WATCH: Maddow Slams 'Ex-Gay' Air Force Coach, Rabidly Antigay GOP

Out MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow filed an impressively in-depth report on the state of the GOP's current antigay animus on her eponymous show last night. 

Maddow opened by taking to task the U.S. Air Force, which recently confirmed that the man leading its mandatory cadet counseling program has spent the past two decades of his career advocating the scientifically debunked, harmful process of "ex-gay" or "reparative therapy." Our colleagues at sibling site The Advocate reported on those allegations yesterday, first broken by AmericaBlog's John Aravosis. 

"What were they thinking in hiring this guy?" asks Maddow, incredulous. "Did the Air Force hire him despite this area of expertise, or did they hire him because this is actually what they wanted?"

In uncovering Dr. Mike Rosebush's professional background, Maddow notes that the antigay scientist authored at least two books on how to rid oneself of "unwanted homosexual desires." One of those, a "handbook" for "overcoming" a gay or lesbian sexual orientation, was co-authored by disgraced researcher and former board member of the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, George Rekers. You might recall his name from the infamous "RentBoy" scandal, when the leading proponent of therapy that supposedly turns gay people straight was found returning from a European trip with a young, handsome call boy. Rekers claimed he hired the strapping young lad from RentBoy.com to "carry his luggage," but the young man contended that Rekers instead requested intimate massages. 

Maddow then turns her attention to the "Radically antigay politics [that] are in ascendance in the Republican party." Touching on the very public feud between the Cheney family over marriage equality. 

Next, Maddow reports on yesterday's decision from the Texas National Guard that it will continue to defy direct orders from the Pentagon ordering all Guard units to extend spousal benefits to the partners of legally married gay and lesbian soldiers. 

"In Texas, the political calculation is that it is more important to be antigay than to support the troops."

But ending on a positive note, Maddow sits down with Illinois governor Pat Quinn, who is scheduled to sign marriage equality legislation into law this afternoon. 

Watch the entire segment below. 

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