The lens of history is a lot easier on republicans from before the AIDS paranoia hit. A lot of probably smart people looked really goddamn stupid when they were terrified of a gay zombie pandemic or whatever. 

Interesting tidbit though. It's easy to forget how much of a battleground California can be, as a state. Once you break out of the bay, it's a .... spirited debate. Sort of like gladiatorial deathmatches were spirited handshakes.