This lesbian thing may be backfiring on them!

[drmom]

My partner’s Aunt and Uncle, who are lifelong repugs, just called to say that the recent feigned “outrage” over the lesbian comment in the debate, has tipped the scales for them in favor of Kerry! They are going to vote for Kerry!!!! This is huge...I can’t tell you the number of family holidays in the past 15 years that I’ve had political arguments with these people. I thought they were unmoveable. They said that they couldn’t, in good conscience, vote for a ticket that supports denying rights to a segment of the population, then seems outraged at the mere mention of a commonly used label. Well, thank you Cheney’s for your response!!! This whole thing has shown me that there is hope for the world!

The bad news is that we’re in California, so their votes wouldn’t really have counted anyway...but it’s the thought...

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. Thanks for a good indicator! Here's another:

The Cheneys, Dick and Lynne, are having a royal cow over John Kerry’s mention of their daughter Mary being a “lesbian” during the final presidential debate. I am trying to determine both the color and weight of this cow, as well as its pedigree. What exactly is upsetting them? The fact that their daughter was mentioned at all? The fact that Kerry outed their already outed daughter in front of 51 million television viewers? The fact that Kerry was attempting to accrue political capital using their daughter who has been a visible political activist and presently is a campaign manager for her father’s bid for re-election?

Or was this just more campaign politics as usual? Were they seizing on the one issue where they could make some hay for their cow after a series of three debates sometimes on far more important issues where their boy George W. didn’t fare so well. When you can’t score touchdowns, you’ll take a safety...

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_57214.asp

[yardwork]

2. Every vote counts

Bushco has done all they can to win California. We never know what they have up their sleeves.

I'm glad that your relatives saw the light.

[Worst Username Ever]

3. Best post I've heard all day n/t

[complain jane]

4. Awesome!

It needs to be made known that the only reason the Cheneys are pissed is because they were outed as homophobes when everyone realizes they've been hiding their gay child while the other candidates' children and their own straight kids take center stage. They want gay to be an issue, well, here you go.

[KurtNYC]

23. Mary Cheney was the GLBT outreach person for Coors

It really never has been a secret per se. And Dick Cheney brought it up before any of the debates.

http://members.macconnect.com/users/c/coorsboycott/Documents/Village%20Voice/Village%20Voice%2011-3-98.html

But, says Mary Cheney, Coors gay and lesbian corporate relations manager, besmirching the company's name by bringing up Castle Rock funding is unfair, especially since the foundation divested itself of all its Coors stock more than a year ago. The upshot, says Cheney, is that "Castle Rock receives no money from Coors Brewing Company. There isn't an affiliation."

[geniph]

5. All votes count

because they won't just be voting for Kerry. One hopes they'll be voting for Democrats all down the ticket, all the way down to the local races.

Remember, we need the House, the Senate, Democratic governors, and Democratic legislatures in the states too. The Presidency should not overshadow the very important local races.

[blue neen]

6. Thank you so much for that good news.

You made my day.

[qb]

7. What the Cheneys' outrage really says is...

"We're ashamed of our daughter." Voters who care about gays and lesbians will get the message.

[Texas_Dem]

8. Great News! I think all intelligent people can see this for what it is.

I hope more intelligent people people vote on Nov. 2 than not.

[wadestock]

9. There's so many pro and con ways to look at it....

For Kerry supporters...or anyone with a brain...it was a none issue.
Personally, I would have voted not to mention it cause Edwards did everything that could have been done positively in that regard.

Some on the fence might take it to conclude Kerry is mean spirited.
Bob Shiefer was quoted this morning as saying that it sounded "raw" to him...edgy...and that's how it caught me at first. It almost sounded as if he really DIDN'T want to say it.

Problem is...I can't imagine anyone on the fence who is generally out of touch with issues saying to themselves...well I think I'll vote AGAINST the Bush/Cheney ticket because these guys brought up the fact that Cheney's daughter is gay.

But yes the backlash of anti-Kerryism might trigger some to conclude...wait a minute...maybe ALL they want to do is slam this guy.

[BayouWoman]

10. Here! Here!

Great story!

[On the Road]

11. Wow -- I Was Starting to Worry

It's difficult to predict people's reaction on a subject like this.

[kokomo]

16. It was okay for the Cheneys to pimp Mary's lesbian lifestyle when....

the gay Log Cabin Republicans were talking about bolting the party at the Republican National Convention. After all, ONE MILLION gay Republicans voted for Bush in 2000, and so the pandering, using Mary as a pawn, is okay when Republicans do it.

Plus, she is not a "child" of Cheney when she is an active gay activist, active campaign worker, and THIRTY FIVE YEARS OLD!

