I feel that the "Cheney's lesbian daughter" comment will be the enduring sound bite of this debate, just as "need some wood?" was the bite for the 2nd debate.
I wonder if Homosexual groups,including the Logcabinsreps, and denounce this as hate speech, like they would if it were a republican,
Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 12:06 a.m. EDT
Firestorm Erupts Over Kerry's 'Lesbian' Attack
The White House blasted John Kerry Wednesday night for outing Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter as a "lesbian" during the third and final presidential debate.
"I don't think it was appropriate to bring in the private life of Vice President Cheney and his daughter into this debate at all," White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett told Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity.
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"I thought it was inappropriate and I don't think people like that type of personal politics being brought into the campaign this late in the game," he complained.
Kerry referred to Mary Cheney as a "lesbian" in answer to a question about whether he thought homosexuality was a choice.
"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 told debate moderator Bob Schieffer.
While Ms. Cheney's sexuality had been previously reported, the information was likely news to most debate watchers.
As the controversy heated up over Kerry's lesbian reference, his campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill said that Mary Cheney's sexuality was "fair game."
"There are a lot of questions here about gay marriage and she is someone who's a major figure in the campaign. I think it's fair game," Cahill told Fox.
At least one debate focus group reacted sharply when Sen. Kerry mentioned Ms. Cheney's sexuality.
"That got a very negative reaction in the focus group," said Fox debate correspondent Jim Angle, who noted that even reporters were disturbed by the stunt. "Here in the pressroom, there was a low groan when Sen. Kerry mentioned that," he said.
Fox debate panelist Mort Kondracke said Kerry's "outing" of Mary Cheney was a calculated effort to damage the Bush Cheney ticket in the eyes of conservative voters.
"I think it was totally underhanded - the outing of Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter. . . And it struck me as a low blow designed to weaken the Bush Cheney team with right wingers who might not know that Dick Cheney has a lesbian daughter," he said.
"I think it's dirty pool on the Kerry Edwards campaign's part."
Fox panelist Bill Kristol agreed, and wondered if the Kerry campaign would have to apologize for the gaffe.
"What John Kerry said was unbelieveable," he complained, zeroing in Mary Beth Cahill's "fair game" reference.
"What has Mary Cheney done to make herself 'fair game' for John Kerry to gratuitously introduce this in the debate? I wonder if Kerry's not going to have to apologize tomorrow."
Former Clinton strategist Dick Morris said Kerry's lesbian tactic was "horrible" and "vicious."
"Its worse than the private detectives Bill and Hillary used to use" against opponents, he told Fox
The Cheney daughter reference was crass and unseemly.
Worse for Kerry: every American woman should note that he had kinder things to say about Laura Bush than he did his own wife. Then he insulted his wife by essentially calling himself a giggilo. This man has no soul, a heart of stone.
You're right! The Kerry people try to equate it to the statement GW made 2 1/2 years ago about benLaden,and didn't even use the whole quote in context, and it doesn't wash!!!!That statement about Mary Cheney was classless and pandering and I hope will haunt him!!!