See this is the thing:
Politics and Fiscal matters, I am open to both conservative and liberal interpretations, and myself believe in policies that not only veer in both ways, but am openminded to changing my stance, because they are usually never black and white. In other words, I can be either politically/fiscally liberal or conservative, depending on the issue and the situation and teh context. In short, I believe in being a moderate person.
....ANd then there is social/morality issues. In this, there is no question, and is usually black and white: social conservatism is not justifiable, and belongs to outdated tradition and outdated cultural beliefs.
This man's stance on things like AIDS and gays and abortion [which is admittedly more grey than the other issues] is simply unjustifiable and is the same kind of mentality held by racists or religious bigots of past era [which is not to say they don't exist at the present].
Of course, in America, they are oft seen as more mainstream than they really are. Coupled with the fact that this man made Reagan possible [aka the politically-safe-to-openly-admire president], this man is praised and his flaws not too criticized.