Field Reports: Cheney Defends Vulgarity

Sept. 26 -- Running mate Dick Cheney remains unashamed of GOP presidential candidate George W. Bush’s use of a vulgarity to describe a New York Times reporter.

Appearing on a radio show in Detroit this morning, Cheney defended the Labor Day incident in which Bush called Times reporter Adam Clymer a “major-league a------.” At the time, Cheney responded, “Oh yeah, big time.”

“We believe very much in a free press and they get to write whatever they want to write,” Cheney said. “But I think it’s not unexpected or shouldn’t be unexpected that those of us who are on the receiving end have strong feelings about what’s written sometimes, especially if it’s inaccurate, as it often was with Mr. Clymer.”

Cheney appeared to be referring to articles Clymer had written about Bush’s record as Texas governor. Cheney has also disputed a Clymer report about the extent of his charitable contributions.

“We express ourselves to one another in that vein,” Cheney said. ’It was not intended as a public comment, it was picked up by a boom mike from the press section. But the governor’s entitled to his views and I’m entitled to agree or disagree with him on that subject. I thought far more was made of it than it warranted.”

For the record, the comment in question was made into an open microphone on the podium where Bush was about to begin speaking.

— Eileen McMenamin, ABCNEWS

Daschle Lends Lieberman Support

Unlike some of his colleagues, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota said today he isn’t about to press Sen. Joseph Lieberman into giving up his Senate campaign.

Lieberman, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, has elected to keep running for re-election in his home state of Connecticut in addition to being on the national ticket.

But while a few Democratic senators have suggested Lieberman consider abandoning his Connecticut campaign, Daschle said today he respects Liberman and will not try to change his mind.