Clue phone's ringing for you Mrs. Cheney~ Why won't you pick up?

[ScreamingMeemie]

You're daughter is an active part of the Bush/Cheney campaign. Your daughter is a lesbian and you claim to support her and love her. Mr. Cheney has pledged to support and stand up behind Mr. Bush as his running mate. Here there is an obvious conflict...a rift let's say. Mr. Kerry answered a question by pointing out that conflict in an eloquent way. Because you do not like it, and your "men" can't seem to answer a question directly does not make that a cheap and tawdry political trick...nor does it make Senator Kerry a "bad man". As one who again claims to support her daughter you should be grateful to Mr. Kerry for supporting the fact that Mary is what she is...and cannot change that...

[SaveElmer]

1. Dick Cheney didn't mind Edwards talkin about her

snip

‘Kind words’
In his earlier debate with John Edwards, the vice president expressed no objection when the Democrat brought up his daughter, Mary. Edwards expressed “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.”

Cheney thanked his opponent for the “kind words he said about my family and our daughter. I appreciate that very much.”

Bush said in the debate he did not know whether homosexuality was a choice or fate.


snip

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6245927/

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. ...and he is unwilling to investigate. He is unwilling to accept so many

Americans for what they are, including the one who is going to vote for him come November.

[Carl Lloyd]

2. Republicans let their hate cloud their judgment...

Mary Cheney was called a "lesbian" by John Kerry, and Republicans are horrified because they are always horrified by the word "lesbian"--they don't realize that it's NOT an insult...it's NOT like being called a freak.

Lynne Cheney's reaction seems to indicate a shame that probably hurts Mary more than Kerry's compassionate mention of her.

I wish Mary well. This must be a tough spot for her, whether it's her father mentioning her on the campaign trail (which he has) or whether she has to stand by and watch her father's co-workers work to add an amendment to the Constitution that discriminates against her.

I wish her the best.

[newyawker99]

7. Hi Carl LLoyd!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[BUSHOUT]

3. Mrs. Cheney just demonstrated the low-down politics of desperation....

She's been around a while. She knew, watching that debate, that they would have to try and slice Kerry open with an attack on his character afterwards.

She is not a nice lady.

[AP]

4. The only reason she's reacting is because they must have polls which show

that Edwards did real damage when he let the fundies know the truth.

Look, the reason the fundies like Bush isn't because they have all the facts. It's becuase they DON'T have all the facts. They didn't know that Cheney had a gay daughter, even though everyone else does. The fundies turnout is pretty low. It's something like 12%, while almost 25% of Americans consider themselves 'religious right.' The Repubs are trying really hard to get that turnout up.

So, Edwards bringing this up the other day probably really hurt Bush among that demographic. The Repubs and Dems must have done some focus groups and probably found out that this bit of information is going to hurt Bush with the religious right turnout. That's why Kerry repeated it, and that's why Cheney went on TV and tried to counterspin it. And notice the counterspin is an angle that appeals to the fundies. She says this is about Kerry's character and values.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. The callers on CSpan emphasized this point after the debate. It's not

about being "Christian", and so many fail to remember the protections that were put in place by our founding fathers and are willing to sit back and applaud as Church and State become one. My next door neighbor is a fundy and they are organizing a carpool to the polls. Because of the religious idiocy of this president, I think the turnout among them will be slightly higher. Not that I'm worried about it. :hi:

[AP]

8. Cheney's response suggests which demographic they're trying to protect

from the damage caused by Kerry's comment.

People here who are probably not really Democrats are trying to spin it that Kerry isn't really liberal if he's talking about lesbians (but that's not true, because he's not criticizing her choices, and she's out, and he's making the point that all gays and lesbians should have the rights they need to be happier and wealthier and better able to make choices about home and career).

But Lynn is trying to spin it as a an issue about Kerry's character. And who is that aimed at? People who don't care about policy, facts and reality. I.e., fundamentalists. I.e., the ones whose enthusiasm for Bush is most threatened by the knowledge that his VP has a gay daughter.