Cheney Daughter Remark

[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

[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.

[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.

[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

[Pollwatch99]

Washington Post:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Also, Kerry had to distance himself in Iowa from a Mary Beth Cahill comment that Mary was "fair game" in the campaign. Kerry said he disagreed with her characterization. The funny part? John Edwards called Mary "fair game" politically, too!

Intentional political stunt and refusal to take accountability by the esteemed Senator from Massachutes

[Pollwatch99]

Washington Post:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Also, Kerry had to distance himself in Iowa from a Mary Beth Cahill comment that Mary was "fair game" in the campaign. Kerry said he disagreed with her characterization. The funny part? John Edwards called Mary "fair game" politically, too!

Intentional political stunt and refusal to take accountability by the esteemed Senator from Massachutes

Look, Mary Cheney used to do public relations to the gay community for Coors. If she's willing to use her sexual orientation in a business position and bring her partner to events, she's obviously not only not closeted, but views it as just who she is. The only people who are upset are people who are quesy about it.  If it was somehow "rude" wouldn't gays be up in arms??

Heck, Adrew Sullivan agrees: http://www.andrewsullivan.com/index.php

(Oh, Vorlan, still waiting....)

Do you really believe that if Edwards had a lesbian daughter and Bush had brought that up in the answer, it wouldn't have been a firestorm?

That would be a real hard sell

[Pollwatch99]

No democrats didn't like it when people like Rush called Chelsea a dog.  An obese child, generally, has a medical problem.  It would be wrong to call somebody's kid a tub of lard, that is an insult.  Lesbian is not a dirty word it is an accepted discription of a woman that has homosexual relationships.  It shouldn't be a big deal.  Who cares...she's a lesbian, good for her.

According to Washington Post 64% think it was inapporiate. Sounds about right; in this country we've got 35%-40% far left that think this is fine.  35%-40% far right, who will think it's wrong.  That leaves 20%-30% who are moderate.  At 64%, the moderates have spoken and spoken rather loudly

[Pollwatch99]

Whether it was right or wrong for Kerry to make the remark is immaterial.  What is important is: 1) whether the story has legs, 2) whether a substantial proportion of likely voters believe it was a low blow, and 3) whether those voters who believe it was a low blow will be decisively influenced by the event when they cast their vote. 

So far the answers seems to be: 1) yes, 2) yes (see quoted ABC poll) and 3) unknown at this time.  I still tend to be skeptical about whether this will truly have any effect (as the DUI story did in 2000), but I didn't think the story would have legs either .

This was an intentional political stunt that backfired.  It continues again today, Kerry suggesting Bush's policies could lead to a draft.  THe party that introduced that into the debate was the DEMOCRAT's.  Bush said an empathic NO.  Kerry and the Dem's keep bringing it up.  Let's decide this election on the characther issue that when Bush takes a position he means it and when Kerry takes on it's something you can be sure of.  

[Pollwatch99]

Whether it was right or wrong for Kerry to make the remark is immaterial.  What is important is: 1) whether the story has legs, 2) whether a substantial proportion of likely voters believe it was a low blow, and 3) whether those voters who believe it was a low blow will be decisively influenced by the event when they cast their vote. 

So far the answers seems to be: 1) yes, 2) yes (see quoted ABC poll) and 3) unknown at this time.  I still tend to be skeptical about whether this will truly have any effect (as the DUI story did in 2000), but I didn't think the story would have legs either .

This was an intentional political stunt that backfired.  It continues again today, Kerry suggesting Bush's policies could lead to a draft.  THe party that introduced that into the debate was the DEMOCRAT's.  Bush said an empathic NO.  Kerry and the Dem's keep bringing it up.  Let's decide this election on the characther issue that when Bush takes a position he means it and when Kerry takes on it's something you can be sure of.  

It won't have legs. The democrats didn't introduce it into the debate is was some kind of rumor, understandably, among the young. Plus, there is a "back door draft" going on which is related. It also brings home the truth that Rice/Cheney/Wolfowitz, et al., completely miscalculated.

Do you understand the distortion of the Kerry/Edwards campaign when they introduced the phrase "back door draft".  You see, you just made my point about Kerry keeps bringing up the draft to distort as part of another cheap political stunt.  A draft is something that used to refer to required service.  Joining the national guard is a choice, it is not required service.  Yes, individuals who voluntarily joined the guard have had their tour of duty extended, that is absolutely nothing to do with a draft.  If you cannot see that Kerry/Edwards have worked this phrase for political purposes to get the Bush associated with a draft.  Cheap political stunts never win elections, America is not that stupid no matter what the party of the "intellectually superior" believe

[Pollwatch99]

Do you understand the distortion of the Kerry/Edwards campaign when they introduced the phrase "back door draft".  You see, you just made my point about Kerry keeps bringing up the draft to distort as part of another cheap political stunt.  A draft is something that used to refer to required service.  Joining the national guard is a choice, it is not required service.  Yes, individuals who voluntarily joined the guard have had their tour of duty extended, that is absolutely nothing to do with a draft.  If you cannot see that Kerry/Edwards have worked this phrase for political purposes to get the Bush associated with a draft.  Cheap political stunts never win elections, America is not that stupid no matter what the party of the "intellectually superior" believe

I think the phrase was brought in by people writing about the military, not the Dems. It is not a draft, but a phrase to capture the feelings of some guard members and their families. Cheap political stunts do win campaigns, look at Bush the Elder and Willie Horton.

We agree it's not a draft. So why is this part of Kerry/Edwards vocab?  Keep that word going during election to scare people.

Willie Horton effect is dem folklaw because they can never accept responsibility for their own actions.  Just like Kerry/Edwards in this campaign; who will not take responsibility for their vote to authorize miltary action in IRAQ.  "We voted to let the President make the choice"  Bogus words to avoid accountability.

If cheap tricks worked then Republicans being responsible for the burning of black churches and the infamous Byrd's dragging death in Texas last year would have worked.  It didn't impact either election.

In this election, if dems lose are we going to hear whining about "Swift Boat ads"?  My take is yes.