Demagogue

Remember a few weeks ago when Vice President Cheney acted like a real Dick? He got pissy when CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked him about Focus on the Family's public criticism of the decision by Cheney's lesbian daughter to have a child without a husband.

Initially, the blogger at The Rational Republican sympathized with Cheney's reaction. Later on, RR reconsidered and, to this blogger's credit, was willing to change his mind about it:

First, the real offense was created by Focus on the Family, not Wolf. I will condemn their statement. Wolf merely asked whether Cheney had a reaction he'd like to share.

Second, Cheney will have been at Bush's side for eight years when they leave, much of which Bush will have spent condemning homosexuality and working to marginalize gays and lesbians. What has Cheney done to stop this?

Good points, both of them.

The Cheneys' hypocrisy shows when you consider the fact that Lynne Cheney had no problem answering questions about Mary's pregnancy when they were asked by Chris Wallace during the Dec. 24 edition of "Fox News Sunday." Wallace specifically asked, "What do you make of all the fuss about this?"

If I have any complaint with how Blitzer handled this, it was his attempt to render opinions that he seems to be in no position to render. During the interview:

BLITZER: "Your daughter Mary, she's pregnant. All of us are happy ...."

Obviously, all people weren't happy, given the statements made by various Christian conservative groups. I suppose it's possible that Blitzer's "all of us" referred only to CNN employees, but I can't quite picture Miles O'Brien and Rob Marciano giving each other high-fives over the news that Mary Cheney is pregnant (although Marciano would look cute smiling about anything).

Moments later, Blitzer was at it again:

BLITZER: "Do you want to respond to [FoF's comments]?

CHENEY: "No, I don't."

BLITZER: "She's obviously a good daughter --"

CHENEY: "I'm delighted ...."

Obviously "a good daughter"? Why did Wolf Blitzer make himself a character reference for the veep's daughter? How well does he know Mary Cheney?