Cheney Daughter Remark

[Acastus]

Drudge is really pushing the Cheney daughter remark issue.  I see it on a bunch of blogs, and now there is an AP story about it.  Is this "angry mom" story really going to have any legs?  If it does have legs, will it have any impact? I can't imagine it, though stranger things have happened.

[patrick1]

Drudge is really pushing the Cheney daughter remark issue.  I see it on a bunch of blogs, and now there is an AP story about it.  Is this "angry mom" story really going to have any legs?  If it dos have legs, will it have any impact? I can't imagine it, though stranger things have happened.

I don't think this has much legs.  Voters will just see it for what it was- a tacky comment and move on.

[Redefeatbush04]

at least kerry answered the question

[J-Mann]

at least kerry answered the question

That doesn't excuse tastelessness, does it?  The same could be said about Michael Dukakis in 1988; "at least he answered the question about Kitty being raped and murdered".  That didn't make his answer any better.

[lidaker]

First Mort Kondracke mentions it on FOX, Carl Cameron sees an opening and uses it many times and then suddenly republicans in this forum start to repeat it. See the connection?

Honestly, I don't think Kerry was trying to deliberately hurt Bush among conservatives. In his eyes, homosexuality isn't something to be ashamed of or something that you choose. And that's what he was saying.

[iosip]

they try to make it sound like kerry was engaging in gay-baiting. this is especially silly, as the republican party is militantly anti-gay!

[Pollwatch99]

If republicans did something similar the media would have gone NUTS.  Lack of outrage is the outrage.

WAKE UP REPUBLICAN'S AND REALLY TURN OUT

[Reds4]

I personally thought it was quite low of Senator Kerry. I believe Kerry won the debate narrowly last night, but they say undecided voters polled did not like that comment at all either.

[Grad Students are the Worst]

I winced. I sighed. I moved on.

It was stupid. It will be forgotten.

[J. J.]

I winced. I sighed. I moved on.

It was stupid. It will be forgotten.

No, it gives the GOP a chance to to damage Kerry.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Lynne Cheney has been saying Kerry is "not a good man"...and repeating it over and over again.  This is what I'm surprised about.  I'm not sure I've ever heard a candidate's fundamental morality attacked in such a way.  She's saying that Kerry is a bad person...that he's "evil in his heart" as John Edwards would put it, I guess.  Can she really draw these conclusions from one statement, no matter how awkward?

[J. J.]

Lynne Cheney has been saying Kerry is "not a good man"...and repeating it over and over again... .   

Can she really draw these conclusions from one statement, no matter how awkward?

When the comment is about her daughter HELL YES!

[Pictor Ignotus]

All those attacks on Bush's Presidency and all they can talk about is how they are angry that Kerry mentioned something most every American already knows???

We debate coaches call that "letting the [other] points stand."

Too bad they are ashamed for people to know their daughter is gay.

I expect to see many more examples of Bush/Cheney desperation.

[Pollwatch99]

Lynne Cheney has been saying Kerry is "not a good man"...and repeating it over and over again.  This is what I'm surprised about.  I'm not sure I've ever heard a candidate's fundamental morality attacked in such a way.  She's saying that Kerry is a bad person...that he's "evil in his heart" as John Edwards would put it, I guess.  Can she really draw these conclusions from one statement, no matter how awkward?

Gov. do you really believe that the 2nd time the campaign brought it up( Edwards debate ), the Campaign manger saying it was fair game was just an unplanned awward comment.  It was intentional and bad news.
Lynn Cheney has every right to speak out.  The one who should shut her mouth is the wife of the DEM VP.  WHat gave her the right to assess Lynn's relationship with her daughter.  Who the h.ll is she?

[Pollwatch99]

All those attacks on Bush's Presidency and all they can talk about is how they are angry that Kerry mentioned something most every American already knows???

We debate coaches call that "letting the [other] points stand."

Too bad they are ashamed for people to know their daughter is gay.

I expect to see many more examples of Bush/Cheney desperation.

If Edwards had a gay daughter, the media would have gone nuts if Bush brought it up.  Give me a break.  This is not part of the campaign and was bad news to bring up.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Lynne Cheney has been saying Kerry is "not a good man"...and repeating it over and over again.  This is what I'm surprised about.  I'm not sure I've ever heard a candidate's fundamental morality attacked in such a way.  She's saying that Kerry is a bad person...that he's "evil in his heart" as John Edwards would put it, I guess.  Can she really draw these conclusions from one statement, no matter how awkward?

