Cheapskate Cheneys rip off fruit stand owner in coal country PA

[grasswire]

Kaufman notes: "The tour went through hardscrabble coal towns with boarded-up shops and empty houses in what is traditionally Democratic territory. Although many people waved American flags and applauded the motorcade, a fair number of others made obscene gestures and booed or held Kerry signs. . . .

"In a lighter moment, the Cheney tour stopped at a farm stand owned by Ray Levan, 65, in the small town of Catawissa. Cheney and his wife went to buy fruit and vegetables, while daughters Mary and Elizabeth went with the Cheney grandchildren to watch cows being fed.

"The Cheneys purchased nine apples, five large tomatoes, three green peppers and a dozen ears of corn. Cheney pulled a $10 bill from his pocket and gave it to Levan. Asked by a reporter whether the $10 covered the cost of the produce, Levan indicated that it did not. But he said it was an 'honor' to sell the fruits and vegetables to the vice president, even if at a discount."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A34097-2004Aug25.html

[Occulus]

1. I really wish *I* could give

myself a discount at a produce stand. But *I'm* not special like *he* is.

What a fucker. What a self-entitled fucker.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

2. sorry...not a ripoff

the man owning the stand did not ask for more money...so an agreement was reached. I work a farmer's market once a week and frequently people are given 'a little more than they paid for' from our stand. Happens up and down the row...

He may be a sheister, but if asked for more money...I am betting he would have either paid or returned something. Calling this a rip-off makes you look bad...

theProdigal

[TryingToWarnYou]

5. Bullshit. This group thinks we are here to serve them rather than

the other way around... its how they are. Its how they have always been.

Its obvious to me that the guy running the stand noticed that the $10 didnt cover the costs, but declined to say something (probably out of fear of retribution) that he just let it go. I figure he will make his money back on someone else down the line. He was apparently enamoured with being around the big Dick that he let it get his better judgement. Oh well, lets see if he can feed his family on that.

[grasswire]

10. ridiculous

Did Cheney ask how much it was? No.

If he didn't know, why would he offer a $10 instead of a $20 or $50? This is the action of a cheapskate or someone living in the 1950s.

Unconscionable. Bullying. Cheap.

[Eloriel]

18. You forgot "arrogant and narcissistic"

:evilgrin:

[calimary]

22. Understood. BUT: "it's the symbolism, stupid" - (NOT YOU, personally!)

True enough, the fruit stand owner did not ask for money. But neither is the fruit stand owner in business to hand out free food, or take less than his produce was worth. True, also, I've been to MANY farmers' markets where they throw in a few extra. But that's during, or just following, a fully-executed transaction where we willingly paid. Sometimes, if the vendor threw in more, I'd ask if I could pay for the extra (they'd always say no). The point here is - it IS another bit of evidence to prove that these people think they're somehow, imperially, above it, and that they can throw a few "courtesy crumbs" at "the help," and then be eligible to have their feet kissed.

FURTHERMORE, cheney, of all people, can WELL afford to pay WHATEVER this guy might ask. He should have been FAR more generous. If for NO other reason, the public relations of it.

He's just another cheap-ass, chiseling, imperialistic, self-flattering CEO who gets to do his dirty work on the largest scale on earth.

And his gay daughter is thoughtfully sent out to the cow pasture... For bringing her up as a campaign issue, they sure like to keep her back in the shadows.

[rkc3]

28. That's what I was thinking - throw him a $20 and let him keep the change.

[Booster]

37. However, it does point out how out of touch they are.

Even I would know that $10 wouldn't cover it and I don't shop all that much at farmer's markets. What dumbasses.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

40. this is FIRMLY agree with

most if not all career politicians and/or really rich folks just have NOT clue...

theProdigal

[Bunny]

44. Double bullshit.

This is complete crap from an asshole who thinks he's entitled to whatever the hell he wants and screw the little guy. Remember, he shot and killed 470 caged birds at a club in Pennsylvania last year!Why the hell does ANYONE need to kill 470 f-ing birds??? He's a goddamn asshole. He should have asked how much, then paid these people accordingly. Douchebag.

