Monday, January 06, 2014
Why Ask WY?
Well, well, well.
Liz Cheney abruptly drops her Wyoming primary challenge to incumbent Sen. Mike Enzi -- almost as abruptly as she jumped in last summer. Most party-affiliated polling had Enzi with a wide lead. Unlike similar GOP races in 2010 and '12, Enzi was hardly out of favor with Tea Party activists. Rather, it seemed, as a few people on Twitter noted Sunday night, Cheney wanted to ride Tea Party energy to lift her profile, raise money and either defeat Enzi or -- barring that -- force him out.
That didn't happen. Instead, most establishment Republicans -- including Enzi's Senate GOP colleagues -- supported Enzi. The worst part though, for Cheney, was the family blowup caused by her opposition to same-sex marriage. Dick Cheney -- with younger daughter Mary an out lesbian for many years, as early as 2004, expressed support for some version of marriage equality. "Freedom means freedom for everyone," he famously said during a campaign stop -- a position well ahead of many Democrats at the time (even as campaign strategist Karl Rove was pushing "traditional marriage" statutes at the state level). Regardless, Liz announced during her campaign that she supported traditional marriage -- with Mary and her wife Heather -- denouncing her on Facebook. Dick, in this instance, publicly supported Liz.
However, POLITICO notably says that despite fundraising and polling numbers working against her, it was a problem involving "immediate family" members that caused her to drop out.
I don't have many contacts in Wyoming. In fact, I have exactly one -- a businessman friend who opened a new office there a few years ago, after having had a successful operation on the East Coast. During his time there, he's gotten involved more in the local political scene. When we chatted back in September, he mentioned that the rift within the Cheney clan had become quite the talk of the state -- and the reaction was striking. While conservative Wyoming was certainly not ready for gay marriage, many people were dismayed at Liz's actions. The sentiment was that "family was family" -- and Liz had essentially turned her back on her sister for political reasons. Now, one should keep in mind that it seemed pretty clear that much of the state saw Liz as a carpetbagger for whom they had little regard. In other words, she didn't come in with much goodwill for them. Resident views on how Liz treated Mary was being seen through the prism of this Jenny-come-lately barging into their state.
That said, it is what it is. Some Wyoming residents felt Liz wasn't being too sisterly. So, it's somewhat ironic if this issue may be the one causing Liz to bow out of the race.
One last point: Aafter frustrating 2010 and '12 races caused the GOP to lose winnable seats -- and thus, potentially, the Senate majority -- don't be surprised if party elders told as many people in the Cheney camp as possible that this was a bad race, that it was an unnecessary drain on party resources that could be better spent elsewhere.
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Liz Cheney abruptly drops her Wyoming primary challenge to incumbent Sen. Mike Enzi -- almost as abruptly as she jumped in last summer. Most party-affiliated polling had Enzi with a wide lead. Unlike similar GOP races in 2010 and '12, Enzi was hardly out of favor with Tea Party activists. Rather, it seemed, as a few people on Twitter noted Sunday night, Cheney wanted to ride Tea Party energy to lift her profile, raise money and either defeat Enzi or -- barring that -- force him out.
That didn't happen. Instead, most establishment Republicans -- including Enzi's Senate GOP colleagues -- supported Enzi. The worst part though, for Cheney, was the family blowup caused by her opposition to same-sex marriage. Dick Cheney -- with younger daughter Mary an out lesbian for many years, as early as 2004, expressed support for some version of marriage equality. "Freedom means freedom for everyone," he famously said during a campaign stop -- a position well ahead of many Democrats at the time (even as campaign strategist Karl Rove was pushing "traditional marriage" statutes at the state level). Regardless, Liz announced during her campaign that she supported traditional marriage -- with Mary and her wife Heather -- denouncing her on Facebook. Dick, in this instance, publicly supported Liz.
However, POLITICO notably says that despite fundraising and polling numbers working against her, it was a problem involving "immediate family" members that caused her to drop out.
I don't have many contacts in Wyoming. In fact, I have exactly one -- a businessman friend who opened a new office there a few years ago, after having had a successful operation on the East Coast. During his time there, he's gotten involved more in the local political scene. When we chatted back in September, he mentioned that the rift within the Cheney clan had become quite the talk of the state -- and the reaction was striking. While conservative Wyoming was certainly not ready for gay marriage, many people were dismayed at Liz's actions. The sentiment was that "family was family" -- and Liz had essentially turned her back on her sister for political reasons. Now, one should keep in mind that it seemed pretty clear that much of the state saw Liz as a carpetbagger for whom they had little regard. In other words, she didn't come in with much goodwill for them. Resident views on how Liz treated Mary was being seen through the prism of this Jenny-come-lately barging into their state.
