Double Standard

John Kerry gratuitous reference to Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter in the 3rd debate didn't light up the mainstream press. Imagine this scenario:

Dick Gephardt also has a lesbian daughter. Suppose Gephardt had been the Democratic nominee, and President Bush had said this in the debate:

I do know that we have a choice to make in America and that is to treat people
with tolerance and respect and dignity. It's important that we do that. And I
also know in a free society people, consenting adults can live the way they want
to live. And that's to be honored.
I think my opponent 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.

The first paragraph of this hypothetical quote is taken from what Bush actually said in the debate Wednesday; the second paragraph is adapted from John Edwards's comments about Cheney last Tuesday. Does anyone doubt that Bush would today stand accused of gay-baiting or worse if the shoe were on the other foot?