When Sith Lord former Veep Dick Cheney said he believed “people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish,” he wasn’t just whistling Dixie. Cheney, whose daughter Mary is a lesbian, apparently was one of the straight allies working behind t
he scenes to help get Maryland’s marriage-equality bill through the Legislature.
The New York Daily News is reporting Cheney, who has a home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, was one of the high-powered Republicans who reached out to GOP legislators to garner support for Friday’s successful vote.
Wade Kach, a Republican legislator from Baltimore County, told The Baltimore Sun he received an offer to talk with Cheney, whom Kach regards as a “great man,” along with messages of support for the bill from other party bigwigs, including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman.
Cheney’s office did not confirm his lobbying Old Line State legislators, the Huffington Post reported.
Kach was one of two Republican delegates who voted in favor of the bill, which passed with 72 votes — one more than needed for a majority.
With the bill clearing the House, it now goes to the state Senate, which passed similar legislation last year, and then on to be signed by Governor Martin O’Malley, who has long been a strong supporter of same-sex marriage.
We’d make a joke about Cheney, gay marriage and strange bedfellows but the image that conjures would make us lose our appetite.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Photo: Office of the President
MikeE
As evil as I really think this man actually is, I STILL find it admirable that he was able to change his mind on this particular topic.
Oh, and the “in other news: Hell frozen over” line.. VERY funny! I actually laughed.
ian
well his daughter is gay and has children with her long time partner. he’s never been anti-gay, just willing to exploit the bigotry and fears of the republican base for political gain. if to hold that power meant throwing gay people under the bus by supporting anti-gay legislation, then so be it. now he’s not in power, perhaps he sees this as an opportunity to support his daughter. she is his only child right? and she was conceived so he could avoid the draft, so he owes her that.
The Real Mike in Asheville
The hypocrisy is not that Cheney supports same-sex marriage, it is that he does not support individual liberties (less government involvement in the personal lives of citizens) regarding family planning and stem cell research, and the such.
I have no problem with sincere conservatives who not practice what the preach but are consistent in the application of conservative theory. A true conservative believes in keeping government out of the private lives of consenting adults; faux conservatives believe in limited government only in taxes and capitalism while embracing the use of government to force their personal religious and social mores on everyone else.
Cheney, with the exception of same-sex marriage, is a faux conservative.
Alasdair
There’s absolutely nothing extraordinary here. This issue happens to affect Dick Cheney personally. Therefore, he is for it. Like everything else the man stands for, whatever will increase his own wealth and power is what he wants. He has a gay daughter, and obviously he doesn’t feel that his family should be discriminated against because, well, obviously.
Make no mistake – if Liz Cheney were straight or in the closet, Dick would be right up there with Rick Santorum sanctimoniously talking about what’s right and good and proper and how homosexuality doesn’t line up with that.
Republicans are really, at heart, all about hierarchy. They need to be better than someone, and someone should suffer. Gay inequality just happens to be the one way in which rich, white, powerful, connected, privileged Dick Cheney finds himself on the wrong side of society and of course he wants to correct it.
Had hell truly frozen over, Dick Cheney would be advocating for full health care for all Americans, gay and otherwise, but he’s not. He’s perfectly happy with some Americans being better than other Americans and some people suffering in poverty, just so long as he’s on the winning side.
Let’s not forget this is a man who got drunk, went “hunting” (he paid someone to bring clumsy birds that were specifically released for him to shoot at), shot an old man in the face with buckshot, and then the old man APOLOGIZED TO CHENEY for all the inconvenience.
This is not being on the good side, this is being fundamentally selfish above all else and for once the selfishness happens to coincide with the good side.
Cam
Why does this shock anybody? He is typical. Something effects him PERSONALLY so now he is for it.
John McCain was against stem cell research, then a friend of his got Parkinson’s and suddenly McCain is all for it.
They are no different then the people who are against abortion….and then fly their teenaged daughter off to a clinic when SHE gets knocked up.
