January 28, 2005
Sore Thumb
Dick Cheney, Dressing DownBy Robin Givhan
At yesterday's gathering of world leaders in southern Poland to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the United States was represented by Vice President Cheney. The ceremony at the Nazi death camp was outdoors, so those in attendance, such as French President Jacques Chirac and Russian President Vladimir Putin, were wearing dark, formal overcoats and dress shoes or boots. Because it was cold and snowing, they were also wearing gentlemen's hats. In short, they were dressed for the inclement weather as well as the sobriety and dignity of the event.
The vice president, however, was dressed in the kind of attire one typically wears to operate a snow blower.
Cheney stood out in a sea of black-coated world leaders because he was wearing an olive drab parka with a fur-trimmed hood. It is embroidered with his name. It reminded one of the way in which children's clothes are inscribed with their names before they are sent away to camp. And indeed, the vice president looked like an awkward boy amid the well-dressed adults.
Like other attendees, the vice president was wearing a hat. But it was not a fedora or a Stetson or a fur hat or any kind of hat that one might wear to a memorial service as the representative of one's country. Instead, it was a knit ski cap, embroidered with the words "Staff 2001." It was the kind of hat a conventioneer might find in a goodie bag.
It is also worth mentioning that Cheney was wearing hiking boots -- thick, brown, lace-up ones. Did he think he was going to have to hike the 44 miles from Krakow -- where he had made remarks earlier in the day -- to Auschwitz?
His wife, Lynne, was seated next to him. Her coat has a hood, too, and it is essentially a parka. But it is black and did not appear to be functioning as either a name tag or a billboard. One wonders if at some point the vice president turned to his wife, took in her attire and asked himself why they seemed to be dressed for two entirely different events.
Some might argue that Cheney was the only attendee with the smarts to dress for the cold and snowy weather. But sometimes, out of respect for the occasion, one must endure a little discomfort.
Just last week, in a frigid, snow-dusted Washington, Cheney sat outside through the entire inauguration without so much as a hat and without suffering frostbite. And clearly, Cheney owns a proper overcoat. The world saw it during his swearing-in as vice president. Cheney treated that ceremony with the dignity it deserved -- not simply through his demeanor, but also through his attire. Would he have dared to take the oath of office with a ski cap on? People would have justifiably considered that an insult to the office, the day, the country.
There is little doubt that intellectually Cheney approached the Auschwitz ceremony with thoughtfulness and respect. But symbolism is powerful. That's why the piercing cry of a train whistle marked the beginning of the ceremony and the glare of searchlights signaled its end. The vice president might have been warm in his parka, ski cap and hiking boots. But they had the unfortunate effect of suggesting that he was more concerned with his own comfort than the reason for braving the cold at all.
© 2005 The Washington Post Company
As if the rest of the world wasn't already painfully aware that our country leaves something to be desired when it comes to class...Why did he think it was appropriate to dress this way here? Talk about adding insult to injury...
Posted by Maria at January 28, 2005 01:24 PM.
Now, now! "Dick" was just trying to warn us: Dress warmly for a concentration camp.
In fact, from now on, you malcontents, carry food in your pockets at all times.
And soap.
.
Yeah I guess his parents were a little clairvoyant when they named him.
Posted by: Maria at January 28, 2005 07:03 PMDon't tell me Maria that you're still letting that fucker Cosa post here? After what he said to me the last time? That I wasn't terribly bright, but not stupid, either?
Who made you God, Cosa? Is your picture up on everyone's altar, and they bow to you day and night? Are you the head of the CIA, and you turn to your lackeys and say, "he's smart, she's not stupid, and bomb the rest?" What a damn fool you are. What have we seen from you, Cosa, but a dedicated enabling of Geoffrey the psychopath? What have you got to show for yourself? Or is it all one big secret?
Posted by: Tara Carreon at January 28, 2005 09:34 PMCheney's dress message is clearly one of disrespect. Do you dress that way to go to a funeral? That's what Auschwitz is: a funeral. A horrible, horrible, horrible place. I've been there.
Posted by: Tara Carreon at January 28, 2005 09:42 PMBut since Bush's family funded Hitler, I'm sure that disrespect is exactly what Cheney intended.
Read about THE HITLER PROJECT here:
http://www.american-buddha.com/unauthor.bio.bush.2.htm
Posted by: Tara Carreon at January 28, 2005 11:25 PM.
Obviously not Tara. Geoffrey in drag, the pathetic, obsessional, ball-less coward. Get a life, Mr. Typical Republican! Ha-ha!
.
Mom, the post you refer to of Cosa's was forged by Geoffrey. Many of the posts in that thread were forged and it took a great deal of time for me to weed them out and delete them. I respect Cosa and he has contributed so much here. Do not mistake him for the asshole that he has been painted to be by others who have used my site maliciously. Those people have been banned.
