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10.15.04 Mary Cheney

I was stunned to see the Republican flap over Kerry's remark about Mary Cheney. Wasn't it a response to a question about "gay" being a "choice"? Kerry more or less said Mary Cheney knows it isn't and her family loves her for who she is.

Why are the Cheneys flipping out?

Tonight in Talking Points Memo, Josh Marshall wrote:

A couple more points about the Mary Cheney brouhaha. First, Mary Cheney isn't simply the vice-president's daughter. She's managing her father's campaign. She's Bush-Cheney '04's 'Director  of Vice Presidential Operations.'  

A reader (RS) notes another point ... Lynne Cheney called Kerry's mention of her daughter "cheap and tawdry." Those are words redolent of associations with sexual deviance, not rough campaign tactics. She might have said what he did was 'mean-spirited', 'underhanded', 'devious', 'inappropriate', 'wrong'. She chose 'cheap and tawdry'. Interesting ...

I think the cheesiness award goes to the Cheneys. First, they decided to blow a thoughtful remark into a bruhaha. If they thought their daughter's privacy was violated, wouldn't the noble thing be to let the remark pass unnoted? Oh, no, they had to take it to the major media outlets, who have been amplifying it ever since.

Then, I do think their fuss represents their true sentiments about their child's homosexuality. They love their daughter, but there is something terribly wrong with her that must only be discussed in the most hushed tones. If she had cystic fibrosis and Kerry mentioned it, would they be freaking out?

The Cheney's certainly understand the need for good health insurance because of the brave battle they've had with their daughter Mary.

Would they have freaked out?

It's more as if he'd said:

There are certain vices I believe should be decriminalized. I can imagine the heartbreak the Cheneys have had to endure ever since their beautiful daughter was thrown in jail for prostitution. Who did she hurt, really?

Or:

Certainly, I'm for choice. And I know the Cheneys agree, ever since they had to pay out-of-pocket for their daughter's second trimester abortion. Ooo -- I'm glad I got my own daughters to Planned Parenthood before they had to face that dilemma. And before Planned Parenthood was defunded by this administration.

It must be achy-heartbreaky when you rigidly believe something and your child -- just by her being -- proves you wrong. I don't have children, but my impression is that children tend to teach parents things that their parents weren't prepared to learn. How many prospective parents have said, "No child of mine will ever..." and then had to eat their words? Most of them just shrug their shoulders and carry on. Life brings its lessons.

I feel sorry for the Cheneys. Tough to be ideologues whose kids can't conform. They know it's not her choice or they would have disowned her long ago. I'm not sure what to think of Mary. Maybe she's simply proof that even "deviant" children can sacrifice their own identities for the love of their parents.

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