The ever-opportunistic Maggie Gallagher, the head of the National Organization of Marriage (NOM) creators of the "Gathering Storm" anti-same-sdex marriage television advertisement, pointed out that Prejean's "example resonates, especially to many young Americans, because she chose to stand for truth rather than surrender her core values." Gallagher swiftly signed her up as a spokesperson for the NOM's ongoing campaign against same-sex marriage.  "Marriage is good," Prejean said at a news conference announcing the ad campaign. "There is something special about unions of husband and wife. Unless we bring men and women together, children will not have mothers and fathers."

Prejean appeared at a San Diego church, where she read from the Bible.

According to Box Turtle Bulletin's Timothy Kincaid, "Prejean attends a church that has strong opinions on the subject of sexuality and marriage. Miles McPherson, a football player turned pastor, was one of the driving forces behind the evangelical support for Proposition 8. In addition to anti-gay rallies at his church, McPherson was a proponent of the notoriously untruthful website for youth, iProtectMarriage.com."

Kincaid reported that Prejean was "being coached and guided by her religious mentor, Miles McPherson," senior pastor of The Rock Church in San Diego. According to The Rock's website, McPherson "spent time with Prejean in the critical hours following the pageant."  Kincaid noted that "This coaching was further confirmed when Rex Wockner asked if she'd be willing to have coffee with Perez Hilton," and she replied that if she did, she'd "bring Miles" with her.  

Fully embodying Andy Warhol's trope about everyone getting their fifteen minutes of fame, Prejean appeared to be being cast as the twenty-first century's answer to Anita Bryant, the beauty queen/orange juice spokesperson who lit up the 1970s with her vitriolic anti-gay campaigns.

Move over Joe the Plumber, here's Carrie the Model. And she's already eaten up a lot more than fifteen minutes.

Flocking to Carrie

Prejean being criticized by liberals paved the way for a horde of conservatives to get in on the action.  People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch pointed out that Prejean was "hailed in just about every right-wing media outlet, including World Magazine, WorldNetDaily, OneNewsNow, and Townhall."  

Edgeboston.com reported that "A press release from the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission railed on gays generally for Hilton's question and reportage done by MSNBC's Keith Olbermann."  Gary Cass, the CADC's chairman, stated, "By courageously shining the light of God's truth on the marriage issue, now homosexuals and their allies irrationally seek to defame and destroy Carrie Prejean."

The Family Research Council's Tony Perkins said "Prejean's Christian beliefs were no secret to the organization; she quotes a biblical passage in her official bio on the Miss California USA website, citing Philippians 4:13, `I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,' as a daily source of inspiration."

The American Family Association's Tim Wildmon said that what he "was most impressed with was Miss California's courage, as she knew her answer could very well cost her the opportunity to fulfill her dream to be Miss USA. But she went ahead and expressed her convictions."

A National Review Online piece, "Naked in the Naked Public Square: Carrie Prejean in Carrie Bradshaw's America," by Seth Leibsohn, a fellow of the Claremont Institute and Kathryn Jean Lopez, the editor of National Review Online, argued that the liberal media was unfairly attacking Ms. Prejean.  

Then, quicker than you could open a Campbell's soup can, details about Ms. Prejean's life Airlifted the country out of its Swine Flu funk:  

*         Prior to game time, Ms. Prejean received breast implants that were paid for by the California Beauty Pagaent committee. Keith Lewis, the co-director of the pageant, told CBS's The Early Show, "We want to put her in the best possible confidence in order to present herself in the best possible light on a national stage."

•         A picture of Ms. Prejean, modeling lingerie half-naked, was posted on the Internet.  After the first image was published, Prejean defended herself by saying, "I am a Christian, and I am a model ... Models pose for pictures, including lingerie and swimwear photos." Shortly after she denied that there were any more pictures, a second shot appeared on the site TheDirty.com. According to The Daily News, "Nik Richie, publisher of TheDirty.com, has indicated there are more to come."

•         Court papers from her parents divorce, dug up by TMZ.com, revealed that messy allegations about homosexuality abounded.

With the possibility of having her Miss California USA title stripped from her for keeping the photos a secret -- failure to disclose semi-nude photos is grounds for disqualification from the contest -- Ms. Prejean, and/or her NOM handlers were clearly in need of a strong dose of damage control.  

Tomorrow: A Larry Ross Communications to the rescue?