Upinsmoke, now we’re talking about a different subject. Before we were talking about the morality of asking such questions, but now you’re arguing the political expediency of answering such questions. It could well be true that it’s not in Cheney’s best interest to answer as I mentioned, even if something like what I said would be close to the truth. Actually I believe that Cheney has personally nothing at all against gays or their wishes for rights, I think his public stances on the subject are based purely on what’s best for his party. It may well be that it’s better for him, politically, to answer like he did. But that he needed to answer like that because of politics doesn’t make the question out of line. They are two separate issues.

For you in your ideal world you can say oh I disagree with my son but he can do what he wants. The problem with this is that any response will be used by your opponents as…Look at Lynx he thinks his son is a jerk. He has no control over his own family, how can he rule if he cant control his own family. For your supporters you have to take their situation in hand as well……..Gee Lynx we really dont want to get into defending this, you need to keep quiet so we dont have an uproar. We dont need this kind of publicity right now when we have this important vote coming up.

Now none of this is prolly true, but you said something…..when you speak you become fair game.

Dont you understand that you cannot comment on something NOT said. WEll you can I guess but you will only be guessing.

If Chenny says Oh I love my daughter and respect her……

Then Why dont you respect Gays!!!!!!!!!!! They will jump up and down and the blogs with be filled with those questions and he will be beat to death with those few words. Its what you want him to say and it makes you furious that he wont say that….sorry but thats politics. Hes not going to give you what you want so you can beat him over the head with it from now till 2008.

I’d say my views coincide pretty closely to CS’s comment #6, but I would add that I think it is really “Families First� who is out of line. I don’t really want to get into an argument about which side of the debate exploited Marry Cheney first, but the statement that was read by Blizter was twice as aggressive as anything Blizter said himself.

I agree with you about Families First being out of line with that statement. They certainly shouldn’t be politicizing Mary Cheney’s child either. Not sure I agree that Wolf wasn’t being as aggressive though, he knew exactly what he was doing when he quoted it to Cheney and then he later tried to hide behind the lame claim that he only wanted to congratulate Cheney.

I sort of agree with your psych analysis too, that Cheney probably was p*ssed at FOF for issuing that statement; but then again, Cheney did direct his comment squarely at Blitzer, so even if the emotion was partly directed at FOF he declined to stir up any problems in his political base. I think a more admirable (less politically expedient) response would have been “I think it’s out of line when anyone tries to bring private family issues into the political arena.”

On an interesting psychological note, Cheney could very well be passing on the emotions that were felt when that statement was read onto Blitzer. Maybe the contempt heard in his “out of line” comment was aimed more at Families First for saying those things rather than Blitzer for repeating them.

While I admire Murtha, he is in the Old School Nepotism crowd. His brother works as a lobbyist to Murthas own comittee, something smells like dead fish.

Mary Cheney works for Coors and Daddy Darth, big Republican contributor, she is fair game due to her public exposure in her career choices. She is also now a director or exec at AOL. If she stayed in the private sector or did consulting work at the state level – Leave her alone. You got Mary Mail – LOL. I wonder if she knows what an ini or dll files is?

No, you be right. The Ford family, from what I know, have been a class act.

But man, you are shocked at neopostism in Washington? What about Reid’s five sons…all lobbyists (and dependent on their father)? What about the Pelosi family’s fiefdom in San Fran? They are all an elite, who would set the dogs on us plebes faster than you can say Montgomery Burns.

Outraged at nepotism in Washington? I can only conclude you are echoing Claude Rains in “Casablanca”. Shocked, shocked…

Gotta run for a meeting now, bye!

the question was not out of line.

here we have a vp that only came to power thx to his party cowtowing to the religious right.

but blitzer formed the question wrong…he should have not left it open ended and should have asked darth if he agreed with the statement, and if not why…and he should have kept pressing

no more duck and cover for the vp

come on dick…tell us how proud you are of your rug munching brat

tell us that you are proud to be the grandfather of a bastard.

And yet THIS is somehow personal?

My partner is a crazed liberal who can’t even mention Bush’s name without spitting. I imagine in even among your Limousine Liberal friends in Hollywood and Berkeley there might be some who are closet conservatives. Would we hold that against you.

