This makes me like Dick Cheney even more. I’d much rather have someone say “fuck you” to my face than to be all diplomatic to my face while stabbing me in the back.
And, FWIW, should Bill Clinton ever meet Ken Starr in a public setting, he would have every right to not only say “fuck you” but to pop him in the nose. Oh, but then the whineybutt PC police would cry foul and there would be lawsuits. I long for the days when you could say “fuck you” without people getting hysterical.
There never were such days PunditLisa.
There was however a time when such crudity would get your mouth washed out with soap.
I was explaining the dueling viewpoint, not endorsing it. But I’ll admit that there are times when I see the current level of what passes for reasoned debate, I sometimes succumb to an atavistic nostalgia for the good old days when “them’s fightin’ words” still meant somthing.
At the very least, one must admit that his use of profanity goes somewhat counter to the Bush/Cheney campaign promise to restore dignity to the White House. In my opinion it’s a bit hypocritical, expecially since he apparently refuses to apologize.
And yes, I’m sure someone has to say it so it may as well be me, it’s not as undignified as bustin’ a nut on an intern. But I don’t recall Clinton making any kind of dignity campaign promise.
No, this is still not an issue with me, the politics of Bush/Cheney are enough for me to reject ever voting for them. But I didn’t see anybody else mention the “restoring dignity” campaign “issue”.
Agreed. This whole brouhaha could have been avoided if Cheney had remembered where he was and instead said something like, “The esteemed Senator is cordially invited to go perform intercourse on himself”.
Not to mention the undeniable appeal of shooting politicians.
I don’t mind the VP swearing. I do think it’s a little hypocritical that Frist and Bush take such a blase attitude towards it while at the same time supporting gigantic fines for people who, even accidentally, swear on tv and radio.
The Bush apologists are hoping you’ll forget that whole matter, and the Bush-bashers have bigger fish to fry. 
Tut-tut, my dear luci (if I may be permitted so to address you, sir?). Surly – oops, I meant to type “surely”. Ahem. Surely you are aware that war profiteering is as American as apple pie, motherhood, and chopping down cherry trees to make way for a superhighway? Why, its proud history reaches back to the very founding of our nation!
Eliminate war profiteering? You treasonous cad! What next? Will you also condemn the noble tradition of securities fraud – ah, that is to say, creative accounting? Where will it all end, pray tell? Think of the executives’ children!
And what, my dear ETF (and this will keep you busy for a couple of days should you choose to answer), would you propose as a not only alternative but truly workable form of government and law that would be superior to the imperfect-but-best-for-the-most type that is currently (and pretty much has always been) that which exists in the United States?
I eagerly await you answer, my esteemed friend. 
Oh, I dunno. How about a representative democracy, with a free press, freedom of speech, a universal franchise, a Bill of Rights to protect the citizenry from governmental abuses, a…
Oh, wait.
Okay, how about the above with elected officials who aren’t perfect saintly pillars of virtue – ye gods, what havoc such would wreak! – but are generally honest, responsible, empathetic to those less fortunate than themselves, and inclined to put the commonweal before the interests of their best buds? How about a corporate ethos of, oh, maybe profit without gouging, resource use with due regard to conservation and renewables, awareness of business’s dependence on a well-educated workforce with a stake in the corporation’s success, avoidance of obscenely disproportionate executive versus workerbee compensation, and scrupulous compliance with the anti-trust, anti-fraud legislation that is already on the books?
That would be a good start, don’t you think? 
Wasn’t all this pretty much the idea some 228 years ago? How, pray tell, would you ensure these lofty qualities continued to exist once actual human beings got involved? I know of no society anywhere in the world where such as you propose exists.
If Bush and Cheney want to cozy up to the Christian Coalition and proclaim themselves as the “high moral standards” choice on the ticket, I wouldn’t imagine telling people to fuck themselves is a good idea. I know a lot of Christians who would be offended by this. I’ve been tempted to let loose with a particularly nasty quote from Bush or one of his buddies at church to see what happens.
Pastor: Looks like the acolyte forgot to bring the collection plates out from the closet.
Me: I’m going to fuck him like he’s never been fucked!
(Horrified gasps all around)
Me: Sorry, I’ve been listening to Bush’s top advisors too much lately. 
Or if you prefer:
Pastor: Looks like the acolyte forgot to bring the collection plates out from the closet.
Me: That major league asshole!
(More horrified gasps all around)
By all means do so, and please please please describe the outcome in detail.
Anyway, I was strictly limiting myself to the OP and this board, and ridiculing, I think justifiably, his sudden and rather peculiar transformation into a schoolmarm tut-tutting over a bit of salty language. So far, in three pages of replies, I haven’t seen anyone state that they have changed their choice of candidate based on the story. Whoops, upon review, it seems a few people have said they actually have MORE respect for Cheney now. So I guess I can rest my case. 
Whitehouse.org has funny poster about the incident:
http://www.whitehouse.org/initiatives/posters/cheney-fuck.asp
“Hey angry liberals, GO FUCK YOURSELF! America doesn’t need your fucking NEGATIVE ENERGY!”