GOD (gay old dude)
@Alasdair: You gay-gay guys are laughably bitter. Someone supports you, and all you can respond with is insults and attacks. Replace the name CHENEY with the name OBAMA in this article, and you guys would be fawning all over the place in awe of him. But a Republican supports same-sex marriage, and suddenly it’s a scam, it’s false generosity, it’s all for selfish purposes. Talk about a lose-lose situation. Again: laughable.
And as for Cheney’s hunting incident . . . well, I’ll put it this way: I’d rather hunt with Dick Cheney than ride with Ted Kennedy, because at least the Republican didn’t kill someone and then try to cover up the facts.
Charley
@Cam:
You are exactly right. I remember a guy I worked with who was a staunch Libertarian, against any type of government assistance. Except, he had a mentally challenged child. He was a strong proponent of aid to such children.
Jim Hlavac
Since we require every American to change on the issue of gay marriage and gay acceptance, then we must accept the reasons for their change and when they do it, and how they do it. Take their change at face value, and stop trying to read nefarious motives into the act. It’s not “hell freezing over,” it’s “change happens.” Our entire gay movement has been, from the beginning, a never ending campaign to get each and every hetero to change their minds, not just some of them. Every hetero, politician or not, is um, “evolving.” Let them evolve, talk to and reach out to the “evolvers” of your choice, but when they do evolve, even if you don’t like anything else they do, at least thank them. Gayness is a non-partisan issue, and we need 300 million people on our side, not just the political party which panders to us for votes or is in power for the moment. That some Democrats evolved faster than some Republicans is irrelevant, that some Republican now changed his mind is just as good too. Egad, put the remote control down, and work with these people as best they can handle their change of heart.
As for “self-serving politicians” I mean really, every politician is self serving; this is new? Every politician panders for votes, and to their base, and well, does what politicians do; this is a surprise?
ousslander
@Cam: Isn’t that one of themain reason we are told to come out because it would be harder for people to be bigoted against friends and loved ones.
@GOD (gay old dude): That’s because under cover of night and secretly in his heart and mind, Obama is for same sex marriage. Jeesh!
christopher di spirito
How ironic?
Former Vice President Dick Cheney is to the left of President Barack Obama on marriage equality. Politics really do make the strangest bedfellows.
Chris
Cheney has openly supported gay marriage for some time. Nothing about this story is the least bit surprising, except to those (like Queerty, apparently) who haven’t been paying attention.
GOD (gay old dude)
@ousslander: And you know this because . . . Obama shares the secrets of his heart and mind with you? Hm, last I heard, O’Bomber was still evolving. I must have missed the headline in which he declared his unwavering support for all things gay. Oh wait, that’s right—there WASN’T any such headline. You people will do anything to convince yourselves that Obama is gay-friendly, and all Republicans are homophobic, all in the name of political solidarity. And yet when something like this happens—the most evil Republican in the eyes of the left comes to bat for the gays—then all you can do is spit in his direction.
Is it any wonder that the gay community is seen by the world as a bunch of bitchy, catty he-shes who are never satisfied and always want more?
Robert in NYC
@Cam: And if Megan McCain said she was a lesbian, I daresay her father would do an about-turn.
No. 12, excuse me, name one sitting president who has declared support for marriage equality, name one? It’s political suicide in this country. Cheney NEVER declared support while VP in fact supported passage of DOMA, just like faux conservative George Bush. Name one piece of legislation or anything decent republicans in Congress have done for LGBT people? Were they leading the charge in the House to repeal DADT? NO, only 8 voted for it while the majority of democrats weren’t against it, all under Obama’s watch. He’s the most gay-friendly president we’ve ever had and I don’t think you’ll see that again in a republican sitting in the White House, expect the opposite. At least the democrats no longer vote against legislation favoring our people, while republicans do as evidenced by that moron in NJ last week. Name one republican governor who will not veto marriage equality for us if passed by the legislatures. I can’t name any.
GOD (gay old dude)
@Robert in NYC: Well, to answer your question as simply as possible . . .
