Kerry exposes Cheney's political hypocricy

Matt Virgile Guest Writer

Until recently, the topic of homosexuality has largely been taboo in American culture and politics. While politicians formerly ignored the issue or dismissed it as being trivial, the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s forced them to address it and recognize it as a significant reality in America. To this day, however, many Americans are still uncomfortable discussing homosexuality, promoting a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy to avoid confronting the issue.

So it came as a big surprise at the third Presidential debate two weeks ago when President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry were asked whether or not they believe homosexuality is a choice. Bush replied that he didn’t know and went on to stress tolerance for homosexuals, but still opposed same-sex marriage, defending the sanctity of traditional marriage between a man and woman.

Kerry’s reply sparked outrage among Republicans: “We’re all God’s children. 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.” Kerry went on to support his statement with examples of people he had met who struggled to accept their sexual preferences, but no one seemed to take notice, as his mention of Dick Cheney’s daughter became the center of attention in the media.

So why did Kerry refer to Mary Cheney? Conservatives say it was a cheap shot and that Kerry’s intent was to turn religious right-wing voters against Bush. Columnist Richard Benedetto called it “a smarmy attempt to remind conservative Christians, most of who support Bush, that his running mate has a lesbian daughter living in sin.” Although conservative Christians may feel less supportive of Dick Cheney for this reason, it is extremely unlikely that this would cause them to support Kerry, since his stances on gay rights, abortion, and stem-cell research all conflict with their beliefs.

Although Kerry claims that he “was trying to say something positive about the way strong families deal with the issue,” he never directly commended Dick Cheney for dealing with his daughter’s sexual preference. So, it appears that he had other intentions in mentioning her. Some liberals say that Kerry’s intent was the complete opposite of what the conservatives say: it was not to turn anti-gay voters against Bush and Cheney by portraying Cheney as a gay sympathizer, but rather to turn everyone else against them by portraying Cheney as being cruel and putting politics before his own family.

Commentator Andrew Sullivan stated that the reference to Mary Cheney “exposes the rank hypocrisy of people like President Bush and Dick and Lynne Cheney who don’t believe gays are anti-family demons, but want to win the votes of people who do.” Sadly but truthfully, the Republican party has heavily depended on the support of many anti-gay advocates and voters within the religious right. Illinois Senate candidate Alan Keyes referred to homosexuals as “selfish hedonists” at the last Republican National Convention, and Pat Robertson stated that homosexuals and satanists “seem to go together.”

In addition, the Christian Coalition under Ralph Reed has led fierce opposition to gay rights. Dick Cheney also admitted at the Vice Presidential debate that he believes the issue of gay marriage should be left to the states, but that President Bush “sets the policy for this administration, and I support the President.” Clearly, Cheney is keeping quiet about his stance on gay rights because his political support is more important to him.

In the midst of all this, what does Mary Cheney think? Mysteriously, she has declined to comment, just as she has kept quiet for the last four years. Even more mysterious was when she and her partner, Heather Poe, did not join her family onstage after her father’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.

Could it just be that she’s camera-shy? Nobody knows for sure, but her absence from public view arouses suspicion that she is kept hidden for political reasons. Julie Tolleson, a board member of Equal Rights Colorado, stated: “I think she’s stuck between the same rock and hard place as her father—that party allegiances dictate silence at best on gay and lesbian issues. She’s supporting her father’s ticket, as good daughters do.”

Kerry’s reference to Mary Cheney revealed an ugly truth about politics: politicians will say what people want to hear, regardless of their personal beliefs. Dick Cheney puts his popularity above fair treatment for his daughter. Kerry's crime in mentioning her was solely exposing Dick Cheney to be the hypocrite that he is.