Mary Cheney: Baby decision not political

NEW YORK, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Mary Cheney, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter, said in New York her decision to become pregnant was not politically motivated.

She said Wednesday that her parenting abilities and those of Heather Poe, her partner of 15 years, were on par with those of heterosexual couples, The New York Times reported Thursday.

"When Heather and I decided to have a baby, it was not going to be the most popular decision ever," Cheney said at New York's Barnard College. She made her comments at a panel sponsored by Glamour magazine.

"This is a baby," she said, gesturing to her midsection. "This is a blessing from God. It is not a political statement. It is not a prop to be used in a debate by people on either side of an issue. It is my child."

Cheney's comments followed a CNN interview where her father was questioned by Wolf Blitzer about the response of conservative groups to his daughter's pregnancy. The vice president said he felt the question was "over the line."