Mary Cheney, a caveat

That said, Kerry's remark did feel... forced or unnatural or something. I definitely remember it was one of two moments in that last debate when I cringed... I had had no problem when Edwards brought it up - it felt right - but Kerry's use personally I have to say felt gratuitous. That said, the conservative response was as ridiculous as it was predictable - "quick, Bush sucked and said absolutely nothing to defend himself against the fact that he has nothing domestically to show for himself for the past four years... the Mary Cheney comment.... yeah! even if no one buys it, at least it will DISTRACT EVERYONE FOR AT LEAST FOUR OR FIVE DAYS UNTIL THEY'VE COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN THAT BUSH HAD NOTHING TO SAY!" So, it works, it doesn't work, it doesn't matter. People who would have normally been talking about how strong and presidential Kerry looked against Bush's failed attempt to paint an Alfred E. Neumann What Me Worry smile on his face the entire time, would suddenly be caught up in the flurry of whether Kerry technically was or was not a "bad man" (as Lynne Cheney described him).

Fortunately, the polls seem to indicate that this did not translate into votes for Bush.