It was quite obvious that both Kerry’s and Edwards’ references to Mary Cheney in their respective debates were planned in advance and part of a strategy to accomplish something. WHAT WERE KERRY AND EDWARDS HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH BY REFERRING TO MARY CHENEY BEING A LESBIAN?
This was either:
1. A thinly veiled and poorly executed attack on Dick Cheney (for being a bad father who won't talk about his gay daughter and won't fight for her rights); or
2. An attempt to evade the gay marriage issue and avoid a direct debate on it, by sending the message to the Bush campaign that they will drag Mary Cheney's name into it every time the Bush camp tries to engage on gay marriage.
I think it was the former. Bill Kristol thinks it was the latter. But most people think it was an even worse reason, to try to get that oh-so-huge anti-gay bigot vote to stay home and not vote for Bush.
3. An ill-informed attempt by Kerry to court votes from the bigots and racists that he thinks make up the Republican party.