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"Dad Was Fine When I Came Out of Closet" -- Mary Cheney
Drudge Report ^ | May 2, 2006 | Drudge

Posted on 05/02/2006 1:10:54 PM PDT by meandog

New York, N.Y. – In her new memoir, NOW IT'S MY TURN(Simon & Schuster/Threshold Editions, 2006), Mary Cheney writes that when she told her parents she was gay, the first words out of her father’s mouth “were exactly the ones that I wanted to hear: ‘You’re my daughter, and I love you, and I just want you to be happy.’”

VANITY FAIR editor Todd Purdum reports that Mary Cheney tells her story in a voice very much like her father’s, and that she came out to her parents when she was a junior in high school, on a day when, after breaking up with her first girlfriend, she skipped school, ran a red light, and crashed the family car. Cheney writes that her mother hugged her, but then burst into tears, worried that she would face a life of pain and prejudice.

When Purdum asks the vice president whether he thinks gay people are born that way, Cheney scrunches up his mouth, fixes him with a look that says “Nice try,” then says: “I’m not going to get into that. Those are deeply personal questions. You can ask.”

Mary Cheney tells Purdum that her father “has very little tolerance for bullshit, pardon my French.” She also says that one common reaction from people who have read the manuscript of her book is “‘Wow, you guys really have this close-knit, loving family,’ and it always strikes me as ‘Yeah, of course we do.’ It was very surprising to me that people would think we didn’t.”

When Purdum asks Cheney if he is fatalistic about his heart disease, Cheney says, “I am. I don’t even think about it most of the time. You do those things a prudent man would do, and I live with it.” Asked what he would have for breakfast at Nora’s Fish Creek Inn, his favorite pre-fishing spot in Wilson, Wyoming, Cheney responds without missing a beat: “I’d probably have two eggs over easy, sausage and hash browns,” then hastens to add that that is not his normal breakfast. “The day I go fishing, I get off my diet,” he says.” At a roundtable lunch with reporters a couple of years ago, two who were pres­ent tell Purdum that Cheney cut his buffalo steak in bite-size pieces the moment it arrived, then proceeded to salt each side of each piece.

Cheney tells Purdum that he has not changed over the years, but perhaps many of his contemporaries think he has “because of my associations over the years, or because I came across as a reasonable guy, people have one view of me that was not necessarily an accurate reflection of my philosophy or my view of the world.”

Purdum asks Cheney if, during his “darkest night,” he has even “a little doubt” about the administration’s course. “No,” he tells Purdum. “I think we’ve done what needed to be done.” Of the debate over whether or not the administration hyped the pre-war intelligence, Cheney says, “In the end, you can argue about the quality of the intelligence and so forth, but ... I look at that whole spectrum of possibilities and options, and I think we did the right thing.”

Cheney rejects the caricature of him as the power behind the throne, insisting, “I think we have created a system that works for this president and for me, in terms of my ability to be able to contribute and participate in the process.” When Purdum says that the cartoon characterization of him must not be accurate, Cheney says, “My image might be better out there, this caricature you talk about might be avoided, if I spent more time as a public figure trying to improve my image, but that’s not why I’m here.”

Purdum reports that Cheney travels with a chemical-biological suit at all times. When he gave his friend Robin West and his twin children a ride to the White House a couple of years ago, West commented on the fact that Cheney’s motorcade varied its daily path. “And he said, ‘Yeah, we take different routes so that “The Jackal” can’t get me,’” West tells Purdum. “And then there was this big duffel bag in the middle of the backseat, and I said, ‘What’s that? It’s not very roomy in here.’ And [Cheney] said, ‘No, because it’s a chemical-biological suit,’ and he looked at it and said, ‘Robin, there’s only one. You lose.’”

Purdum talks with former New York Times reporter and former executive editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer, James Naughton, who asks of Cheney: “Does he acknowledge that he is not as pleasant as he used to be?” Naughton knew Cheney as a fellow prankster during the 1976 campaign, and all but sighs in search of an explanation as to why he is so different now. “I guess I would like to believe,” he says, “without any evidence to support it, that coming very close to death has somehow compelled him to act as though he only has so much breath and so much life, that he’s only got so much time to accomplish what he has to do. But the public figure is nothing like the private one that I remember.”

Gerald Ford tells Purdum: “He may have changed a bit, but that was required for the change of circumstances.” Ford, who will turn 93 in July, adds, “Times change, and people change as a result of that.”

“If you’re looking for a change from one point to another, being vice president is sui generis,” Lynne Cheney tells Purdum. “It’s not quite like any other job.”

The June issue of Vanity Fair hits newsstands in New York and L.A. on May 3 and nationally on May 9.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: badfather; bigdeal; cheney; christiannutcases; dyke; dykeenabler; dykeenablingbaddad; gay; gayoldparty; homosexualagenda; marycheney; memoir; nowitsmyturn; pervert; selfishhedonist; sowhat; whocares
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To: NoCmpromiz
"You are saying that if it is not a parable, it is not God's word?"

Nope.

"That IS the logical conclusion to be drawn from your post."

No. I was clear and that is not a valid conclusion. I would have stated it, if it was. That would have made matters simple. Again, God came here to teach. If you do not learn from Him directly, you can't learn about Him from any other source.

Matt 11:25-29
At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

381 posted on 05/02/2006 6:24:25 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: WackySam
You're an idiot

Careful or you might catch gay.

382 posted on 05/02/2006 6:24:29 PM PDT by Wormwood (Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!)
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To: durasell

mebbe we're all just jealous she didn't pick us! LOL like she could get me! *rolling my eyes*


383 posted on 05/02/2006 6:25:06 PM PDT by Annie5622 (Democrats DO have a plan! They apparently plan to stay stupid.)
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To: Annie5622

Truthfully, just judging from the picture (since I've never met her or heard her speak) she seems like a decent person.


