Friday's Wall Street Journal
editorial page (subscription only), which opposed the marriage
amendment, probably gets it right about Mary, too:
Our guess is that by throwing a spotlight on Ms. Cheney - and on her father's opposition to a Constitutional amendment on gay marriage - Messrs. Kerry and Edwards were trying to send a cultural message that there's really no difference between the two tickets, so you evangelicals might as well stay home.
If that's true, then the Kerry campaign may be making a profound miscalculation - both about the religious right and the larger religious middle of "tolerant traditionalists"... The gay marriage issue motivates these voters not out of hostility to gay Americans but because of what they believe is its challenge to a vital and venerable cultural institution.
As others have noted, the Democratic tactic appears to be an attempted "two-fer": A message that gay advocates would cheer as "inclusive" while doubling as an appeal to social conservatives' homophobia.
Meanwhile, the Log Cabin
Republicans commented even-handedly (unlike the Kerry
cheerleading from the gay left):
Log Cabin Republicans have a message for both campaigns. For Senator Kerry and Senator Edwards, you do not need to talk about the Vice President's daughter in order to discuss your positions on gay and lesbian issues. For President Bush and Karl Rove, you have a moral obligation to stop using gay and lesbian families as a political wedge issue. Our country and our party deserve better.