# Cursing Dick Cheney - turnabout is fair play? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 12, 2005, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-dick-cheney-turnabout-is-fair-play/321291 "2005-09-12T18:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-dick-cheney-turnabout-is-fair-play/321291/41 "2005-09-13T08:28:42Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > What exactly happened in the Senate that motivated Cheney to say that? Nothing. He apparently ripped into Leahy during a photo sessions for criticisms the Senator had made about him in [a different situation](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3699-2004Jun24.html) (WP, reg. req.): > [@](#): > > On Tuesday, Cheney, serving in his role as president of the Senate, appeared in the chamber for a photo session. A chance meeting with Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.), the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, became an argument about Cheney’s ties to Halliburton Co., an international energy services corporation, and President Bush’s judicial nominees. […] > > Tuesday’s exchange began when Leahy crossed the aisle at the photo session and joked to Cheney about being on the Republican side, according to [Leahy spokesman David] Carle. Then Cheney, according to Carle, “lashed into” Leahy for remarks he made Monday criticizing Iraq contracts won without competitive bidding by Halliburton, Cheney’s former employer. […] > > There is no rule against obscene language by a vice president on the Senate floor. The senators were present for a group picture and not in session, so Rule 19 of the Senate rules – which prohibits vulgar statements “unbecoming a senator” – does not apply, according to a Senate official. Even if the Senate were in session, the vice president, though constitutionally the president of the Senate, is an executive branch official and therefore free to use whatever language he likes. So Cheney did not violate any official protocol rules with his obscene comment. But as **John Mace** noted, that kind of reaction makes you look like an asshole to the majority of people. If Cheney feels he has to pick a fight with an opposing politician who made a friendly remark to him during a Senate photo session, he’s touchy and thin-skinned. If he can’t control himself sufficiently to refrain from hurling obscene insults when he loses the argument,\* he’s an asshole. - No, I don’t know the details of the quarrel beyond what was reported in the paper. But in most arguments, the guy who busts out swearing is usually the one who’s being out-argued. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-dick-cheney-turnabout-is-fair-play/321291/42 "2005-09-13T09:41:08Z")
Dr. Ben Marble certainly gets my respect. These days, it seems people are afraid to say things like this to our leaders. Here, the worst you get is 20 minutes in handcuffs, and a couple of folks saying it’s disprespectful. Whhoooptydoo! In other countries, you can be killed on the spot for saying such things. Be glad we can express it here. ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-dick-cheney-turnabout-is-fair-play/321291/43 "2005-09-13T14:43:48Z")
> [@stochastic](#): > > Actually, I have been in that situation, and my experience illustrates just why you don’t want to waive this right. > [@AFAIKnow](#): > > 2.Never waive your rights to an officer even if you are innocent. Assert them at any opportunity given. And as far as your story goes I think you were lucky you didn’t go to jail and they didn’t touch you. Anyone can protest and yell and make demands all they want. I would just prefer to get the same result with as little trouble as posible. If those cops did find something on a warrantless search it would not have been admissable in court. Imagine if they found something after they got the warrant. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-dick-cheney-turnabout-is-fair-play/321291/44 "2005-09-13T17:44:33Z")
If I simply stand in my door, and they physically force themselves in, I’ve got assault charges on top of an unwarranted and illegal search. How many cops are that fucking stupid? Hmmm, may not want to answer that. ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-dick-cheney-turnabout-is-fair-play/321291/45 "2005-09-13T19:14:22Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If I simply stand in my door, and they physically force themselves in, I’ve got assault charges on top of an unwarranted and illegal search. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-dick-cheney-turnabout-is-fair-play/321291/46 "2005-09-14T02:35:54Z")
> [@St. Urho](#): > > I have no idea about military police, but civilian police can and do place people who are not under arrest in handcuffs. It’s frequently done to protect the officers, the person themselves, or bystanders. Anytime you are not free to leave or are otherwise prevented from walking away from a police officer you are under arrest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cursing-dick-cheney-turnabout-is-fair-play/321291.md?page=2)