384 posted on 05/02/2006 6:26:54 PM PDT by durasell (!)
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To: edcoil

VP Cheney's demeanor and delivery. I know another older guy like that who is the same way. Not a grandstander, not alarmist, but truthful and down to earth. That's the way a good many folks are; folks who endure a good many surprises and struggles as each day passes. But to keep your head while all the rest are losing theirs . . . Kipling had something to say about that.


385 posted on 05/02/2006 6:27:13 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew
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To: Annie5622
I'm sorry that you've been demonized. I hope I haven't done that to you. It's not that your principle is wrong at all. It's just that the overwhelming problem of today is too little, not too much speaking out. But speaking the truth in love is scriptural, so you stand on solid ground on that principle.
386 posted on 05/02/2006 6:27:30 PM PDT by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: DJ MacWoW
" "witnessing" and explaining the Word to them."

You still haven't come up with the fundamental quote from God regarding salvation/damnation. How can you witness, if you don't even know that?

387 posted on 05/02/2006 6:29:49 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: dinoparty
You must have the ability to understand that homosexuality is no more or less than a sin than greed, etc.

You are mistaken FRiend. Homosexuality is an "indicator" sin. It also marks a line between "sinning" and "iniquity," at least insofar as we are talking about it as a political movement.

Yet, it seems to get alot more attention. Why?

Carefully read the first few chapters of Romans for the answer to that question.

388 posted on 05/02/2006 6:30:01 PM PDT by papertyger (Our Constitution isn't perfect, but it's better than what we have right now.)
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To: Annie5622

One problem with internet thread discussions is that most of us I'm sure, don't know each other personally. Hence certain assumptions are made--that when people don't approach a subject like I would, they must be a mushy headed liberal--or on an issue like this--a non-Christian secular humanist type...for example.

That's the nature of the medium I'm afraid, which is why heated discussions here really should be avoided, in my opinion.

How to treat an "outed" homosexual is a difficult subject I think--especially for Christians who are called to love the sinner while still hating the sin. Also since the homosexual lobby is so active, bitter and in your face, its easy to have the same attitude back toward all homosexuals....when most homosexual individuals I've known were mild, deeply troubled and confused individuals.


389 posted on 05/02/2006 6:30:11 PM PDT by AnalogReigns
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To: Smartass

That little guy makes me laugh. I had to go back and see what I'd posted!!


390 posted on 05/02/2006 6:31:14 PM PDT by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
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To: spunkets
Rev 21:6 - 8

He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolators and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

391 posted on 05/02/2006 6:31:48 PM PDT by DJ MacWoW (If you think you know what's coming next....You don't know Jack.)
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To: dinoparty
Note, however, that he said nothing about us always being able to understand what he meant.

Well.... yes and no.

For instance, for someone who is outside of a relationship with Christ, the Bible is only so much gibberish, and our interpretation of it reflects that.

But being in Christ gives us the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and thus we can begin to understand His words, maybe not perfectly to start, but the more familiar we become with His voice, the more our understanding grows. (One Scripture that touches on this is 1 Cor 2:6-16)

Are we on the same page on this?

392 posted on 05/02/2006 6:32:02 PM PDT by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

As they say, catch more flies with honey than vinager. I chose to use the Scriptures as honey. lol


393 posted on 05/02/2006 6:33:22 PM PDT by Annie5622 (Democrats DO have a plan! They apparently plan to stay stupid.)
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past
It's just that the overwhelming problem of today is too little, not too much speaking out.

What is the point of speaking out against sin to nonbelievers? I think its safe to say that most homosexuals already know the Christian view of homosexuality. Telling them its wrong would be like a Muslim telling me its wrong to eat pork. I don't believe that religion, so why should I play by its rules?

394 posted on 05/02/2006 6:33:29 PM PDT by Northeastern_Realist
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To: spunkets
You still haven't come up with the fundamental quote from God regarding salvation/damnation. How can you witness, if you don't even know that?

Spunkie, how about John 3:16,17,18,19,20... (Or don't Jesus words count in your eisegesis...)

395 posted on 05/02/2006 6:34:16 PM PDT by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: DJ MacWoW
"Rev 21:6 - 8"

Sorry, that was written by John and it's vague. God on the other hand was crystal clear.

396 posted on 05/02/2006 6:35:08 PM PDT by spunkets
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To: spunkets

The Bible is the God inspired Word of God. And we have nothing more to discuss I guess.


397 posted on 05/02/2006 6:36:45 PM PDT by DJ MacWoW (If you think you know what's coming next....You don't know Jack.)
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To: spunkets

And that Scripture is anything but vague.


398 posted on 05/02/2006 6:37:21 PM PDT by DJ MacWoW (If you think you know what's coming next....You don't know Jack.)
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To: papertyger

I guess you missed the part about the greedy bastards in the temple and what Jesus did to them.

As an evangelical Christian, I am tired of the evangelical Christian tendency to completely look past the sins of "good ole boy" Americans (including greed in business) while elevating the sins that threaten their masculinity.

An example: To the extent that certain well known Christian authors get rich off of the "christian" books that they sell, they are conducting commerce in the temple and are therefore as much in sin as active homosexuals.


399 posted on 05/02/2006 6:38:28 PM PDT by dinoparty
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To: Annie5622

As they say, catch more flies with honey than vinager. I chose to use the Scriptures as honey. lol




I prefer to see the scriptures as a nice reduction sauce with a hint of port wine...


400 posted on 05/02/2006 6:39:28 PM PDT by durasell (!)
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