Gov. do you really believe that the 2nd time the campaign brought it up( Edwards debate ), the Campaign manger saying it was fair game was just an unplanned awward comment.  It was intentional and bad news.
Lynn Cheney has every right to speak out.  The one who should shut her mouth is the wife of the DEM VP.  WHat gave her the right to assess Lynn's relationship with her daughter.  Who the h.ll is she?

If the statement was inappropriate, why didn't they Cheneys say something after the VP debate...instead, Cheney complimented Edwards for his comment.   Now Kerry makes a similar comment and and the accuse him of being a fundamentally bad person?

[J. J.]

Kerry has already began "explaining" his remark, backpeddling.  Mary Cheney is not the candidate.  

It would be like Bush saying something about John Kerry's ex-wife.  That's not relevant.

Kerry is either desparate or exceptionally uncouth.

[Pollwatch99]

Lynne Cheney has been saying Kerry is "not a good man"...and repeating it over and over again.  This is what I'm surprised about.  I'm not sure I've ever heard a candidate's fundamental morality attacked in such a way.  She's saying that Kerry is a bad person...that he's "evil in his heart" as John Edwards would put it, I guess.  Can she really draw these conclusions from one statement, no matter how awkward?

Gov. do you really believe that the 2nd time the campaign brought it up( Edwards debate ), the Campaign manger saying it was fair game was just an unplanned awward comment.  It was intentional and bad news.
Lynn Cheney has every right to speak out.  The one who should shut her mouth is the wife of the DEM VP.  WHat gave her the right to assess Lynn's relationship with her daughter.  Who the h.ll is she?

If the statement was inappropriate, why didn't they Cheneys say something after the VP debate...instead, Cheney complimented Edwards for his comment.   Now Kerry makes a similar comment and and the accuse him of being a fundamentally bad person?

Very simple answer.  One time  you can let it go as an unintended  comment.

Now that Edwards, Kerry, campaign manager, and Edwards wife have all jumped in, it's part of their campaign.  If the campaign manager after the debate had said that this comment was not meant to offend, okay let it go.  Saying this is fair game is digusting. 

[Pollwatch99]

Kerry has already began "explaining" his remark, backpeddling.  Mary Cheney is not the candidate.  

It would be like Bush saying something about John Kerry's ex-wife.  That's not relevant.

Kerry is either desparate or exceptionally uncouth.

Not good enough, full apology and direct his campaign to leave the Cheney kids out of the campaign.

[Nym90]

If he had said something that was incorrect, or had made a negative comment about her, that would be one thing. But he didn't.

His statement was factually correct and was not a criticism in any way. Complete nonissue.

[Pollwatch99]

If he had said something that was incorrect, or had made a negative comment about her, that would be one thing. But he didn't.

His statement was factually correct and was not a criticism in any way. Complete nonissue.

Okay, so sexual orientation of the candidates kids is okay in presidential debates to make your point as long as it's factual.  Are you sure, you really want this as part of presidential debates?  You know what will happen in 4 years, we can send our the bedroom poice as long as it's factual.  I don't think you want this

[MODU]

My view on the comment.  Kerry mentioned Mary Cheney as a subtile way to highlight the "division" in the Republican party on the issue, and what better way to show this than pointing out the different point of view between the President and the Vice President?  One is for a Constitutional amendment, and the other one isn't.

Since most of the nation knows their two different views, all Kerry had to do was mention the name.  The rest of his response is a reasonable explanation for how he feels, and would have been a great stand-alone response to the question.  Dropping Mary's name was a tactic.

[The Vorlon]

My memory is imperfect and fading.. but...

Kerry's first wife suffered from depression if I recall.

In the context of a question related to health care, would it have been "correct" for Bush to say..

"Senator, since your ex-wife suffered from depression, you know what I speak of when I say..blah...blah about mental health...."

[Napoleon XIV]

First Mort Kondracke mentions it on FOX, Carl Cameron sees an opening and uses it many times and then suddenly republicans in this forum start to repeat it. See the connection?

A few Liberals on another forum I visit declared Bush the winner as far as they were concerned solely because of the tastelessness and I can guarentee you they were not watching Fox News.

It was in bad taste and more than a few Republicans were bothered by it.  Edwards' wife's comments certainly aren't helping this go away any time soon.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

You know what....the Republican should go ahead and talk about this all they want.  The Democrats will talk about the economy and health care and Iraq, and we'll see who wins.