Posted by: Maria at January 29, 2005 02:35 AMCosa, please respect my mother. She is not Geoffrey in drag. She is not a ball-less coward. In fact, she has more balls than Geoffrey will ever have. Rest assured that any forged comments would be deleted, so who you see here is truly my mom.
Posted by: Maria at January 29, 2005 02:38 AMI am speechless (or obviously nearly so) Maria a the far-reaching effect that "unmentionable" person has had to so many on the internet.
And the legacy of it all lives on. The power of negativity is monstrous, I'm reminded.
May I say M? Well done.. if ya know what I mean?? :)
Happy Saturday Night all!
Posted by: Richard at January 29, 2005 06:35 PMI still have my parka..Dick is wearing a military issued Parka..and it's warm all right but not what he should have been wearing to that kind of function..I wore mine while off loading trucks..
Posted by: Sandy at January 31, 2005 07:02 AMHe could have suffered through an hour or so of cold. That isn't asking much considering the millions that suffered there for years. But than again, we are talking about Dick, who is there out of obligation and could care less.
Posted by: theRAWdeal at January 31, 2005 12:11 PMMaria,
Wonderful picture. He looks so miserable, really, like he hates being in Europe, Old Europe.
Christians hate Europe. You have heard about the European Union being the home of the Antichrist:
"Recent developments in Europe are strikingly similar to what the Bible predicts for the End Times: the reuniting of the Roman Empire. Many bible prophecy experts believe the Antichrist will rise from this reunited empire. On Friday, October 29th, leaders of all 25 European Union (EU) nations signed a new constitution - on Capitoline Hill in Rome. This spot was once the center of religious life in the Roman Empire. The EU has been hailed by many as a revival of the Roman Empire. And this new constitution points unmistakably toward the reunion."
From the "Left Behind" Prophecy website at http://diodon349.com/Christian/antichrist_rising_in_europe.htm
Cheers,
Daddyo
New Yorkers will love this -- www.raptureready.com, provides a "Rapture Index," which currently stands at 154, which as is explained below, indicates we are into the red zone for some anticipated heavy "Prophetic Activity."
Quoting from the site:
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The Rapture Index has two functions: one is to factor together a number of related end time components into a cohesive indicator, and the other is to standardize those components to eliminate the wide variance that currently exists with prophecy reporting.
The Rapture Index is by no means meant to predict the rapture, however, the index is designed to measure the type of activity that could act as a precursor to the rapture.
You could say the Rapture index is a Dow Jones Industrial Average of end time activity, but I think it would be better if you viewed it as prophetic speedometer. The higher the number, the faster we're moving towards the occurrence of pre-tribulation rapture.
Rapture Index of 85 and Below: Slow prophetic activity
Rapture Index of 85 to 110: Moderate prophetic activity
Rapture Index of 110 to 145: Heavy prophetic activity
Rapture Index above 145: Fasten your seat belts
********************************************
This makes Creationism seem like sound science!
:) Chas
Some of the many factors relevant to calculating the likelihood of prophetic activity:
THE RAPTURE INDEX CATEGORIES EXPLAINED
1. False Christs
(Mat.24:24) Jesus talked about false Christs and false prophets. A
false Christ is anyone who claims to be equal or greater than God.
The realization that an individual is placing himself in the role of
deity is not always easy to discern.
2. Occult
There are two supernatural forces in the universe that are able to
affecting the natural world. God said that prayer was only valid means
of getting his attention, and he forbids using occultic devices. Who
do you think will answers the inquiries using taro cards, astrology,
or psychic phone lines?
3. Satanism
Satanism is one of the more difficult categories there is to track.
It has always been a shadowy topic. The devil's followers are very
secretive in their actions and cryptic in the writings they publish.
4. Unemployment
The result of poor economic conditions. Unrest, Crime, and social
change are effected more by job loss than any other economic factor.
As warm water is the life blood to the development of a hurricane,
unemployment is the energy for civil unrest and political upheaval.
5. Inflation
Inflation leads to higher interest rates, unemployment, and the loss
of buying power. Back in 20's and 30's the collapse of the German
government was mostly do to hyper inflation. It was also a major
factor in the rise of Hitler.
6. Interest Rates
The fluctuation of rates are what steers the economy. When people
make decisions in the market place, they're unknowingly guided by
interest rates. In Whatever directions rates head, the economy will
generally move in the same direction.
7. The Economy
How well an economy is doing determines the stability of a nation.
When checking with history, one finds most movements toward war,
dictatorship, and Lawlessness where aided by unfavorable financial
conditions.
http://www.raptureready.com/rap7.html
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Right wing Christianity is so reasonable!
Thanks for the links Dad! That is some weird shit.
Posted by: Maria at February 2, 2005 11:26 AMI know this is old news now, but check this out..
Much funnier if you're from Wisconsin, but good none the less.
Posted by: Jason at February 4, 2005 12:40 PMI don't know why he is even wearing that stuff in first place. He is such a stiff, his bodily is basically frozen anyway.
Posted by: Josh at February 7, 2005 09:38 AM