caller that the calendar is just a way for Vanity Fair to attack some of the Republicans they dislike the most.
“That is all this is. It is a list of people they hate and the people they hate the most are the ones who got the most embarrassing photos,” Gainor said. “The intention here is not just to malign and make fun of these people, but to create pictures that will then follow them around for a long time.”
* Correction: In a previous version of this article Quayle was misidenitified as an Indiana senatorial candidate.