Dick Cheney Releases Painfully Awkward Statement On Daughters' Gay Marriage Feud

A day after his daughters' spat over their disagreements on gay marriage spilled out messily into the public, former Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, released a statement urging that there not be a "distortion" of Liz Cheney's views on the subject.

The statement came a day after Mary Cheney and her wife, Heather Poe, blasted Liz Cheney, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Wyoming for her opposition to gay marriage.

Here is Dick and Lynne Cheney's full statement on the issue:

"This is an issue we have dealt with privately for many years, and we are pained to see it become public. Since it has, one thing should be clear. Liz has always believed in the traditional definition of marriage. She has also always treated her sister and her sister's family with love and respect, exactly as she should have done. Compassion is called for, even when there is disagreement about such a fundamental matter, and Liz's many kindnesses shouldn't be used to distort her position."

The Cheney family feud began on Sunday, when Liz Cheney appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and reiterated her longstanding position of supporting "traditional marriage."

"I love Mary very much, I love her family very much," Liz Cheney said. "This is just an issue on which we disagree."

Heather Poe was aware of the appearance, responding on Facebook shortly thereafter and calling Liz Cheney - who she quipped was her sister-in-law in 15 states and in the District of Columbia - and her views "offensive."

Mary Cheney shared that status on her own Facebook page, adding a personal message for her sister.

"Liz - this isn't just an issue on which we disagree - you're just wrong - and on the wrong side of history," she wrote.

Liz Cheney, the elder daughter to the former vice president, is mounting a primary challenge to Republican Sen. Mike Enzi. A poll commissioned by a pro-Enzi super PAC last week showed Enzi up by more than 50 points. That's even worse than early polls found upon her entering the race in July.