[napi21]

3. Love to see this on every news chanel!

Not that a lot of people wouldn't have just said, don't bother Sir, I think it would show at lease some Americans how out of touch Cheney is with their lives. Same as GHB did when he didn't know the price of milk or what a scanner was at the supermarket.

[aden_nak]

4. Well, times are tough, financially.

Maybe the Cheneys are just having trouble making ends meet. $35,000,000 in Haliburton money just doesn't go as far as it used to.

[nikatnyte]

6. Not surprising

. .considering the millions of deluded Americans who want to continue the "honor" of getting screwed by Dubya for another 4 years.

[Bunny]

45. Hee Hee.

Maybe we should offer to have a bake sale for them! :evilgrin:

[Bozita]

7. Bush would have done the same thing ... but without the $10 bill

Entitlement has its privileges.

[madrchsod]

8. ok cheney stops and buys

fruit but doesn`t worry about getting poisoned like bush did when he rejected the amish girls homemade pies? amish terrorists?

[rkc3]

13. Bush rejected Amish apple pies?

Please tell me there's a link for this? I'd love to see what the dumbass had to say.

[grasswire]

15. actually it was called a "whoopie pie"

http://lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/7564

Bush said he had never met any Amish before and was curious about why the men were wearing straw hats rather than black wool hats. The Amish explained that they wear cooler straw in summer. Bush tried on a hat.

The president commented on the appearance of Amish farms, and an Amish man spoke apologetically about how he and his friends were not expecting to see the president and were wearing soiled work clothes. Bush said he did not mind that.

Another man remarked that he has twin daughters, as does Bush. The man said one of his twins had dreamed the night before that she was shaking hands with the president and now she actually had done that.

“One of the young girls wanted to give Bush a whoopie pie cookie,’’ Stoltzfus says. “Bush declined it. The Secret Service man took it, as presidents aren’t supposed to eat untested food.’’

At the end of the session, Bush reportedly told the group, “I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I couldn’t do my job.’’

[Bozita]

16. “I trust God speaks through me. Without that, I couldn’t do my job.’’

WTF?

Good post, Grasswire!

[JerseygirlCT]

19. Hard to believe he's that stupid -m

He had to ASK why the straw hats???

And for those wondering, a whoopie pie is sort of oreo-like -- chocolate cake with cream in the middle.

[oasis]

23. Bush passes on whoopie pie. I feel a Whoopi Goldberg joke coming on.

:-)

[Cleita]

24. Why is he campaigning among the Amish?

It's my understanding that they don't vote for religious reasons.

[JHB]

36. It's not for the Amish, it's for the image...

...being among ol'fashioned, salt-of-the-earth people of the land with strong religious convictions. You know the drill.

[rkc3]

27. Thanks for the link.

Can you see uncle Dick sneaking into Georgie's room at night pretending to be God and telling him how he should handle the next press conference?

Or better yet, does bush think the voice in his earpiece is God?

[Tsiyu]

30. Any "man of the people"

oughta know why you wear a straw hat in summer. Sheesh!!!

If God speaks through him, wouldn't he tell him the Whoopie Pie was allright?

Sheesh!!!

And Cheney paid the going rate for veggies around here, but farther North he underpaid. Cheney is a bloated, overpaid scum. His lusts and appetites will kill him in the end....

[frylock]

32. god also spoke through david koresh..

for whatever that's worth.

[TryingToWarnYou]

35. Finally, proof that Bush is no Texan... questioning the hats

Anybody thats ever worn a cowboy hat in Texas knows that you wear felt in the fall/winter and straw for the summer. What a moran.

Afraid of a whoopie pie cookie? Our brave and fearless leader. ROFL...

[TommyO]

39. Do you really think....

that they're going to eat what they bought? It was yet another repug feel-good photo op!

[jackstraw45]

9. you KNOW Cheney had a wad of fifties and twenties...

yet he reaches for the $10.

What an incredible asshole...BIG TIME!

[aden_nak]

12. Maybe he only had $100's.

And you know he wasn't giving up an extra $90. Probably on Rove's advice. "Never use large bills, it reminds people who filthy rich you are."

