Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, the majority leader, recently compared homosexuality to kleptomania.

Comparing homosexuality to alcoholism, Mr. Gingrich said, "I think our position should be toleration.

Not that this should come as much of a surprise: in 2003 the devout Catholic provoked outrage by appearing to compare homosexuality with paedophilia and bestiality.

He then compared homosexuality to bigamy, polygamy, incest and adultery.

Santorum has compared homosexuality to bestiality and incest.

The Sunday Pictorial compared homosexuality to a "spreading fungus" that had contaminated "generals, admirals, fighter pilots, engine drivers and boxers".

In 1997, President Ezer Weizman compared homosexuality to alcoholism in front of high school students.