Veep's daughter takes Web hits

New York daily News ^ | 2/25/04 | Helen Kennedy

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

WASHINGTON - Gay activists have a message for Vice President Cheney's gay daughter: Mary, Mary, be contrary.

Mary Cheney, a former lesbian activist who heads the veep's reelection campaign, has been silent on the White House's proposal to ban gay marriage.

Now, thousands of gays are sending her postcards via a Web site - DearMary.com - that hopes to bring the battle home to the White House.

"Two years ago, this woman was the gay mascot of the Republican Party, wooing us for our money and our votes," said John Aravosis, who set up the Web site. "She sold us a bad bill of goods."

The online messages are very personal. Some recount their own joys and sadnesses and others mention her and her dad, who opposed a gay marriage ban in 2000 but now supports one.

"Ask your father how he'd feel if he couldn't visit your mother in the hospital during an illness," reads one. "Ask your father how he'd feel if he had to fight to become your legal guardian after you were born."

Cheney, 34, was once a leader of the Republican Unity Coalition, which tries to unite gays and party moderates. She had no comment, but the RUC blasted Bush's proposal as "divisive."

[NYCVirago]

I love how the media parrots the line that she was a "lesbian activist." I thought her former job was as a marketing person for Coors Beer -- she worked with gays and lesbian businesses on corporate tie-ins. Big difference from being a Dykes on Bikes member.

[Kerberos]

"she worked with gays and lesbian businesses on corporate tie-ins. "

What kind of gay and lesbian businesses have corporate tie-ins?

[alwaysconservative]

Once again, this proves that for Democrats, party affiliation counts more than individual thought or merit. You're not really a lesbian, according to them, if you support a ban on gay marriage. You're not really a black if you're conservative. You're not really a feminist thinker unless you vote with the rest of the collective.

Can't they see how indefensible this is? Oh wait, what am I thinking? Of course they cannot. If they step away from group think, there is no individual thought allowed.

[backhoe]

I find this ( oh, so typical ) leftist taunting, carping, hectoring ( dare I call it "stalking?" ) and baiting of Mary Cheney repugnant in the extreme. They should leave her the H!ll alone. Where is their much-vaunted "tolerance?"

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

"Two years ago, this woman was the gay mascot of the Republican Party, wooing us for our money and our votes," said John Aravosis, who set up the Web site. "She sold us a bad bill of goods."

Meaning... what, exactly? "Oh, drat, drat they wiley Mary Cheney! She assured us that a religious, socially conservative President would happy -- nay, ecstatic! -- to legalize the exact same sort of behavior for which men are occasionally arrested in public washrooms! Traitor! Quisling! Judas -- !"

Shyeah. Right. I so wanna see the campaign stump speech where any sort of quid pro quo along THOSE lines was even so much as hinted at...! :)

[trebb]

What an unlovely lot - she may be one of them, but unless she proves to be "one of them" they are willing to destroy her in their effort to play politics.

[dagnabbit]

Which one is grimmer looking, Mary Cheney, or Dick Gephardt's daughter? Photos?

[NYCVirago]

What kind of gay and lesbian businesses have corporate tie-ins?

Beer and tobacco companies spend a lot of money "targeting" various "communities". What Mary Cheney did at Coors was target money towards bars, events, and magazines in the gay community -- e.g. buying ads in the Advocate, sponsoring bar promotions, etc. When she was hired at Coors, some gays were boycotting the beer because they considered the company anti-gay. She apparently was able to change that perception.

[Kerberos]

"When she was hired at Coors, some gays were boycotting the beer because they considered the company anti-gay. She apparently was able to change that perception."

Thanks for clarifying that for me.