The Des Moines Register has this article on flap about Kerry invoking Mary Cheney as a sort of homosexual poster child during the last debates. I tend to agree it was not a good idea on his part.
For what it's worth, while I do believe that personalizing the issue is a valid technique in answering the question. However, I think it was out of bounds for him to use anyone without their express permission, particularly the opposition's daughter.
If you have to use somebody to personalize an issue, use someone from your own family or campaign. If Kerry doesn't personally know anyone of alternative gender orientation he could use as an example, perhaps he should broaden his horizons.
UPDATE:
Talkleft disagrees, feeling that to say that the remark was somehow a cheap shot implies that being gay is a negative thing.
I think there's a distinction. To illustrate, I would feel it similarly out of line if Cheney's daughter were in the military and Kerry used her to epitomize the opinion of all soldiers regarding the war. It's not her gender identity that's offensive, it's that he picked a member of the opposition's family to illustrate a point - any point. Pick on your own people.
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