We all know “BOLDFACED” names get preferential treatment. There was some scepticism regarding Chelsea’s application to University College, Oxford. That is life.

Clearly, the Cheney’s don’t approve of homosexuality. But they also love their daughter. I don’t see that as hypocritical.

Blitzer was being political. Pure and simple.

Recall both Edwards AND Kerry mentioning her in the 04 debates in an utterly unctuous and slimy way. To paraphrase: “Yes, that question on Iraq is interesting, but before I get to that I just want to mention my admiration for my opponent’s running mate’s daughter who is a LESBIAN. As a Democrat I support diversity, particularly for LESBIANS.”

Blitzer echoed Kerry/Edwards eeriely: “We all love your daughter and her baby…but….”

Darth Cheney knows false sincerity when he hears it, and would have choked Blitzer with his Dark Side powers had not they been on camera.

It was a political hit, and Cheney hit back.

The other daughter takes nepotism to another level. From the DoS webpage:
Dept of Cheney

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today announced the selection of Elizabeth Cheney as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and Coordinator for Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiatives.

Can anyone say Office of Special Plans.

As far as Cheney is concerned, a simple statement that “I love my daughter irrespective of her choices. Now let’s move on,� would have answered Blitzer’s inquiry and ended the matter. Instead, Cheney goes back to the same response that he always gives about questions that displease him. Questions concerning our actions in Iraq, his “secret� energy meetings, the Valerie Plame case, etc. are always met with a variation of “It’s none of your business,� or as he so colorfully told Senator Leahy “Go **** yourself.� This entire exchange tells us much more about Cheney than Blitzer.

To get back to Lynx’s argument about issues being on the table if they concern public policy, I guess I’d agree if this was about Cheney himself (if he were found to be having a homosexual affair, for example.) But to somehow imply that he should have any control over his adult daughter’s life choices, or that he should condemn her if he doesn’t agree with them, is preposterous IMO.

So lets take a trip down lifes lane.

You are a politician Lynx. You campaign on No drugs. Your daughter is busted for taking drugs. Now there you go you are endorsing a position that is opposed to your daughters beliefs.

You are a politician Lynx. You Camapign against the war in Iraq. Your son joins the Army and is shipped off to Iraq. There you go again. You are endorsing a position that is opposed to your sons beliefs.

You are a politician Lynx. You Campaign against Do not drink and drive. Your daughter gets picked up not driving drunk but being in a car DRUNK with someone else who is driving drunk. There you go again. You are endorsing a position that is opposed to what your daughter considers OK.

See this is called LIFE. LIFE is a journey that we do NOT take alone. Many go with us on this journey. During that journey we hit lots of potholes, snags, boobie traps(pun intended)and obstacles that try to steer us off course and make things genuinely difficult.

We form a set of rules that lead us thru life. Many times these rules are met with challenges on the way. (((Is what I belive really the way it is or is it just that I perceive it to be the way it is.)))Here is Dick Chenny cruising along life’s highway into his golden years happy in his beliefs and ready for social security when suddenly a huge pothole in his life shakes the wagon. His daughter is GAY.

I’m not sure how old you are. But what you belive today will be different then what you believe 20 years from now. Trust me. ITS CALLED LIFE. Life does that to people.

FAMILIES are OUT OF BOUNDS and are no touch subjects.

Chennys daughter did not ask to be in the spotlight and neither did Chelsea Clinton or any of the other families. So Unless the family members start breaking the law then they should continue to remain off radar. PERIOD.

A gay woman thats Pregnant is not asking to be in the spotlight. Dick Chenny is Anti Gay. His daughter is GAY. His administration enjoys support from a special interest that is antigay. Fine. ASk those questions but:

LEAVE FAMILY OUT OF IT………..PERIOD. Because sir if you started bad mouthing my family there are many people in the everyday world that would kick your arse. (Im talking to Wolf Blitzer here now) Wolf is being a pompous ASS right now for this line of questioning.

Dont belive me? Go into a bar find a nice strapping young man and tell him you dont like his gay sister.