[zbdent]

11. Remember when Hillary was flame-roasted alive for not knowing

that the waitress never got a tip?

Boy, times have changed . . .

[Eloriel]

20. No, it's just the Republicans have different rules

for themselves than for Dems. But you knew that. :evilgrin:

[FlaGranny]

14. There is one reason why

Cheney could have done this - has anyone thought that he has ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how much it costs to eat? He might think it still costs $20 a week for groceries for a family of four.

[LizW]

17. Exactly.

Who in their right mind would think you could buy that much fresh home-grown food for $10?

But really, the "payment" was just for show, anyway. Cheney didn't intend to pay for the food. He's a part of that group of very entitled folks who are used to people falling over themselves to give him stuff. He just expects it.

[LibraLabSoldier]

25. They dont.

I get $246 dollars a month Seperate Rations pay because I am married and live off post. That is supposed to by all of my food for a month. Not my wife and kids and Me, just me. My family housing allowance is $600 dollars a month. The thing is, in millitary towns, barely adequate housing starts at what ever the minimum BAH is. That doesn not include Utilities, phone, cable, internet, ect.

They dont even know what it costs for a soldier to have a home and enough money to take care of bills and their families. I couldnt live at all if I had to pay for medical. I do however have to pay for dental for my family...guess teeth are a luxury......

He didnt want to pay. He wanted a photo op.

[oasis]

21. Honor to give a discount to the Halliburton honcho who screwed taxpayers

out of millions. Stay with your fruit stand you stupid rube. :puke:

[Cocoa]

42. he'll give the produce to Halliburton

who in turn will resell it to the Army for $500.

[fob]

26. Let's see if this adds up...

Apples - .75/lb? assume 3 apples per pound - 9 apples = 3lbs x .75 = $2.25

Tomatoes - 1.29/lb? assume 3 large tomatoes per 2 lbs - 5 Lg Tomatoes = 3.35 lbs x 1.29 = $4.32

Green Peppers - 2.99/lb assume 3 green peppers per pound = 1lb x 2.99 = $2.99

Corn = (Most recent purchase in a store was 2 for a $1, farm stand lets say 4 for a $1) 12 ears @ 4 for a $1 = $3

Checkout
2.25+4.32+2.99+3 = $12.56 (without tax)

When you shop don't you keep a running tally in your head, especially with a smaller quantity of items, just to make sure you don't overspend and help with the correct payment at checkout time?

What a colossal prick cheney.

[LibraLabSoldier]

29. He didnt reallly care....

I quess he figured that what bill he used wouldnt matter, since the star struck fruit stand owner would enshrine the magic bill anyway.......Wrong....When the bills come due, sentimentality goes out the window.

[loudsue]

31. I'd say Cheney represents about 90% of republicans..totally out of touch

with reality....and absolutely NO desire to educate themselves, or ask pertinent questions.

They screw people, and truck happily on down the road...never looking back.

:kick::kick::kick:

[grasswire]

33. and he stiffed a senior citizen, too!

The farmer is 65 years old.

But ya know, this figures. Cheney's already spent the old man's social security on Halliburton anyway.

And indebted the farmer's grandchildren as well.

[KamaAina]

34. So, basically, the fruit stand guy got "Cheneyed"?

sorry, couldn't resist :evilgrin:

[susu369]

43. Big Time

LOL....

:evilgrin: II

[SammyWinstonJack]

38. I wouldn't have sold Dick the produce

Thrown it maybe :evilgrin: , but never sold it. An 'honor'? How can people be so incredibly naive?

[Catherine Vincent]

41. You're right! He is a cheapskate!

He could at least offer him a $20 as much money he's got.

[VolcanoJen]

46. KICK! Spread this far and wide!

Unbelievable. Godawful, horrible, laughable, too...

[cmf]

47. Don't you know that's how you become rich?

by pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, and scrimpin and savin, and ripping of poor farmers...

[skrunch]

48. You just know that he got the Ag Secretary on the secure line and said...

"Yank his subsidy...I think the SOB screwed me!"