15 October 2004Politics
The Ironic Faux Cheney Outrage

This fake Cheney family outrage about John Kerry referencing their daughter in a response in the 3rd debate to a question about homosexuality is really bothering me, not because I think it's going to the Democratic campaign any harm, but because Lyn Cheney's charge of a "Cheap and tawdry political trick" is so hypocrital it's beyond funny.

The irony is that Cheney's fake outrage is exactly the sort of the "Cheap and tawdry political trick" that takes the focus away from W getting trounced in the debates, away from real issues, and focuses attention on something meaningless, which, for whatever reason, voters are drawn to like moths to the light. Seriously, who, other than me, is going to question a mother of a lesbian when she pretends to be outraged?

I'm not just pulling this shit out my keister. The reason I think this is because I watched the VP debate when this issue was brought up, not by John Edwards, but by Gwen Ifill. The exchange is really telling.

IFILL: The next question goes to you, Mr. Vice President.

I want to read something you said four years ago at this very setting: "Freedom means freedom for everybody." You said it again recently when you were asked about legalizing same-sex unions. And you used your family's experience as a context for your remarks.

Can you describe then your administration's support for a constitutional ban on same-sex unions?


Here, Cheney could have showed outrage to the moderator at bringing up his family in reference to homosexuality, but he didn't. He answered what must have been a tough question for him because he obviously disagrees with the president on this issue.

CHENEY: Gwen, you're right, four years ago in this debate, the subject came up. And I said then and I believe today that freedom does mean freedom for everybody. People ought to be free to choose any arrangement they want. It's really no one else's business.

That's a separate question from the issue of whether or not government should sanction or approve or give some sort of authorization, if you will, to these relationships.

Traditionally, that's been an issue for the states. States have regulated marriage, if you will. That would be my preference.

In effect, what's happened is that in recent months, especially in Massachusetts, but also in California, but in Massachusetts we had the Massachusetts Supreme Court direct the state of -- the legislature of Massachusetts to modify their constitution to allow gay marriage.

And the fact is that the president felt that it was important to make it clear that that's the wrong way to go, as far as he's concerned.

Now, he sets the policy for this administration, and I support the president.


When it came time for John Edwards to respond, he brought up Mary Cheney in the same way that Kerry has been lambasted for in the 3rd debate.

Now, as to this question, let me say first that I think the vice president and his wife love their daughter. I think they love her very much. And you can't have anything but respect for the fact that they're willing to talk about the fact that they have a gay daughter, the fact that they embrace her. It's a wonderful thing. And there are millions of parents like that who love their children, who want their children to be happy.

Did Cheney respond with outrage. How dare you bring my daughter into this. No. Quite the opposite.

IFILL: Mr. Vice President, you have 90 seconds.

CHENEY: Well, Gwen, let me simply thank the senator for the kind words he said about my family and our daughter.

I appreciate that very much.

IFILL: That's it?

CHENEY: That's it.

Was the VP being disingenuous when he thanked Edwards for the "kind words he said about my family and our daughter?" I don't think so. It was one of the VP's only human responses of the evening. So how can we justify the difference in the two responses following each debate except to say that the Cheney outrage is the exact kind of "Cheap and tawdry political trick" that they are accusing John Kerry of. The Cheney's were tripping over themselves to launch yet another (undeserved) character attack on Kerry.


**UPDATE**

Activist accuses GOP of 'attacking gays'
Head of gay GOP group Log Republicans lashes out

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The head of the nation's largest gay and lesbian Republican group slammed fellow Republicans Friday for "feigning outrage" over comments by Sen. John Kerry, and called on President Bush to "stop attacking gay families on the campaign trail." [more]

Posted by andrew at October 15, 2004 10:13 AM


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