[faithnotgreed]

17. all very good points kokomo! nt

[faithnotgreed]

12. tell them thanks from all of us for their respect and good hearts

we sure do need them!

[Grillymom]

13. The good news

is that they are representative of others who view the issue similarly. They just might talk to friends in Fla or Ohio who could be persuaded.

[wurzel]

14. What did the Cheney's find so offensive about Kerry comment?

Did they regard his remark as an attack on Mary Cheney? Was it an attack on Dick Cheney? Was it an attack on the Religious Right that supports Cheney? A Religious Right that has told us Mary Cheney will go to Hell? What are these Repukes talking about?

[AP]

15. Cheney-Bush's counter-spin is directed at fundies and not at your Aunt/Unc

If it were aimed at thinking moderates, the attack would be phrased differently--it would be more policy-philosophically oriented. It's phrased in terms of Kerry being a "bad person." "Bad character" is the catchphrase for fundies.

The fundies are the ones who might lose enthusiasm for Bush if they associate him with a gay person. And it's the fundies they're trying to keep on board with the counter attack. If Bush loses your aunt and uncle over their counterspin, it's OK for Bush so long as they're keeping 5 fundies from jumping ship. (The alternative -- had they not countered -- was to keep your aunt and uncle but lose 5 fundies.)

[IIgnoreNobody]

21. They've given up on moderates and undecideds

the Bush campaign is all about their 'base' now...

[KurtNYC]

24. I think this is a wedge issue for their base

The more they talk about it, the more uncomfortable the fundies will be. It is a no win for the B/C team.

[AP]

28. I agree. They have to publicize a fact they don't want publicized in order

to spin against Kerry.

It's amazing that at E minus 18 days, this is the best thing they have to run on.

Gosh, I guess the war and the economy must really be in the crapper.

[nikatnyte]

18. I was expecting this to happen

and I'll bet it's happening all across the country within families who have gay members.

[dicknbush]

19. I had this strange image in my head....

A couple of nights ago I watched "Witches of Eastwick". Last night I suddenlly had this thought that actress who played the wacky busy body neighbor (Veronica Cartwright) in this particular movie looked a bit like.....LYN CHENEY! Does anyone have the capacity to locate a photo form that movie with the character of Veronica Cartwright in it and put it beside Lyn Cheney? Sort of like the Zell Miller phot and the leader of the Bad guys from Star wars.

[Fridays Child]

20. Yes, the high art of feigned outrage...

It's the most important weapon in the neocon arsenal.

[evilqueen]

22. Got Questions?

The transcript of what Kerry actually said is available online. If you read what he actually SAID, there is nothing offensive there. Nothing.

What is offensive is how the Cheney's are now spinning it.

Cheney actually THANKED Edwards when he said the same thing in their debate.

Flip-flop?

See Dick run. Run Dick run.

You can run, but you can't hide... muahahahaha.

[KurtNYC]

25. the transcript...

...I want to ask you a more basic question. Do you believe homosexuality is a choice? ... (Bush answers first, ducks question)

KERRY: We're all God's children, Bob. And I think if you were to talk to Dick Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, she would tell you that she's being who she was, she's being who she was born as.

seems somewhat neutral to me

[mfritz]

26. It's the start of a Rove dirty trick

Rove is notorious for creating vicious attacks on his own candidate and blaming them on his opponent. Especially very close to the election when it's too late to respond. So here's what I'm afraid will happen next:

Rove creates a disgusting homophobic attack on Mary Cheney. Next he distributes the attack in a conservative area and blames it on the Kerry campaign. They push the story relentlessly on right wing radio, Fox News, etc. The mainstream media picks up the story of how Kerry will do anything to get elected. He'll even attack Cheney's family. Kerry denies he had anything to do with the attack, but there's no evidence to link it to Rove. Kerry's campaign is knocked off message as they respond to this controversy. There's a backlash against Kerry, moderates switch to Bush. Democrats are demoralized and turnout is lower than expected.

If Kerry wins a close election they then scream voter fraud. After all, Kerry is willing to do anything to win, he even attacked Cheney's daughter!

I hope I'm wrong, but this is how they guy operates. I hope Kerry is ready.

[CheshireCat]

27. MY fundie life-long repuke sister-in-law

is saying that she will either vote for Kerry or stay home!

This is major!

The thing that turned her around was the flu vaccine fiasco. She couldn't believe that it had been outsourced. She lives in a small "mill" village where all the mills have closed down and moved to other countries. Outsourcing is a BIG issue in this small SC town.

A month ago she was still for Bush. She knows nothing of the issues and doesn't want to know. She is a racist and feels at home in the SC republican party.