NEWS FLASH FOR GOD-FEARING MIDDLE AMERICANS WHO DON’T FOLLOW THE NEWS VERY CLOSELY (by way of John Edwards’ deft placement of this small nugget of information within the context of last night’s vice presidential debate): Vice President Dick Cheney has a homosexual daughter.
EDWARDS: …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.
Yes, Senator Edwards, and it’s also a wonderful thing that you were able to remind the Republican Party’s conservative base that Cheney, their chief standard-bearer in oppressing the oppressed, was clearly a very bad parent by right-wing Christian fundamentalist standards, in that he raised a daughter who is now a homosexual. In addition to being a homosexual, Mary Cheney is also purportedly a lesbian or dyke, or whatever labels or epithets conservatives would like to use as they harass and/or beat up gay people in cities and towns across America.
Oh, Dick, Dick, Dick…where did you go so wrong? And what else have you not been forthright about in terms of a possible penchant for supporting and encouraging sinful acts? We’ll never know, as the Vice President was able to skillfully conclude this line of uncomfortable (and far too revealing) questioning rather abruptly:
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.
IFILL: OK, then we’ll move on to the next question.
15 replies on ““Goddammit, why did you have to go and bring that up?””
Gee, I didn’t take it in the “Edwards is a scumbag” for mentioning Cheney’s gay daughter. Not some much scumbag as much as pointing out Republican party hypocracy.
I also commend Cheney for making it a non issue. Because it really should be.
Innit that right, Republicans?
I think Edwards brought it up becuase it’s obvious that Cheney doesn’t support the ammendment, he just won’t say as much.
Well, uh, actually, the moderator brought up Cheney’s gay daughter in the question. Edward actually showed a little class by giving Cheney credit on the subject.
Um hello, which party has made gay marriage an issue? The Republicans. They knew of Cheney’s dilemna when they decided the “protection” of marriage required amending the Constitution. At least Edwards didn’t point out the failure of Cheney to defend his party’s stance over his daughter’s rights.
as a very good looking man mistakenly view by homosexual men as desirable sexually, i feel vp cheney’s pain. i try not to verbalize such tabooed topics to avoid offending anybody.
What’s the big deal? I’m a Southern Democrat, registered as an R. The man couldn’t stop his daughter doing what she wanted. Hell, most people don’t care what people do behind closed doors. I certainly don’t.
If Cheney had Kerry-size balls, he would tell the fag-baiting proclivities of today’s christo-fascist Republican party to “fuck off” (using his preferred slang).
But he doesn’t have Kerry-sized balls. Like Junior, Cheney supports wars he was unwilling to fight himself (e.g., 5 deferments for Nam).
Instead, Cheney quietly lines his very deep pockets all the while his party demeans and dehumanizes his daughter. I guess we know his priorities. It is clear that the idiotic foot soldiers of today’s GOP do not. (After the v.p. debate, pro-Bush callers to CSPAN were appalled that Edwards would spread the awful lie that Mary Cheney is a lesbian. Imagine that.)
I think what we should be focusing on is the erroneous statements Cheney made regarding Massachusetts. He stated that the Massachusetts Supreme Court is trying to force the legislature to change the constitution to legalize gay marriage. What was in fact the case was that the Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage IS legal according to the constitution, and that to make it illegal, the constitution would have to be changed. That is why it was such an important decision for gay rights. Cheney was either grossly uninformed or wanted to purposely spin in an unfavourable light what is going on here in MA.
Cheney could have gained ground last night, but his determination to avoid answering questions regarding, oh, everything that needs clarifying– from his stance on gay marriage to WMDS to BEING IN THE SENATE EVERY WEEK (he has been there on TWO tuesdays–TOTAL) showed just how desperately we need a change in leadership!
There is gay marriage right on your doorstep, in Canada, as well as in Belgium.
Most of the above commentary presupposes that it is something that Cheney should be ashamed of, to have a gay daughter… it’s the one thing in my mind that shows that somewhere inside him, there is a sliver of a heart left.
Also, funny that Bush doesn’t want courts deciding important things for our country…when it is a court that placed him in the presidency in the first place!!!!
Maybe Edwards was exploiting anti-gay feelings to bring over those culturally conservative swing voters to their side. Look at the upper Midwest, where Kerry is running fairly strong with culturally conservative union voters, and maybe a reminder of Cheney’s gay daughter, coupled with Kedwards’ opposition to gay marriage, will keep them on the Dem side. If a Republican brought up a Dem’s gay son or daughter in a debate, I think it would be denounced as an obvious pander to homophobics.
Personally, I felt like it was an appropriate dig at Cheney, possible in an attempt to get him angry and certainly one of Edwards finest moments in the debate. He got to look like a classy guy for giving Cheney credit, sincerely enough, for being proud of his daughter; and at the same time, he got to a chance to remind everyone who might not have known that Mary’s queer.
If he had outed Cheney’s daughter, I would have thought the move somewhat understandable but still gross, below-the-belt politics. As it was, with Mary Cheney out and a public figure in her own right helping with her dad’s campaign, I thought Edwards played the game perfectly.
Besides, what he did was nothing to Bush’s campaign of insinuation against John McCain when they were running and he spread rumors McCain had a black baby.
Well put, ester. Everything Edwards said about Cheney’s daughter was indeed true. Even staunch Republicans can have gay family members; it shouldn’t be a big deal. Unfortunately, there are still people who believe being gay is a “choice” – as if gay people choose to be relegated to “second class” citizens, because of some people’s bigotry.
Excuse me….but what is the big deal? Edwards said nothing offensive; he told the truth. Cheney’s daughter is a lesbian; it is a small part of who she is. So what, she’s attracted to women. A choice? No, no, my friends.
Imagine, if you will, “choosing” to be attracted to someone.
Not possible.
There are people who are attracted to his or her own sex, …and?
Bottom line, the bigger deal the majority makes (ahem…the not-always-but-sometimes ignorant and “omnipotent” heterosexuals) about the existence of homosexuality, the more an issue it becomes. By the way, horray to the straights who can see sexual orientation as equal in both regards.
Choice or not (even though sexual orientation should not even be categorized under “life choices”), gays exist…EVERYWHERE…that includes America, land of the FREE, home of the brave.
And another thing…when did it ever become an “us and them” situation? All races, creeds, sexual orientations…do we not all bleed the same blood, breath the same air? Come now, let us not ignore but acknowledge our differences and not discriminate.
One day, things will change for the better; it is absolutely inevitible. The good thing that comes out of this whole “us and them” crap is that when that invisible wall is torn down, we are left with wonderful and colorful subcultures, only adding to the magnificent diversity that is the human race.
As far as Cheney’s daughter goes, she’s attracted to women….so what?
Aren’t we in the middle of a war or something?