In his syndicated column, Pat Buchanan weighs in on the manufactured controversy over an exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, and it's pretty much what you'd expect: He calls it a “gay sex show” of “the kind of pictures that used to be on French postcards, the possession of which in the 1950s could get you kicked out of high school,” adding that “The Smithsonian needs a haircut next year to remind these folks who's boss and that with public funding comes public responsibility.”

In the process of his rant, though, Buchanan misquotes what Washington Post art critic Blake Gopnik said about it. He writes:

To Post art critic Blake Gopnik, the “show about gay sex” at the gallery is “courageous” and “full of wonderful art. My review of it was a rave.”

But Gopnik never called it a “show about gay sex.” From the December 1 Post article by Gopnik Buchanan appears to be referring to [italics added]:

Against all odds, the stodgy old National Portrait Gallery has recently become one of the most interesting, daring institutions in Washington. Its 2009 show on Marcel Duchamp's self-portrayal was important, strange and brave. “Hide/Seek,” the show about gay love that it opened in October, was crucial -- a first of its kind -- and courageous, as well as being full of wonderful art. My review of it was a rave.

Love and sex are not interchangeable words, and there's no reason to assume, as Buchanan appears to be doing, that it is any different if you put the word “gay” in front of them. Of course, “gay sex” makes the exhibit sound much more prurient than “gay love” does.

It seems Buchanan is too busy being excited about the possibility that Republicans, through this exhibit, “may have just struck the mother lode of that 'waste, fraud and abuse' that the Gipper was always talking about” to get his quotes correct.