Cheney's Olive Drab in Poland

[OutThere]

Apparently vice-pres Cheney wore some interesting (in perspective) duds to the Auschwitz remembrance ceremonies in Poland. Disrespectful? I don't know, I'm not really sure I have an opinion on it, but some do.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/01/28/auschwitz.cheney.reut/index.html

[apple2991]

This quote pretty much says it all:

"The vice president might have been warm in his parka, ski cap and hiking boots," Givhan said. "But they had the unfortunate effect of suggesting he was more concerned with his own comfort than the reason for braving the cold at all."

[mactastic]

Perception is what counts, right? If the world percieves Cheney as being boorish by showing up dressed like this, it hardly matters what his intent was.

Might as well put this one in the political forum right now though...

[PlaceofDis]

Perception is what counts, right? If the world percieves Cheney as being boorish by showing up dressed like this, it hardly matters what his intent was.

Might as well put this one in the political forum right now though...

hi-ho hi-ho its off to the political forums we go...... :D

What Cheney wore was in some ways disrespectful, but should he have no care to be warm? indeed public perception is what matters in a case like this and you would think that he or his staff would have had some more forethought on the issue

[blackfox]

Perhaps the dry cleaner is the real culprit.

I find this slightly amusing/odd, but if it comes down to it, there are certainly more substantive issues concerning the VP that deserve attention/discussion.

I sure as hell won't be mentioning those until after this thread completes it's inevitable move to the PF.

[Lord Blackadder]

He looks like an elderly George Costanza. Whatever.

[mactastic]

What Cheney wore was in some ways disrespectful, but should he have no care to be warm?

Well he managed to stay warm at the inaugural in more formal attire... Who knows, maybe he lost his overcoat between last week and now. I hear those inaugural balls were really swinging!

[aloofman]

Perception is what counts, right? If the world percieves Cheney as being boorish by showing up dressed like this, it hardly matters what his intent was.

Might as well put this one in the political forum right now though...

Since much of the world considered him boorish before the ceremony, maybe he just didn't care.

[miloblithe]

There is no excuse for dressing that way. The man is the vice president of the US; he understands the concepts of 'formality'. It was disrespectful.

[virividox]

disgraceful

[Makosuke]

Personally, I'm all about comfort over formality whatever the occasion, but then I'm not the Vice President of a very large country that is currently trying to improve its image in the rest of the world.

It'd be an understandable slip-up in some circumstances, but this just isn't the kind of thing that should have been allowed to happen--if it didn't occur to him that he might be inappropriately dressed, one of his aides or whoever does his wardrobe should've caught it.

He really does look out of place in that photo on the CNN site.

[Lyle]

It'd be an understandable slip-up in some circumstances, but this just isn't the kind of thing that should have been allowed to happen--if it didn't occur to him that he might be inappropriately dressed, one of his aides or whoever does his wardrobe should've caught it.It is unfortunate that that's what he ended up wearing to the event, but IMO it seems really, really unlikely that he and his aides weren't aware that he was dressed inappropriately. There's no telling if we'll ever hear the whole story, but it seems more likely that there was some really good reason why he didn't have something appropriate to wear (e.g. blackfox's suggestion of a dry cleaning malfunction, or maybe lost luggage).

[Hoef]

You think that this guy is surrounded by admins and advisors .... Couldn't anyone of them say "Well dick, shall we dress to the occasion?". Or at least his wife :eek:

[IJ Reilly]

Maybe he was aware of it, but just didn't care. You know the philosophy behind nearly everything regarding foreigners these days: "They already hate us anyway."

[MontanaMacster]

He is surrounded by people all wearing coats, hats, and gloves. The fact that his is just warmer shouldn't raise an eyebrow. I guess this just is a good story to run instead of the fact that prince charles boys weren't present at the the ceremony as the rest of the media world thought they should be after one of them made the mistake of dressing like a Nazi officer for a halloween costume party.

[pseudobrit]

He is surrounded by people all wearing coats, hats, and gloves. The fact that his is just warmer shouldn't raise an eyebrow.

I doubt anyone else in the crowd is cold. They are, however, dressed more conservatively.

I guess this just is a good story to run instead of the fact that prince charles boys weren't present at the the ceremony as the rest of the media world thought they should be after one of them made the mistake of dressing like a Nazi officer for a halloween costume party.

What Halloween party? Do you know what you're talking about?

[pseudobrit]

Thursday vs. Friday:

[MontanaMacster]

What Halloween party? Do you know what you're talking about?
I hear costume party and I only think Halloween

Nazi (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4170083.stm)

[Spizzo]

I'm not a fan of the VP, but dont really see the big deal.

He probably wore hiking boots so he didnt slip and break a hip. (have you ever wore dress shoes in the snow? I have, and taken my share of spills)

Stocking Cap vs. Fur Hats - Maybe It's all he had???

Looks like he had some dress type pants on. And personally i think that jacket looks warm. What was the temp. there vs. in D.C.?

[pseudobrit]

Mr. Cheney has enough money to dress properly for this occasion, and he had the proper attire.

Instead, he chose to dress like a slob. Way to represent America, Dick!

[zimv20]

some years ago, we buried my great-grandmother on a cold, snowy february day. i managed a dark suit, dress shoes and a conservative overcoat. out of respect.

it's clear to me cheney didn't respect the proceedings.

[Chip NoVaMac]

hi-ho hi-ho its off to the political forums we go...... :D

What Cheney wore was in some ways disrespectful, but should he have no care to be warm? indeed public perception is what matters in a case like this and you would think that he or his staff would have had some more forethought on the issue

Given the hardships and death suffered by those in that camp and others, it was in very poor taste. If Cheney wanted to show up at a state funereal like that due to the weather, that would have been his choice.

Perception is everything....

[pseudobrit]

Given the hardships and death suffered by those in that camp and others, it was in very poor taste.

Good point. The victims of Auschwitz experienced suffering that was beyond words, and Cheney couldn't bear to be a little chilly for what, an hour?

[Chip NoVaMac]

Good point. The victims of Auschwitz experienced suffering that was beyond words, and Cheney couldn't bear to be a little chilly for what, an hour?

Though going through my own medical trials and tribulations. if Cheney's health was an issue for his need to be warm, I am sure that something more in keeping with the moment could have been found.

It does seem by the lack of comment from the right (meaningful comment) that it just another example of the disdain that this administration has for what most would consider the correct actions.

[solvs]

I think this is an issue because it isn't just a wardrobe malfunction for lack of a better term. It is because of who he is. Considering everything else he says and does, it is a disgrace. If he was more well liked, especially to the rest of the world, it probably wouldn't have been as much of a big deal.

Then again, if he was more well liked, he would probably be a better person and wouldn't have done it in the first place. It's not really a double standard, because he has put himself into that position by being a member of an administration that has made a lot mistakes that echo the message he is presenting.