posted on August 25, 2004 07:19:52 AM new
When one has a gay child their views suddenly change.
Cheney backs `freedom' of gay couples
By Richard Simon
Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times
Published August 25, 2004
DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Vice President Dick Cheney, whose oldest daughter is a lesbian, said Tuesday he believed that decisions about same-sex marriages should be left to the states, contending that "freedom means freedom for everyone."
Despite his personal view, he added, President Bush is his boss, and Bush favors an amendment to the Constitution banning such marriages. "The president makes policy for the administration," Cheney said.
His comments came in response to a question during an invitation-only town hall meeting in Davenport.
Cheney's remarks were his first this year on the gay marriage issue while campaigning.
Religious conservatives, a key part of the Republican coalition, strongly support a federal ban on same-sex marriage. But recent Senate debate on the issue showed that it is a divisive subject among GOP lawmakers. Cheney's view represents a rare break by him from the party's conservative base.
"Lynne and I have a gay daughter, so it's an issue that our family is very familiar with," Cheney said Tuesday. "With respect to the question of relationships, my general view is that freedom means freedom for everyone. People ... ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to.
"The question that comes up with respect to the issue of marriage is what kind of official sanction or approval is going to be granted by government. ... Historically, that's been a relationship that has been handled by the states. The states have made that basic fundamental decision in terms of defining what constitutes a marriage," he said.
His audience included his lesbian daughter, Mary, a campaign staff member.
Cheney took a similar position in the 2000 campaign, when he said that "people should be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to enter into. It's really no one else's business in terms of trying to regulate or prohibit behavior in that regard."
On Tuesday, the vice president said he could understand why Bush pushed for the proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriages after the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court made such unions legal in that state.
"I think his perception was that the courts, in effect, were beginning to change, without allowing the people to be involved," Cheney said. "The courts ... were making the judgment for the entire country."
Asked later about the difference between Bush's and Cheney's positions on the constitutional amendment, Anne Womack, a spokeswoman for the vice president, responded: "The vice president respects the president's right to make that decision."
Cheney's comments Tuesday prompted criticism from Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council. In a statement, he wondered "why the vice president is allowed to depart from this position when the top of the ticket is unified on all other issues.
"I find it hard to believe the vice president would stray from the administration's position on defense policy or tax policy," he said.
Cheryl Jacques, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay and lesbian advocacy organization, said Cheney's position illustrates that same-sex marriage "is a personal issue that affects hard-working, taxpaying Americans."
Let's have a BBQ, Texas style, ROAST BUSH
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YOU CAN'T HAVE BULLSH** WITH OUT BUSH.
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We the people, in order to form a more perfect Union....
.....one Nation indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for ALL.
posted on August 25, 2004 10:55:32 AM new
Logans, I am glad you posted this! I am curious myself as to how twelve and maybe some of the others feel about what he said.
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What do you think twelve? I think it was a brilliantly diplomatic position of him to take given his daughter and that output of personal honesty that he is ofen accused of not having. But I also think it was a very 'safe' move for him to make given the fact that it would seem although Bush is for this (which I suspect is just to appease his ultra right faction of voters.) it(the ammendment) is probably not going to happen anyway. If they can shuffle it around for three more years Bush should be okay. lol. Still, I was impressed Cheney came around to this.
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~~ Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues(forces)of life..Proverbs 4:23~~
posted on August 25, 2004 11:52:50 AM new
I see no problem with Cheney's statements. He believes it should remain a state issue and with DOMA that the position is safe. Others disagree and worry that DOMA could be overturned and would like to see a Constitutional change brought about. It didn't happen this time....but it may in the future. Those who support traditional marriage aren't going to end their fight.
And by Cheney saying the states should decide....and the fact being that almost all states *have* voted in some sort of *anti-gay marriage* laws....I don't see it as a big deal.
posted on August 25, 2004 12:27:38 PM new
Neroter, based on his statement "freedom means freedom for everyone" along with the comment "people should be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to enter into. It's really no one else's business in terms of trying to regulate or prohibit behavior in that regard".
I feel he is in favor of allowing gays to marry which surprises me given Bush's views. However I do not think he will come out and give an opinion one way or another in plain English given Bush's views. His comments are close as we will get for an answer.
Let's have a BBQ, Texas style, ROAST BUSH
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YOU CAN'T HAVE BULLSH** WITH OUT BUSH.
------------------------------
We the people, in order to form a more perfect Union....
.....one Nation indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for ALL.
posted on August 25, 2004 02:47:58 PM new
kerry and edwards are both against gay marriages...and have publicly stated their positions.
Where a VP stands on any issue does not carry the weight that the position of the sitting President does.
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"One thing is for sure: the extremists have faith in our weakness. And the weaker we are, the more they will come after us." --Tony Blair
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"The War on Terror will not be won until America is united. And as long as Democrats target the Bush administration -- not the terrorists -- as the enemy, we are in trouble." --Oliver North
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Those are only two reasons why we need to:
posted on August 25, 2004 04:43:47 PM new
Where a VP stands on any issue does not carry the weight that the position of the sitting President does.
