A manufactured controversy

The only cheap and tawdry political trick here is pretending that John Kerry’s mention of Mary Cheney was somehow a cheap and tawdry trick. It’s just something for conservatives to pretend to be outraged by. Mary Cheney has been out for a long time. Kerry’s remark was simply a way of humanizing the question — pointing out that gayness is not a liberal or conservative issue, any more than skin color or gender. Anyone can be gay — even the daughter of the Republican Vice President. This is only cause for outrage, as I mentioned before, if you think homosexuality is cause for shame. But this is how it’s going to be for the next couple of weeks. If John Kerry says “have a nice day,” Republicans will accuse him of disrespecting night shift workers.

They know they’re losing, and they’re desperate.