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Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Politics Is Cheney Still a Republican?

Posted by Dominic Holden on Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 2:37 PM

When Dick Cheney was asked about Colin Powell last month on CBS's Face the Nation, he said, "I didn't know he was still a Republican." He criticized Powell's endorsement of Obama, but he also took issue with Powell for becoming generally too moderate. "We're Republicans, and we have certain things we believe in," he said. If you don't believe in the sorts of things Republicans believe in, you're not a Republican.

But now Dick Cheney, yes Dick "My-administration-was-built-by-pushing-against-gay-marriage-as-a-wedge-issue" Cheney is coming out for gay marriage. He said it yesterday, but I don't think it's been on Slog. From MSNBC:

Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday he supports gays being able to marry but believes states, not the federal government, should make the decision. [...]

"And I think that's the way it ought to be handled today, that is, on a state-by-state basis. Different states will make different decisions. But I don't have any problem with that. I think people ought to get a shot at that," he said.

Yes, his daughter is a lesbian and he loves his daughter very much and wants her to have the best. But he's a Republican—or was—and Republicans "have certain things [they] believe in." One of those things is explicitly detailed in the 2008 Republican Party platform. "Because our children’s future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman, so that judges cannot make other arrangements equivalent to it."

So... is Cheney still a Republican?

Comments (14) RSS

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He just wants to have a less-lonely father's day.

Posted by David Schmader on June 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM

No offense Dominic but are you incredibly young or did you just not pay attention to the 2004 election at all? This has been Cheney's position all along. It's not new. In his debate with Edwards he said he disagrees with the president on this issue and believe marriage law should be left to the states just like it always has been.

Also, this latest question (like in 2004) he pointedly avoids the term "gay marriage". He just says the states should make marriage laws and he personally believes people should enter into "whatever relationships they want".

I'm really get frustrated with the media's latching onto this as if its new.

Posted by SpecialBrew on June 2, 2009 at 2:45 PM

He's still creepy like a Republican. He's still deluded like a Republican.

Posted by Vince on June 2, 2009 at 2:46 PM

Well, there are some people who call themselves Christian who refuse to get an abortion after getting knocked up out of wedlock. The latter is just as bad a sin as the former according to the Bible, but people will do it and still consider themselves a devout follower. Go figure.

Posted by Jason Josephes

on June 2, 2009 at 2:46 PM

The first time, I read that as '"I think people ought to get shot at," he said' and I wasn't the least bit surprised that he felt that way.

Posted by MEC on June 2, 2009 at 2:53 PM

At the root, he's not pro-gay. He's pro-his-own-daughter. Everyone else, he couldn't care less about, including other gay people who aren't the result of his own rancid sperm.

Posted by schmacky on June 2, 2009 at 2:55 PM

You know, if one of his daughters had been waterboarded, maybe he'd soften his stance on torture, as well.

Posted by NapoleonXIV on June 2, 2009 at 3:09 PM

Dick Cheney is my favorite supervillian.

Posted by Brandon J. on June 2, 2009 at 3:09 PM

Can we get him to take Charles quail hunting?

Posted by The Amazing Jim

on June 2, 2009 at 3:11 PM

perhaps as a republican he's has a little more insight into what issues he feels are the essential, core issues of the republican party. of course, that still is just his opinion...

Posted by in-frequent on June 2, 2009 at 3:21 PM

Dominic, you should make at least minimal efforts to fact check… (Or are you intentionally misrepresenting the facts for some reason of your own?)

"But now Dick Cheney, yes Dick "My-administration-was-built-by-pushing-against-gay-marriage-as-a-wedge-issue" Cheney is coming out for gay marriage."

Actually, this has been his consistent position on gay marriage since at least 2000. As I pointed out here on slog in January 2007: http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/can_… . Its not a new position that he is just “now” “coming out” on.

Also, contrary to the liberal meme, Dick has never been POTUS, and as such has never had an administration. He served in Bush’s administration as Vice President and, believe it or not, Bush did set the political policy during the Bush administration.

While its not unheard of for a politician to not be in total lock step with his party, or even his President, on gay marriage, that, unfortunately is not the case with Biden. He went on record when Asked if he would support gay marriage by saying: "No. Barack Obama nor I support redefining from a civil side what constitutes marriage." (I guess that must be one of the “certain things” that Democrats “believe in”???) A statement his political rival at the time, Palin, was very comfortable agreeing with completely as exactly representing her position on the issue.

Furthermore, individuals a lot more important in defining the “certain things” conservatives “believe in” have supported gay marriage for many years. See William F. Buckley and Berry Goldwater for starters.

And, what’s more, I’ll point out that the only POTUS whose administration ever took any effective action on gay issues was the Democrat who gave us DOMA and DADT. With friends like that who needs enemies?

For an enlightened read on this issue I suggest catching up with Huffington who seems to understand where this is going (and has been going for the last few decades): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/01…

More...

Posted by You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me on June 2, 2009 at 3:22 PM

@ 2 and 11) Cheney's position is nothing new--I'll give you that. But in 2004, voters passed amendments banning gay marriage in 13 states. While it's disputable whether the ballot measures actually turned out more voters for Bush-Cheney, it was clearly used as a wedge issue by the Republican party. Moreover, banning gay marriage at the federal level is part of the Republican party platform. And Cheney is a mushy moderate on this issue, so, by his own standards, his status as a Republican is questionable.

Posted by Dominic Holden on June 2, 2009 at 3:35 PM

Who cares if he's Republican or not.
He's still a power-hungry machiavellian asshole.

Posted by treacle on June 2, 2009 at 3:59 PM

..and a war criminal. Bona fide. And he's free to leave his cave and walk the streets any old time he wants.

Which makes us....?

(but yeah, it's all about his daughter. Ya can't expect a sociopath to have consistent principles now, can you?)

Posted by Mr. X on June 2, 2009 at 11:59 PM