Prior to 5 or 6 years ago, I never heard anything about gay marriage, so there wasn’t opportunity for a previous president to support it or not. Now it’s apparently the most pressing issue facing gay men and women, so Obama has no choice but to address it. Much to his (obvious) chagrin, you forced his hand.
Also, to say that all Democrats are gay-friendly is false, as false as it is to claim that all Republicans are homophobes. Methinks you don’t get out too much, except maybe with your “own kind” who believe everything they hear.
But that’s just my opinion.
Marie Cohn
Marriage equality ensures Mary and Heather can bequeath, in turn, daddy’s war profiteering millions. Marriage, for the Cheneys, is all about property rights, just like in Renaissance Europe.
Nat
“Prior to 5 or 6 years ago, I never heard anything about gay marriage, so there wasn’t opportunity for a previous president to support it or not. Now it’s apparently the most pressing issue facing gay men and women, so Obama has no choice but to address it. Much to his (obvious) chagrin, you forced his hand.”
Shockingly, just because you didn’t hear about the idea of gay marriage doesn’t mean it didn’t exist.
And Obama was expressing public support for gay marriage at least as far back as ’96. His support magically disappeared when it became an issue in subsequent political campaigns. I would hope no one seriously believes he’s personally opposed to marriage equality, because convincing him that it’s a not undue political risk to support it is the actual concern.
“Replace the name CHENEY with the name OBAMA in this article, and you guys would be fawning all over the place in awe of him. ”
Please. The love for Obama was gone for most when it became apparent that there would be little to no advances through the bully pulpit alone. The ‘fierce advocate” line was being thrown back in his face within a week into February 2009.
That’s not to completely disparage him – there are advances for which the Executive can claim a portion of the credit on, and it’s more than any Executive in history – but he’s as self-serving as any politician.
ousslander
@GOD (gay old dude): I was being sarcastic.
The Real Mike in Asheville
@GOD (gay old dude): Methinks you should starting thinking.
The Hawaiian effort for same-sex marriage achieved the first state Supreme Court ruling that Hawaii’s marriage laws were discriminatory back in 1993 (case filed 1991). The beginning of the current effort, now 20 years, not 5 or 6 years, in the making.
Massachusetts became the first state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004 after its Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriages the prior year, now marking 8 years.
Perhaps you are soooooo old that it takes years the efforts by the rest of us for you to hear about our successes.
Your catty comment “Now it’s [same-sex marriage] apparently the most pressing issue facing gay men and women…” Not apparently, it is the most important issue as it is all encompassing of civil rights. When same-sex marriage is a new norm in marriage, and with DADT gone, there are no hiding spots for continued unabated discrimination. Sure homophobic bigots will still be homophobic bigots as racists are still racists, but the equal protection of law prevails over bigotry.
Larry
blood is thicker than ice water
tj
@ Ian
EXACTLY!
Queer Supremacist
@Chris: So many pearls have been cast before these swine it’s not fucking funny anymore. Petty partisanship and simplistic, binary thinking is an epidemic that has affected more gays than HIV. It has cost us at least 20 years of progress, billions in tax dollars, and maybe even lives lost.
trevor bartlet
Average Queerty writer and reader IQ: 6. Look in the mirror you vapid hypocrites.
Old Guy
For crying out loud people get a grip. Lose the hate. I when I was a kid Vermont was one of the most politically conservative and socially liberal states in the country. The so called liberal we have now are raging bigots by comparison when it comes to acceptance of same sex couples. The old guard did not expect you to tow their party line or live up to a stereotype. As long as you were a good person and treated your animals well they were fine with you. You were a part of their community and they would stand up for you. The new fake liberals? They are not too much different from the ones who have been posting hate here. If you don’t fit their image of what a GLBT person is supposed to be you can go to Hell. I’d take a bus load of Cheneys over one of those frauds.
brent
@ian: I would like all liberals who find fault with Cheney to remember the big majority of blacks and latinos who make up the base of the democratic party are just as anti-gay as Rick Santorum.