That said, it is what it is. Some Wyoming residents felt Liz wasn't being too sisterly. So, it's somewhat ironic if this issue may be the one causing Liz to bow out of the race.
One last point: Aafter frustrating 2010 and '12 races caused the GOP to lose winnable seats -- and thus, potentially, the Senate majority -- don't be surprised if party elders told as many people in the Cheney camp as possible that this was a bad race, that it was an unnecessary drain on party resources that could be better spent elsewhere.
Labels: Dick Cheney, GOP, Liz Cheney, US Senate, Wyoming
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The Powell Polictical Doctrine
Based on Sunday's Face The Nation, Barack vs. Dick. vs. Colin vs. Rush may be a Final Four better than the NCAAs:
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And, on another Sunday talk show, my old boss demonstrates that he is a bit more inclusive than either Limbaugh or Cheney:
Powell also found a less likely ally in former House Speaker Newt Gingric, who said on "Meet the Press" that "I don't want to pick a fight with Dick Cheney, but the fact is, the Republican party has to be a broad party that appeals across the country," adding, "To be a national party, you have to have a big enough tent that you inevitably have fights inside the tent."
Pointing to President Ronald Reagan's at appealing to Democrats and independents as he carried 49 states in 1984, Gingrich – himself a potential 2012 contender for the party's presidential nomination – concluded, "I think Republicans are going to be very foolish if thy run around deciding that they're going to see how much they can purge us down to the smallest possible space."
For those wondering about Colin Powell (full Face The Nation clip right here) and party loyalty, here's an interesting anecdote.
Because Powell had been a career military man, he never officially declared his party affiliation when he was national security adviser under Ronald Reagan and then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. After retiring from the service, he wrote the best-seller, My American Journey. There was a frenzy around the country when the book came out in 1995, with lines around the bookstores when he had signings. Much of it was attached to the possibility that he might run for president: Now that he was a free man and could enter politics, would he enter the GOP primary?
When these questions were dominating the media, what did several movement conservatives do? Before Powell made any decision, conservatives launched a pre-emptive strike to keep him out of the race. Then-head of the Family Research Council Gary Bauer labeled him "Bill Clinton with ribbons." At a November National Press Club press conference, the pile-on began: Paul Weyrich called him too "risk-averse" to be president. Frank Gaffney called him "too cautious." Morton Blackwell pushed the line that Powell was getting attention because he was black (horrors!).
The entire spectacle was fascinating that a handful of politcally-minded individuals -- none of whom had actually served in combat-- were labeling a popular decorated veteran, essentially, a coward.
In any event, Powell ultimately didn't run -- reportedly because he didn't have his wife's blessing.
Nonethelees, the following summer, Powell still came to '96 GOP candidate Bob Dole's aide and spoke -- for the first time -- at the GOP Convention, proudly started, "My fellow Americans, my fellow Republicans." He could have sat out that convention -- given how the so-called base treated him. Appearing at the convention was hardly going to sell him any more books.
Four years later, he also addressed the 2000 convention. By then, of course, there was something of a quid pro quo. It was basically understood that Bush was would name him secretary of state: He was providing Bush as much "adult" foreign policy cover as Dick Cheney was providing "gravitas" in the vice president's slot.
Point is as much as Limbaugh or Cheney might want to call Colin Powell disloyal, he's been there for his presidents and his party. While he's never backed down from his moderate beliefs on domestic issues (except for gays in the military), conservatives opened war on him 14 years ago.
Good for him for demanding a a place at the table of his party -- whether it wants him or not.
Labels: Colin Powell, Dick Cheney, Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Leader Of The Opposition
Today, President Obama delivered his speech on Guantanamo Bay and the war on terror.
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Like him or not -- agree with him or not -- but Cheney give a much better "official response" to a presidential address than, um, Bobby Jindal.
Taking the two speeches together, this was a pretty amazing moment for the country. This isn't measly political jibing here. These are two professionals offering up a contrast of visions.
