Mary Cheney delivers
a son
By Bob Roehr,
ebar.com from the Web, May 31, 2007
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Vice
President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne hold their newest
grandchild, Samuel David Cheney , shortly after his birth last week.
Photo: Courtesy White House |
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Mary Cheney gave birth to Samuel
David Cheney at 9:46 on the morning of May 23. He weighed 8 pounds, 6
ounces. It is the first child for Cheney, 38, and Heather Poe, her partner
of 15 years. They have declared the pregnancy and birth a private matter
and have declined to answer questions about it.
The baby is the sixth grandchild for Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife
Lynne, who also have a daughter named Elizabeth, and the first to carry the
Cheney surname. The White House released an official photo of Dick and
Lynne with the infant, but none of the two parents. It was the same photo
approach and caption information that was used when the vice president became a
grandfather in 2004 and 2006 after the births of Elizabeth Cheney's children.
Much has been made of the fact that Mary Cheney and Poe reside in Great Falls,
Virginia, a bucolic Washington suburb up the Potomac River, where gays and
lesbians have no legal protection for their families.
The birth did not occur in several nearby Virginia hospitals but rather at
Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C. Perhaps Mary simply wanted to use the
same facility as her sister Liz for the birth of several of her children.
Or perhaps she was mindful of the fact that by delivering in D.C., Samuel's
birth certificate would not preclude the inclusion of Poe as a parent.
Mary Cheney has played a prominent role in her father's political life, from
campaigning as a child through managing his re-election effort in 2004.
She also made a controversial name for herself in marketing Coors beer to the
gay community, and currently works as a marketing executive for America Online.
"We join the community of American families headed by lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender parents in congratulating Mary Cheney and Heather Poe on the
birth of their son, Samuel David Cheney," said Jennifer Chrisler, executive
director of Family Pride, in a statement released shortly after the birth was
announced. "Vice President Cheney's newborn grandson and his two mothers
put yet another face on our families for the American public. We wish the
family the best and will continue our efforts to advocate for full equality for
all American families."
Several months ago, when news of Mary Cheney's pregnancy was announced,
President Bush had said, "The vice president took me aside and gave me the good
news [that Mary was pregnant]. He and his wife Lynne, are very happy for
Mary. I think Mary is going to be a loving soul to her child. And
I'm happy for her."
At a rare presidential news conference the day after the birth, none of the
reporters present chose to ask Bush's opinion of the matter.
The anti-gay right was markedly restrained in commenting on the birth.
However, professional homophobe Peter LaBarbera noted a "touch of sadness" in
the event. "While we celebrate life, we cannot celebrate homosexual
parenting –- which involves intentionally denying a child either a mom or a
dad." The president of Americans for Truth said that Samuel needs a man in
his life.
"The pro-'gay' media have an odd way of reporting stories like this, as if both
Mary Cheney and Heather Poe were involved in the baby's conception. To do
otherwise, I suppose, would call unwanted attention to the unnaturalness of the
enterprise known as 'gay parenting,'" he added. "And yet, the truth
remains: two homosexuals cannot create a baby. Heterosexuality -–
the people that radicals in the early days of 'gay liberation' derided as
'breeders' –- must be involved."
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