Cheney's Formal Coat

I first heard about Cheney's attire at yesterday's gathering at Auschwitz on Air America Radio this morning and saw the images on Eschaton. Here's the link to today's Washington Post story.

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?
...
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.

A little tasteless? Remember when you were younger and you didn't want to dress up for church, funeral, family event, what-have-you, but your mom or dad said that you have to and you'd understand later why? It's just respect. And Dick just didn't show any class yesterday at the chilling anniversary of the atrocities committed at Auschwitz.

Photo: Herbert Knosowski/AP

Comments

[browneye]

I don't know why I'm still amazed at all of the classless and tasteless behavior exhibited by Bush&Co. I should have learned my lesson by now.

[dragonballyee]

Every once in awhile, they'll just amaze me that they'll go to such lengths to be tasteless. It's almost like a watching a reality TV show to see what they'll come up with next.

[ixtayul]

Nothing they do is by accident. You can bet your bottom dollar he knew exactly what message he was sending by dissing the event.