October 06, 2004
Meeting-Gate
Taranto today weighs in on the Did-Cheney-Meet-Edwards kerfluffle:
One of Dick Cheney's best zingers last night was when he said to John Edwards: "In my capacity as vice president, I am the president of Senate, the presiding officer. I'm up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they're in session. The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight."It turns out Cheney was mistaken, as the Associated Press reports:
On Feb. 1, 2001, the vice president thanked Edwards by name at a Senate prayer breakfast and sat beside him during the event.
On April 8, 2001, Cheney and Edwards shook hands when they met off-camera during a taping of NBC's "Meet the Press," moderator Tim Russert said Wednesday on "Today."
On Jan. 8, 2003, the two met when the first-term North Carolina senator accompanied Elizabeth Dole to her swearing-in by Cheney as a North Carolina senator, Edwards aides also said.
Edwards did remember, and at a postdebate rally, he accused Cheney of "still not being straight with the American people":
"The vice president said that the first time I met Senator Edwards was tonight when we walked on the stage. I guess he forgot the time we sat next to each other for a couple hours about three years ago. I guess he forgot the time we met at the swearing in of another senator. So, my wife Elizabeth reminded him on the stage," Edwards said as the crowd roared.
According to Edwards' staff, Cheney replied, "Oh, yeah."
As it happens, we met Dick Cheney once, shaking his hand after a dinner in Washington. We remember meeting him because he is the vice president of the United States. We would be surprised, indeed flattered, if he remembered us. Blogger Adam Muntner likens Edwards to "a 15 year old girl sniffing about the High School football Captain, 'I guess he forgot about the time three years ago when he sat next to me on the bus!' It conveys that they aren't even in the same league."
Same deal here at the Butcher's Shop. As it happens, both Steve-O and I stood right next to Cheney four years ago in front of the alter at my church, as Cheney's grand-daughter and my middle Llama-ette were baptized in the same service. We even said hello to each other. Cheney was polite and friendly. And he wouldn't know either one of us Llamas from Adam if he tripped over us today.
Message to Edwards: Get over yourself. You're not that big.
Hey, I'm pretty sure that Cheney remembers an honest-to-goodness Llama standing next to him in church getting its young-un baptized.
Let alone one trained in the art (or is a science?) of butchering.
It does present a rather striking image. (Not to mention the smell!)
Don't sell yourself short.
Posted by: Jim in Chicago at October 6, 2004 04:42 PMReminds me of the time in my first year of law school when a gal asked me a question about a contracts assignment. I had no idea what she was talking about and, thinking she had me confused with someone else, asked her who (meaning the professor)she had for the class. She snapped back: "Paul, I sit next to you!"
Posted by: LMC at October 6, 2004 05:12 PMI met Kerry at a drinky-drink reception. 'm sure that he doesn't remember me, but I had nightmares for weeks.
Posted by: Bill from INDC at October 6, 2004 05:52 PMBesides the obvious fact that the vice-president of the United States can not possibly be expected to remember every person he's ever met, there's also the fact that the couple meetings they did have do not undermine the point that Cheney was trying to make. Namely, as VP, he's involved in the Senate, and most likely he would remember Senators he meets on the Senate floor. His point was about Edwards' abysmal Senate attendance record. The fact that, oh Edwards and other Democrats jump on the fact that Edwards and Cheney actually did meet outside the auspices of the Senate actually makes his point all that much more comical.
Posted by: Nicole Griffin at October 6, 2004 10:41 PMBy the way, why do your comments refuse to remember me no matter how many times I input my information and hit the "yes" button?
Posted by: Nicole Griffin at October 6, 2004 10:43 PMYa got me, Nicole. But please don't let it stop you from chiming in!
Posted by: Robert the LB at October 7, 2004 07:38 AM
