Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that he supports same-sex unions and believes that the question should be left to the states — as opposed to a federal prohibition or constitutional amendment. Cheney, who has a lesbian daughter, insisted “I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone. I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kind of arrangement they wish.”
It now appears that Cheney is not opposed to civil rights or civil liberty arguments so long as it affects his immediate family. Just as it only takes a waterboarding experience to convince conservatives that it is torture, all it took for Cheney to recognize same-sex marriage is a daughter who is a lesbian.
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Somebody must have waterboarded him.
Ah, the rehabilitation tour has begun. What next, women’s suffrage?
THIS JUST IN–Cheney supports waterboarding between consenting adults!!! (By consent he means, he and bush consented to have it done to someone else.)
why does he not speak on the issue as he was the last couple of weeks,regarding “EIT”
He was very forceful in his conviction on that subject,and he probably is on this one since it is his daughter.
But on this one he was doing a lot of “hard swallowing” and a lot of garbled talk.
Its like he got his hand caught in the cookie jar.
Is he only pontificating on this subject to distract from the real thing that we should all be interested in Cheney for, namely mismanagement of this country over the last 8 years?
I guess this takes the “I love Dick Cheney” bumper sticker to a whole new level?
Here’s an idea. Induct the draft dodging Cheney in to the U.S. Army, send him over for a tour in Afghanistan, followed by a tour in South Korea. Let him be captured by the North Koreans and imprisoned and inflicted with “enhanced interrogation techniques”. Break him out, bring him home, and then see how his story changes on a lot of things.
The awful thing about this is, coming out in support of gay rights will lose Cheney about 1/2 of his remaining hard core supporters. No, he won’t lose them because he authorized torture. He won’t lose them because he falsely lead us into a war that has cost so many lives. No, it will be his support of lesbian and gay people’s right to marry that will turn stanch supporters into his enemies.
And this:
“On the question of whether or not Iraq was involved in 9-11, there was never any evidence to prove that,” he (Cheney) told the “On The Record” host in a joint interview with his daughter Liz. “There was “some reporting early on … but that was never borne out,” Cheney said. “George … did say and did testify that there was an ongoing relationship between al-Qaeda and Iraq, but no proof that Iraq was involved in 9-11.”
Well, I’m willing to say: Good On You Cheney.
Being willing to admit the faults of allies goes hand and hand with admitting the good in enemies.
Once a Dick always a Dick. WOW, what is the reason for change? Is something blowing around him?
Gyres
You’re right. I think your statement reflects the kind of tolerance President Obama, in is effort to get us to move forward, is trying to teach us all.
Given the fact that Cheney’s have a gay daughter, I have to fight the urge to see this as anything but just another example of Republicans railing against something that would be actually good for OTHER people until it directly affects them, their family or their wallet and then suddenly gay marriage (Cheney) or stem cell research (Jesse Helms) or national healthcare (large corporations) is their cause celebre’.
Maybe he is doing a Lee Atwater that ran GeoI campaign against Dukakis and ended up with cancer and was dying. He call Michael and apologized for the things that he had done and said about him and that he would have probably made a better president that the one he helped get elected.
Lee Atwater:
“In 1988, fighting Dukakis, I said that I ‘would strip the bark off the little bastard’ and ‘make Willie Horton his running mate.’ I am sorry for both statements: the first for its naked cruelty, the second because it makes me sound racist, which I am not. Mostly I am sorry for the way I thought of other people. Like a good general, I had treated everyone who wasn’t with me as against me.”
Lee Atwater who was George HW Bush’s political consultant and strategist has his life story told on PBS’ Frontline earlier tonight.Lee Atwater who was also Karl Rove’s mentor was once called the “most evil man in America,” because he often aimed to completely destroy his opponent’s character. Lee Atwater’s Deathbed Confession before dying of tumors is as followed:
“I was wrong to follow the meanness of Conservatism. I should have been trying to help people instead of take advantage of them. I don’t hate anyone anymore. For the first time in my life I don’t hate somebody. I have nothing but good feelings toward people. I’ve found Jesus Christ – It’s that simple. He’s made a difference.”
Cheney advocating gay marriage?
did one of us drop acid this morning?
Funny, I don’t remember getting high today.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that he supports same-sex unions and believes that the question should be left to the states — as opposed to a federal prohibition or constitutional amendment. Cheney, who has a lesbian daughter, insisted “I think, you know, freedom means freedom for everyone. I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kind of arrangement they wish.”
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In rereading this I do believe that he did not say that he really supports Gay Marriage. He just is a realist and believes that this would never be a National Referendum with sufficient support to ban Gay Marriages.
Its a darn shame this hypocritical loser didn’t say things like that when he had some power and could have made a difference. I don’t give him any points at all for too little, too late to be of use.
I did not think that I would live to see the day when I actually agreed with Dick Cheney on any issue. Could there be a crack in the Darth Vader armor usually worn by Cheney?
Gays can marry, but they couldn’t even serve….
Put this chutzpah-beast out of its misery.
Jericho,
I think Cheney needs a little more misery in his life after lying us into a war and ordering torture.
Anon:
Lee Atwater was a neocon, so was GHWB. Reagan should have chosen Jack Kemp as his running mate instead of Idiot I.
Had he done so it is a good bet that we would not have had Gulf War I or Operation Iraqi Liberation (O.I.L) or Idiot II.
But as far as meanness, the democrats can handle themselves and are certainly not angels or choirboys.
Wow, Dick Cheney couldn’t backtrack faster if he were on roller skates. Why? In attempting to understand Mr. Cheney’s fevered rush to revisionism, it is probably safe to look to that most common motivator of human actions and one with which he has been familiar since his early years as an expert on draft deferment law: fear.
I hate to defend Cheney, but I’m pretty sure that this has been his point of view all along. During the previous administration, his statements on marriage equality pretty much amounted to “the president determines the policy for the administration.” Meanwhile his wife was much more openly supportive of LGB rights (not so sure about the T).
None of this excuses the Cheney’s decision to associate themselves with a bigoted organization whose primary goal seems to be marginalizing and discriminating against American citizens. I’m looking at you GOP!
Kent, you’re probably right. I believe Mr. Cheney had no real interest in domestic policy and was content to follow the party line in that regard, as long as he was able to dictate and implement foreign policy.
Ken,
I agree and disagree. I think you’re right that this is Cheney’s real view and has been for some time. He also made remarks that support this as you pointed out. On the other hand, he did not speak forthrightly in favor of lesbian and gay rights in many forums that would have helped advance equality based on sexual orientation. He hid his views and allowed hate to be spoken by those around him. His failure to speak up about the harm his party and closest associates were doing to others seems typical of Cheney to me.
Mike A.,
Did you ever read the Kellor book, “Angler”? Cheney took a great interest in some parts of domestic policy, ie: banking/economic policy. Everything we see crashing down around us in financial and economic policy had his hand in it. It’s really very interesting/scary. He made certain to put his people at least in the first 3 layers of the bureaucracy, not just in defense and “homeland security” but anywhere real power lies, that of course includes the economy.
Hi, Jill. I’ve been reading a book called “Angler” by Barton Gellman, but haven’t finished it yet because I’m constantly reading half a dozen books simultaneously. Is that the same book you’re talking about? Maybe I’m confused. Cheney sees enemies everywhere. He’s the most paranoid politician since Richard Nixon.
My Bad, Mike. Your author is correct. I’m mixing it up with the book about god, sorry! He does have quite the weltenschung!
Cheney’s been saying the same thing since before the 2004 election.
See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29862-2004Aug24.html