Cheney's scuzzy comments on higher ed

Well, actually I'm just pulling out his comments on Kerry's higher ed policy here, per the great Bob Somerby at the Daily Howler.

SEQUEL TWO—CHENEY CONQUERS THE RUBES: American voters just don’t have a chance, given the way their “press corps” functions. As a sequel to last week’s discussion, consider Dick Cheney’s Friday appearance in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. Cheney—vice president of the United States—took questions from voters in this crucial swing state. Here’s one question, from a voter who’s about to be played for a fool:

QUESTION (8/6/04): Hi. I live here in East Grand Forks. I serve a Lutheran church on the north side, River Heights Lutheran. I have 12 children, seven of whom are 18 and older, and they'll all vote for you.
(LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE)

So you ought to take Minnesota, anyway.

(LAUGHTER)

I have a question specifically about these young folks. I have lots of college kids. And for some strange reason, college students tend to veer toward the left. And I've always thought the Republican Party had a real vision for the future because they believe in freedom and opportunity. Can you tell me if you could talk to every college student in America and tell him or her how the Bush-Cheney ticket differs from the Kerry-Edwards ticket, what single thing would you point to encourage our young people to vote for you and the Republican Party this fall?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! But oh yeah—what would Cheney say to young people? The answer to that turned out to be easy! If we assume that he’s reasonably competent, Cheney would lie in their faces:
CHENEY (conclusion of answer): You talked about freedom and opportunity, and that I think goes to the heart of it. And I think if I look at the views of George Bush, the way he operated as governor of Texas, the way he's operated since he became president, I contrast that with John Kerry, I just think there are basic, fundamental differences of opinion about how this society ought to operate. I'm trying to think how to be a statesman in terms of my comments here. I think there are just an awful lot more—I'm much more comfortable with the values and the ideas and the concepts that I find in the middle of the country than I am in what I find in Massachusetts, if I can put in those terms.
(APPLAUSE)

John Kerry is, by National Journal ratings, the most liberal member of the United States Senate. Ted Kennedy is the more conservative of the two senators from Massachusetts.

(LAUGHTER)

It's true. All you got to do is go look at the ratings systems. And that captures a lot, I think, in terms of somebody's philosophy. And it's not based on one vote, or one year, it's based on 20 years of service in the United States Senate. Perfectly legitimate view of the world, if that's the way he wants to view it. It's just that if I were to lay down my voting record, the ten years I was in the House, versus his, there’s not a lot of overlap.

(LAUGHTER)

But let me thank you all again for being here today.

(APPLAUSE)

That was the end of Cheney’s appearance. All the voters applauded the veep. Cheney had praised the president’s values. And then he had lied in their faces.

Notice how a question on higher ed turns into a repeat of the lie on Kerry's liberal ranking. The liberal ranking thing ain't true but I guess if you repeat it enough times, it turns into a monster. This is really about how the media has decided to passively let BushCo get away with their lies. Please go read about the whole thing.