NPR Badgers Lynne Cheney on Daughter

NewsMax ^ | February 18, 2005 | Carl Limbacher

[Stoat]

 

NPR Badgers Lynne Cheney on Daughter

It didn't get much attention - probably because National Public Radio has so few listeners - but the taxpayer-funded network's Terry Gross recently tried to pull a John Kerry on second lady Lynne Cheney, by repeatedly hectoring her about her gay daughter Mary during a Feb. 9 interview.

After saying she knew Mrs. Cheney didn't want to discuss her daughter's private life, Gross proceeded to do just that, peppering the second lady with one question after another about the proposed constitutional gay marriage amendment and its impact on parents of gay children.

 

Mrs. Cheney, who was invited on the show to discuss her new book, "When Washington Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots," actually responded to the initial inquiry with a fairly detailed answer (see full transcript below). But the NPR host wasn't satisfied and kept pounding away on the issue.

Here's a snippet from folks who used to maintain that the private lives of elected officials are none of the public's business:

GROSS: When [President Bush] said that this amendment would be for the good of children, families and society, I couldn't help but wonder if parents of gays and lesbians would see it as being good for their families. And ...

CHENEY: I don't support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and I'll leave it right there.

GROSS: Is it because of the issue of gay marriage itself or is it because it should just be a state issue and not ...

CHENEY: Terry, I don't support the idea of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and I will leave it right there.

GROSS: Just one more question about the position that you're in.

CHENEY: Terry, I really think that we came hear to discuss history more than current events and I've made my position clear.

GROSS: Is it difficult to be in a position where you're different from the president?

CHENEY: Well, not too difficult, since I've done it - how many times now in the last ten minutes? Perhaps six? I've made my position clear. END OF EXCERPT

We trust that the next time Sen. Clinton pops in for a sit-down at NPR, Ms. Gross and her colleagues will be equally tenacious about why - to pick a topic at random - neither Hillary nor her husband have ever responded to questions about Juanita Broaddrick's sexual assault allegation.

The full Cheney-Gross exchange went like this:

GROSS: I don't want to ask you any questions about your daughter Mary because I know that you don't like to do anything that would be an invasion of her privacy. But I do want to ask your position as the mother of a gay daughter, because I think this impacts on public policy, and on the lives ...

CHENEY: How?

GROSS: Well, because the Republican Party and the President of the United States has [sic] called for a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. And because that would impact, not only the lives of gays and lesbians, but the lives of parents of gays and lesbians, I think that it would be interesting to hear your position on that constitutional amendment.

Now I know you've said you think the issue should be left to the states [but] I'd be interested to hear what you think about the issue of banning gay marriage, since it's not only an important issue in the party - you know, the president spoke about it in the State of the Union - um, and, you know, it was an important issue, I think, in getting out the evangelist vote.

CHENEY: I don't support an amendment to the Constitution banning gay marriage.

GROSS: Could you tell me why?

CHENEY: Well, I think it's a matter that should be left to the states. As a conservative I don't support constitutional amendments in general unless the cause is clear and evident. The issue here is that some people think a constitutional amendment is necessary in order to preserve the right for the states. I happen to not to come down on that side of the issue. And, indeed, there are many Republicans who do.

If you looked at our national convention, for example, among the prominent speakers - Governor Schwarzenegger, Rudy Giuliani - feel the same way. It's not an issue that sets the Republican Party apart in one great mass. It's an issue where people differ.

GROSS: In his State of the Union address, President Bush said that because marriage is a sacred institution and the foundation of society, it should not be redefined by activist judges. "For the good of families, children and society, I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage."

When he said that this amendment would be for the good of children, families and society, I couldn't help but wonder if parent of gays and lesbians would see it as being good for their families. And ...

CHENEY: I don't support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and I'll leave it right there.

GROSS: Is it because of the issue of gay marriage itself or is it because it should just be a state issue and not ...

CHENEY: Terry, I don't support the idea of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and I will leave it right there.

GROSS: Just one more question about the position that you're in.

CHENEY: Terry, I really think that we came hear to discuss history more than current events and I've made my position clear.

GROSS: Is it difficult to be in a position where you're different from the president?

CHENEY: Well, not too difficult, since I've done it - how many times now in the last ten minutes? Perhaps six? I've made my position clear.

 

[parisa]

Joe magnolia is obviously a troll!!! Read his/her other posts.

