Washington Post prints the F-word

[dougo]

So, Dick Cheney swore at Pat Leahy on the Senate floor, and the Washington Post printed the epithet ("fuck yourself") without asterisks or other cartoon punctuation. Nothing wrong with that, but I wonder if it will get them in trouble. I guess the FCC doesn't control print media (yet). Some amusing quotes from the story:

As it happens, the exchange occurred on the same day the Senate passed legislation described as the "Defense of Decency Act" by 99 to 1.

[...]

There is no rule against obscene language by a vice president on the Senate floor. The senators were present for a group picture and not in session, so Rule 19 of the Senate rules -- which prohibits vulgar statements "unbecoming a senator" -- does not apply, according to a Senate official. Even if the Senate were in session, the vice president, though constitutionally the president of the Senate, is an executive branch official and therefore free to use whatever language he likes.

The Washington Times was more delicate: "According to the aide, Mr. Cheney then responded with a barnyard epithet, urging Mr. Leahy to perform an anatomical sexual impossibility."

Comments

My bet...

[mshonle.livejournal.com]

I don't think people will get upset about the use of the F-word, because those who would are likely going to be voting for Cheney and any controversy would just bring the issue more attention. Kind of like how Bush never jumped on Al Gore for saying he smoked pot: Bush didn't want to defend the counter cocaine changes, so they just took the issue off of the table.

So perhaps this will take Kerry's use of Fuck off the table too.