Cheney supports amendment that would discriminate against his own daughter

Vice President Dick Cheney has said he supports a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, while at the same time he seeks to protect the private life of his lesbian daughter, Agence France-Presse reports. During television interviews Tuesday, Cheney was questioned about the gay marriage issue because of his past statements that it should be left to individual states to decide whether same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. However, after President Bush used his State of the Union address to call for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages, Cheney told CNN television, "That's his decision to make.... I support the president.... I would advise him on the issues of the day. I never discuss the advice I provide him with anybody else. That's always private. He makes the decisions. He sets policy for the Administration. And I support him and the Administration." Cheney also made rare comments about his lesbian daughter, Mary, who has a top role in her father's reelection campaign. When asked about the conflict between his role as a father and as a politician, Cheney said, "I absolutely love my daughters very much, both of them, and care very deeply for them. One of the most unpleasant aspects of this business is the extent of which private lives are intruded upon when these kinds of issues come up. And I really have always considered my daughters' lives private, and I think that's the way it ought to remain." A gay rights group has launched a campaign to urge Mary Cheney, 34, to publicly oppose Bush's move to support the proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.