Friday, June 25, 2004
Cheney Drops the "F" Bomb
You know, who doesn't from time to time. But the backstory is what makes it a worthwhile demonstration of the Bushistas hypocrisy.
Here's the Cheney story, from WFAA-TV in Dallas-Ft. Worth(registration required):
Okay - things got a little testy - though one would hope that, when things get testy, one of the folks who make war-and-peace decisions wouldn't fly off the handle quite so easily. But anyway, people DO talk that way. No biggie.
That is, unless, you've drunk the Bush Kool-Ade. A NewsMax story from December, 2003, recounts a John Kerry use of the same word, though in a different context.
It's worth noting that Kerry used the word to describe an action - Cheney used it as verbal violence. But of course anything emerging from the Bush White House has a natural aroma of sanctity. Bush and Cheney have the moral high ground, while Kerry and, by extension, ALL Democrats (and the RINOs who no longer support Bush) are immoral and unpatriotic. Everybody knows that, right?
You know, who doesn't from time to time. But the backstory is what makes it a worthwhile demonstration of the Bushistas hypocrisy.
Here's the Cheney story, from WFAA-TV in Dallas-Ft. Worth(registration required):
Sources: Cheney used 'f-word' on Senate floor
07:57 AM CDT on Friday, June 25, 2004
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Vice President Cheney cursed at Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy during a confrontation on the Senate floor while members were having their annual group picture taken earlier this week, Leahy and Senate sources said Thursday.
Senate aides with knowledge of the encounter Tuesday said the vice president confronted Leahy about some of the Democrat's criticism about alleged improprieties in Iraq military contracts awarded to Halliburton Co. Cheney, who as vice president is president of the Senate, is a former CEO of Halliburton.
Leahy responded by criticizing the White House for standing by allies who had accused Democrats of being anti-Catholic last year in opposing one of President Bush's judicial nominees, said one Senate aide, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Cheney then responded, "F--- off" or "F--- you," the aide said.
That account was backed by another aide, also speaking on condition of anonymity.
Leahy, D-Vt., confirmed that the confrontation took place but would not provide details.
"I think he was just having a bad day," Leahy said. "I was kind of shocked to hear that kind of language on the floor."
Cheney's office also wouldn't go into detail, but confirmed the two men traded remarks.
"That doesn't sound like language that the vice president would use, but there was a frank exchange of views," said Kevin Kellems, a spokesman for Cheney.
Okay - things got a little testy - though one would hope that, when things get testy, one of the folks who make war-and-peace decisions wouldn't fly off the handle quite so easily. But anyway, people DO talk that way. No biggie.
That is, unless, you've drunk the Bush Kool-Ade. A NewsMax story from December, 2003, recounts a John Kerry use of the same word, though in a different context.
In an interview in this month's issue of Rolling Stone, the Massachusetts Democrat complains about Bush's Iraq war policy. "When I voted for the war, I voted for what I thought was best for the country," Kerry said. "Did I expect George Bush to f--- it up as badly as he did? I don't think anybody did."
On Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card said the candidate's gutter language was "beneath John Kerry."
"I'm very disappointed that he would use that kind of language," Card told CNN's "Late Edition." "I'm hoping that he's apologizing at least to himself, because that's not the John Kerry that I know."
It's worth noting that Kerry used the word to describe an action - Cheney used it as verbal violence. But of course anything emerging from the Bush White House has a natural aroma of sanctity. Bush and Cheney have the moral high ground, while Kerry and, by extension, ALL Democrats (and the RINOs who no longer support Bush) are immoral and unpatriotic. Everybody knows that, right?