BUT, the delicious part is that he/she is too...shall we say in his/her own words, dimbocrat to realize that the joke here has been on him/her.

[JustaCowgirl]

Liberalism is sometimes a thin veneer for exceedingly nasty, violent points of view, along with extreme intolerance for differing views in others.

Conservatism can be, also. He seems to be one of those people.

[Chef Dajuan]

So, he's got all those degrees and clout. That doesn't mean he has a lot of common sense.

Plus I agree with the late Barry Goldwater on "social" conservatism.

BTW, I'm studying to be a master chef..can either you or he boil water?

[rahbert]

He sounds like the Martian cartoon character!

[Ignatius J Reilly]

"If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" John 4:20

Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

[Chef Dajuan]

Up Uranus

[proud American in Canada]

"because I think this impacts on public policy, and on the lives ...

CHENEY: How?"

LOL! Way to go, Mrs. Cheney. Excellent answer.

[politicket]

FreeRepublic is a privately owned forum with stated posting guidelines. Try using them...

[proust]

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

You're still reading too much into my question. Anyway, Jesus told Mary to go and sin no more. The stone thing had nothing to do with not calling sin SIN. They were giving her a DEATH sentence with those stones. It gets misinterpreted.

Loving your enemies, turning the other cheek..is not the same thing. Besides, should we love Osama and turn the other cheek? I think we are to apply that to personal offenses -- not seeking revenge. No more "eye for an eye." We can't turn other people's cheek, or a collective cheek, etc... It has nothing to do with embracing sin or not seeking justice, etc.. I do not see where it applies to our accepting sin over and over again. It can only be applied on a personal basis regarding a wrong done to yourself personally.

I just want the Bible reference about how we are supposed to hate the sin but love the sinner. I hear that phrase all the time. I just want a reference.

Here's another question: When Jesus sent the disciples out to preach repentance and forgiveness, what did He tell them to do when/if the message was rejected? Question 2: What did Jesus say to do when a brother in the church sinned? Was it "hate the sin but love the sinner"? If so, in what specific way did he say we should "love" the sinner?

[Orbiter]

"BTW, I'm studying to be a master chef..can either you or he boil water?

I can't decide if you're trying to change the subject, or just a natural at making punctuation and spelling errors. Anyway, the eating public will, no doubt, savor the deciphering of your first menu at the Mystery Dinner-Show (will you be serving crow?).

[Ignatius J Reilly]

Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ...shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
-I Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV)

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love toward him.
-II Corinthians 2:6-8 (KJV)

[Eva]

Lynne Cheney should have told the interviewer that she seemed especially fixated on her daughter's sexuality and private life and asked her if she was Gay.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Your post 125 is more on track. But how did Jesus show love to the sinning Pharisees? How did He show love to Judas -- the ultimate betrayer/sinner? How did He show love to the unrepentant sinner hanging next to Him on the cross? Compare that to His response to the repentant sinner.

I think you meant I John. Anyway, how are we to show love to a sinning brother. Look that up. It's there. I'm all for loving the sinner, as long as we are talking about the kind of love that helps bring the sinner to repentance.

Jude 3-4: Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord."

I just think the gospel of Christ gets watered down and distorted too frequently these days, all in the name of "loving the sinner." Love and sin do not mix. True godly love always includes the truth about sin.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

The church discipline passages are Matt 18:15-20, 1 Cor. 5:4-13, 2 Thess. 3:6,14. You referenced the mercy given once the sinner penitent.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

BTW, you're doing great and being patient with my questions. I just wanted to get you guys to think about those little cliches we always use. They don't always give a clear picture of the real gospel message, imo.

[Ignatius J Reilly]

"I just think the gospel of Christ gets watered down and distorted too frequently these days"

Indeed that is true, I thought there was something of relevance to this argument in Matthew and so was looking through and was thinking about the passages of the sinfulness of lust etc and there it is plain as day the sinfulness of divorce. I know MANY christians who have been down this road several times with never a thought to the view He has of this .Divorce is doing as much to discredit the snactity of marraige as anything (Britney, Rush)

Anyway I need to get the heck out of here, thanks for the discussion you bring up some good points/questions which I will ponder. I'll leave you with one last ...

Matthew 5:7 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Yeah I've got to go too. Thanks for sticking this out with me. Christians have grown soft on sin. We love the sin and are kind of indifferent to the sinner. We need to turn back to the God of the Bible, imo.

[Ann Archy]

LESBIAN????? She doesn't even look as feminine as a gay man!