Condemnation Through Prasie

Where does John Edwards get the unmitigated gaul to bring Vice President Cheney's daughter into the election? What does she have to do with anything? Why didn't Edwrads say "John Doe's daughter..." Why did he have to make it personal?

To get in a political dig. To say beneath the surface to those opposed to gay marriage, "Look! The Vice President's daughter is gay! she's a lesbian! Can you support someone who has a gay daughter? Especially if you don't support gay marriage?"

It was a low and vile thing to do. Very low. Very vile.

EDWARDS: Yes. Let me say first, on an issue that the vice president said in his last answer before we got to this question, talking about tax policy, the country needs to know that under what they have put in place and want to put in place, a millionaire sitting by their swimming pool, collecting their statements to see how much money they're making, make their money from dividends, pays a lower tax rate than the men and women who are receiving paychecks for serving on the ground in Iraq.

EDWARDS: Now, they may think that's right. John Kerry and I do not.

We don't just value wealth, which they do. We value work in this country. And it is a fundamental value difference between them and us.

Now, as to this question, let me say first that I think the vice president and his wife love their daughter. I think they love her very much. And you can't have anything but respect for the fact that they're willing to talk about the fact that they have a gay daughter, the fact that they embrace her. It's a wonderful thing. And there are millions of parents like that who love their children, who want their children to be happy.

And I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, and so does John Kerry.

I also believe that there should be partnership benefits for gay and lesbian couples in long-term, committed relationships.

But we should not use the Constitution to divide this country.

EDWARDS: No state for the last 200 years has ever had to recognize another state's marriage.

This is using the Constitution as a political tool, and it's wrong.