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.

 

[Lando Lincoln]

Hate the sin...love the sinner......Can you quote that Bible verse for me?It comes from my heart and I have the notion that when the moment comes, I will be judged more favorably for it than many on this thread who are so quick to pass judgement on a human flaw/failing. Jump on me if you like, but I will not engage in throwing around chapter and verse with self-proclaimed experts of the Lord and Jesus Christ.

Lando

[demlosers]

Many lesbians go with the "butch" look to attract other females.

[rahbert]

Ur favorite planet?

[scottywr]

The vast majority of the people who visit FR are firmly against the Homosexual lifestyle. What sets us apart from the DU is that generally we carry on our discussions and even arguments with a certain level of class and discourse. Your comment about Mrs. Cheney did not even come close to that standard. I do not pretend to know the minds of the Chaney's but I would be willing to bet that they have spoken to their daughter about not making her lifestyle an issue while her father is such a public figure, the fact that this issue is generally under the radar proves my point. Both Mr. and Mrs Cheney have continued to set the absolute highest standard of conservative behavior for all of us to admire. I think we can give them a little space on this issue.

[prairiebreeze]

I heard Mrs. Cheney was pestered about this, but hadn't read the transcript. Mrs. Cheney was gracious yet firm and assertive in her answers and IMO would have been justified in losing her patience and punching the NPR anchorette in the nose.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

and I have the notion that when the moment comes, I will be judged more favorably for it

I hope that works out for you, though you might not bring along that post as evidence of your great "love" and non-judgmentalism.

BTW, can godly love exist outside of truth? Is truth unloving?

[Lando Lincoln]

I'll take my chances. Thanks.

[oldbrowser]

Well, Lynne Cheney deserves it. Her daughter is a sinner and represents everything wrong with America. Why she hasn't publicly repudiated her daughter's perverted lifestyle is beyond me.

No, she doesn't deserve it. And No her daughter does not represent everything that is wrong with America. You apparently have never sinned or you wouldn't be throwing stones. This is a wonderful family and they are doing the best they can just like everybody else. Would you happen to be an "unchristian" lib trying to "pass" just to stir up controversy ?

[Old anti feminist]

Would anyone like to see 2 sodomites sitting accross from you at Thanksgiving dinner, and force nicities, especially the father of his once little girl, or 2 guys for that matter.Its sickening. I wouldn't accept that. Sure, you love your child, but separating from them is the only Godly thing to do, hoping they wake up. No one is born a queer.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

When did Christians get so pro-sin?

[Chef Dajuan]

So how's the rest of the Taliban?

[snugs]

**If we don't tolerate the homosexual agenda in our society, we shouldn't tolerate it in our families. Alan Keyes is a strong man who made the right choice. We just look like hypocrits if we embrace this.**

What has that got to do with Lynne Cheney?

[oldbrowser]

When did Christians get so pro-sin?

I am not promoting it. I am just saying that none of us has achieved perfection so we should not be so quick to condem.

[snugs]

**Mrs. Cheney is a wonderful member of our Administration and it will be a shame that she will have to leave after 2008. I haven't heard her make any statements regarding any future plans for holding any public office, but hopefully she might consider it...she would be great at whatever she might choose to do.**

This is the closest I have heard her come to saying anything this was on the Bush/Cheney04 website

"""I have thought on occasion of running for office, but lately I've been thinking I'd rather be a campaign manager - maybe for one of my daughters or even one of my grandchildren."""

Liz maybe she has just returned to the State Department so in 4 years maybe she would be considering running for something.

[oldbrowser]

No one is born a queer

I thought the experts didn't know if it was biological, mental, or moral. What is it you know that nobody else does ?

[Trust but Verify]

Lynne Cheney doesn't tell you how to deal with your children, and you shouldn't deign to tell her how to deal with hers. It's NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. None. Leave them alone.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Well I wasn't comfortable with the wording of that post you responded to, but neither am I comfortable with all this over-acceptance of sin. If the daughter's sin were racism, adultery, drug abuse, alcoholism, violence, etc....we'd still "all be sinners," but I doubt everyone would be tripping over themselves to say we should "love the sinner" and shouldn't offer up some social shame -- a type of real love that aims at leading the offender to repentance.

[Howlin]

It was both, DWI and pot.

[Howlin]

Danny Miller is the executive producer of Fresh Air:

It was frankly not surprising that Ms. Cheney was less enthusiastic discussing other topics in the news (in particular: the call for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, how that issue impacted on the election, and the Buster controversy). While we respect Ms. Cheney's desire for privacy specifically in regard to her daughter Mary (no questions were asked about her), that doesn't mean that the entire topic of gay rights and gay marriage was off the table. Many Americans are interested in what a public figure with Ms. Cheney's influence would have to say on these topics, especially given the fact that one of her children is gay. And for the record, our producer Amy Salit made it clear over the course of several phone calls with Lynne Cheney's office that we would talk about her children's book, but that other issues would be covered as well.

Danny Miller should be fired.

Defund PBS.

[Howlin]

Actually I point to Alan Keyes as a good role model for this. He is a principled conservative who was in the same position and has done the right thing.

Yes, I remember him doing the right thing; that is, if you consider trashing Lynne Cheney for being a lesbian while not mentioning that his own daughter is gay, too.

Glad to see you admire a hyprocrite.