That's a crock of poop if I ever heard one.
Suddenly what the VP says doesn't mean anything. So I guess if Cheney goes out and campaigns for Bush the public shouldn't believe a word he says. So I guess Cheney's views don't matter when he casts the deciding vote in a 50-50 tie in the Senate.
Oh wait, it is because Cheney's view doesn't support your view Linda. Who are you trying to kid here. Oh wait that's right you still believe the US nuclear missles will launch by themselves (computer activated) if we are attacked.
If Bush suddenly dies then I guess you are in trouble because then it will be Cheney's views that matter.
Time to stop smoking the Bible Belt dope you have there.
Let's have a BBQ, Texas style, ROAST BUSH
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YOU CAN'T HAVE BULLSH** WITH OUT BUSH.
------------------------------
We the people, in order to form a more perfect Union....
.....one Nation indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for ALL.
posted on August 25, 2004 04:52:14 PM new
Cheney is NOT for homosexual marriages, he is NOT against homosexual relationships... big difference.
I think most people are for the States to decide, however criminals like in CA make that difficult, MA is going to decide again in 2006... the people will make the call.
Most States support DOMA, what is crock is the homosexuals saying "let the states decide"
What is going to happen is HR3313 will pass, President will sign it and then any state decision such as MO cannot be interfered with by any Federal Authority.
posted on August 25, 2004 05:25:36 PM new
Linda_K more lies!!!! People like you that twist words into lies are GETTING CAUGHT UP WITH. ITS THE OLD GAME OF DIVIDE AND CONQUER AND BUSH IS LOSING.
posted on August 25, 2004 06:01:45 PM new
logansdad - Maybe it's because I don't smoke pot that my mind is MUCH clearer than yours, because I NEVER said:
Oh wait that's right you still believe the US nuclear missles will launch by themselves (computer activated) if we are attacked.
Maybe part of your problem is you tend to accuse others of your own personal practices - making false accusations like: "Time to stop smoking the Bible Belt dope you have there.
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See, logansdad and now bigpeepa....calling me a liar isn't going to cut it anymore. You don't/can't back up all the false statements you use...I do back up my true statements.
kerry and edwards are BOTH against gay marriages and have stated they believe the decision should be left to the states. Cheney agrees on the 'leaving it to the states' issue.
to verify that just check out the NYT on 7-12-04 and you will read this:
Mr. Kerry and Mr. Edwards say that they oppose gay marriage but that the matter should be left to the states.
Now....either of you prove me a liar...like you're always calling me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"One thing is for sure: the extremists have faith in our weakness. And the weaker we are, the more they will come after us." --Tony Blair
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"The War on Terror will not be won until America is united. And as long as Democrats target the Bush administration -- not the terrorists -- as the enemy, we are in trouble." --Oliver North
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Those are only two reasons why we need to:
posted on August 26, 2004 01:08:37 AM new
Oh Helen,
You got her AGAIN! I do back up my true statements. So Linda, don't you back up your twisted lies?
Also Linda, I have noticed for a long time that you never capitalize the names of Kerry and Edwards, but always Bush and Cheney. Why is that. Does you maturity level not allow you to have respect for them?
Bigots are miserable people. Prevent Bigotry through Education.
posted on August 26, 2004 09:10:06 AM newOh Helen, You got her AGAIN
Yeager, I guess you missed it where Helen posted someone's BLOG as if were a reference of credible news fact?
That was quite a laugh when hergotagain discovered THAT gotagain!!
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~~ Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues(forces)of life..Proverbs 4:23~~
[ edited by neroter12 on Aug 26, 2004 09:26 AM ]
Some blogs contain information more reliable than sources such as MSNBC, CNN, The Washington Post and certainly more accurate than Drudge, Worldnetdaily or the Moonie rag.
Juan Cole, for example is able to translate Arabic and present a reliable account daily on the situation in Iraq from the viewpoint of someone with an interest in comparative history and Islamics. If you want, you can check his curriculam vitae here and his Publications here.
This is just one example ....the kind of information you can't find at Drudge or Moonieville or even from recognized American media.
posted on August 26, 2004 09:53:23 AM new
Okay Helen. I can agree someone can post info on a blog that they GOT from a reliable newsource...but it was kinda funny when it was brought to light because blogs really cannot be counted on as such for being fact-finding credible resources.
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~~ Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues(forces)of life..Proverbs 4:23~~
posted on August 26, 2004 10:08:26 AM new
It's absolutely true that some aren't reliable, just as some newspapers aren't reliable. But it's also true that some are far superior than any single news source easily available.
Another advantage is that the better blogs filter out information that is erroneous and unreliable, working much like a BS detector.
I do back up my true statements. So Linda, don't you back up your twisted lies?
Prevent Bigotry through Education.