Democrats like to use Cheney's multiple appearances as a joke to undermine the GOP's lack of fresh faces, but there is a reality here that can't be ignored: Until the rest of the party gets its act together, on security matters, Dick Cheney is the leader of the Republican Party. It's up to the Democrats to actually engage him on the substance of his views, rather than just trying to dismiss him as relic to whom no one is listening. Cheney isn't Rush Limbaugh. He's not interested in "entertaining" people and merely saying things to play to an audience. He believes that he is right on these issues -- and he doesn't care what other people think.
Meawhile, as much as the broader mainstream media is supposedly "in the tank for Obama," it also likes likes a real good story. Good stories require a narrative with an antagonist and a protagonist (yeah, you can say "hero and villain" if you wish). Cheney is a beguiling antagonist -- as opposite Obama as you can imagine. That means that he will get the airtime to make his point -- and not just from Fox. If Democrats try to just dismiss him as a cartoon character is foolish -- and wrong to boot. And, oddly, Cheney's visibility has actually improved his poll numbers recently. And, whether because of -- or in spite of -- Cheney's criticisms, several of Obama actual national security decisions have notably "adjusted" in contrast to his campaign promises.
Today's speeches raised the stakes on Guantanamo Bay and moving forward on the war on terror in the post-Bush era. But while Democrats might do well to actually engage Cheney on the merits of his critique, Republicans could also just deal with the fact that Cheney is about the best thing they have going for them as a person of substance -- and act accordingly.
Labels: Barack Obama, Dick Cheney, war on terror
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Why Commutation...
...instead of a pardon.
Makes sense to me.
Ah, July 8, 2003. Such memories.
By the way, for those truly obsessing over the Libby matter, Andrew Sullivan has gone 24/7 on the issue.
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Makes sense to me.
Ah, July 8, 2003. Such memories.
By the way, for those truly obsessing over the Libby matter, Andrew Sullivan has gone 24/7 on the issue.
Labels: Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, Scooter Libby
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
FCC-'in A!
Oh $#!%! A federal appeals court tells government watchdogs to get over themselves!
This point tickled me to no end:
I have a line in my stand-up routine where I point to Bush's vulgarity and pair it with Cheney's shooting incident and ask the question: When did the Republican Party become sponsored by Hot 97?
This blog occasionally uses one or two of those famous "seven words" George Carlin couldn't use on television (though most can be said on broadcast TV these days) -- though usually more in the Comments section than in the main posts. However, no one would confuse this blog with, say, a gangsta rap song. I try to keep something of a mature standard. Still, I don't try to censor myself or my colleagues. There are times when a coarse word or phrase is appropriate -- sometimes as punchline, sometimes as a way to emphasized a point.
Thus, I thought that the Federal Communications Commission was becoming a bit too much of a blue nose censoring body in going after broadcast networks for "incidental" airing of naughty words, supposedly to protect the sainted ears of our tender youth (many of whom are buying those aforementioned rap songs).
It will be interesting to see what the Supreme Court determines if the FCC appeals.
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This point tickled me to no end:
But the judges said vulgar words are just as often used out of frustration or excitement, and not to convey any broader obscene meaning. “In recent times even the top leaders of our government have used variants of these expletives in a manner that no reasonable person would believe referenced sexual or excretory organs or activities.”
Adopting an argument made by lawyers for NBC, the judges then cited examples in which Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney had used the same language that would be penalized under the policy. Mr. Bush was caught on videotape last July using a common vulgarity that the commission finds objectionable in a conversation with Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain. Three years ago, Mr. Cheney was widely reported to have muttered an angry obscene version of “get lost” to Senator
Patrick Leahy on the floor of the United States Senate.
I have a line in my stand-up routine where I point to Bush's vulgarity and pair it with Cheney's shooting incident and ask the question: When did the Republican Party become sponsored by Hot 97?
This blog occasionally uses one or two of those famous "seven words" George Carlin couldn't use on television (though most can be said on broadcast TV these days) -- though usually more in the Comments section than in the main posts. However, no one would confuse this blog with, say, a gangsta rap song. I try to keep something of a mature standard. Still, I don't try to censor myself or my colleagues. There are times when a coarse word or phrase is appropriate -- sometimes as punchline, sometimes as a way to emphasized a point.
Thus, I thought that the Federal Communications Commission was becoming a bit too much of a blue nose censoring body in going after broadcast networks for "incidental" airing of naughty words, supposedly to protect the sainted ears of our tender youth (many of whom are buying those aforementioned rap songs).
It will be interesting to see what the Supreme Court determines if the FCC appeals.
Labels: Censorship, Dick Cheney, FCC, George W. Bush
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Not Guilty, Guilty
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