This Cheney issue was bigger for them than it was for us.

[Rex_Goodheart]

I'm sure we all predicted the loud, rancorous attacks against people with an understandable curiosity over a vice-president shooting a man, and against the news agencies that demanded some explanations.

You see, the Republican Party bills itself as responsible with weapons. Aside from championing unabashed greed, they see their "We will take care of you even if you won't take care of yourselves" attitude as the biggest element of their appeal. That whole "we're strong on defense" mantra is a major portion of their raison d'etre... it's the item that won them the last election (if indeed you believe they actually won). It's their professed reason for being in Iraq. It's what gets all those poor people to vote against their own economic interests. They have weapons, they know how to use them, it makes them mighty, and, by God, it makes them right.

So, when their leader, himself, proves negligent with a weapon the implications are clear. If he's negligent with his own personal weapon, how can we trust him with the nation's entire stockpile? That's the question that Republicans don't want people asking themselves. When the rest of us assert that Mr. Cheney was irresponsible it's as though we're questioning their manhood, itself. We have attacked their reason for being. We could have called them all gay and gotten similar nasty responses.

"A conservative must never allow himself to be seen as less than perfect" I heard one Republican confess recently. To that end every shortcoming must be denied, and every accuser destroyed. For the time being, the guns they love are still outlawed as devices to settle controversies, so they're forced to resort to the weapon that's available to them: cheap, nasty lies and denials.

For my part I won't let them forget this incident. I'm going to remind them of that irresponsibility at every turn. That is, of course, until they make what Dick Cheney did legal.

[Klukie]

1. I couldn't agree more!

My post from yesterday http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=414397&mesg_id=414397

[Rex_Goodheart]

5. I agree with you...

We should hammer away on the fact that Cheney was irresponsible with a weapon, and thus should not have control of the stockpile.

[Olney Blue]

2. That's right- they SHOULDN'T be in charge of the stockpile.

K and R

[oldtime dfl_er]

7. damn right

eom

http://www.cafepress.com/scarebaby/1207923

[unblock]

3. good point about denying every shortcoming. cheney can't deny this one.

he's already done the "minor" thing and the blame-the-victim thing (he didn't announce himself), but everyone knows that the guy who pulls the trigger is "less than perfect".

he simply can't deny that he cheneyed up "bigtime" here.

[Inland]

6. Even the standby of saying Clinton did worse won't work here. nt

[Inland]

4. I agree it's a bigger deal for republican leaners

It's an illusion buster. I wouldn't say so much for the reasons you have, but the fact Cheney has this entirely creepy penned bird hunt with a few beers and then somehow disappears from the scene of an accident. Remember the hoots and hollars when Kerry appeared with a gun, how he wasn't a real hunter? Well, Cheney is doing everything a hunter, believer in personal responsibility and honesty hates, and they can't blame it on anyone. It's ALL Cheney.

[enough]

8. morning kick

[Bridget Burke]

9. We aren't the ones losing our respect for Cheney....

Because we never had any.

But this very real example of criminal incompetence, secrecy & ass covering is waking some people up. Previous example of those Republican principles have done a lot more damage. We can recognize the pattern--others are just now noticing it.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. Especially, since their performance in every major disaster

has been a disaster.

[Raffi Ella]

12. And THAT is the truth.

:kick:

[Kolesar]

11. Sign that and mail it to the Picayune!

That's a good letter.