Cheney wants Obama to fail against terrorists
The former veep doesn’t care if that means another successful terrorist strike kills thousands of Americans.
Cheney wants nothing more than to prove his dark, paranoid view of the world is right and that his penchant for torture was justified. He continues his criticism despite his own glaring failures — including pushing for the invasion of Iraq and allowing al-Qaida, and Osama, to regroup in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Still, on ABC’s “This Week” yesterday, Cheney made a rare admission. He acknowledged that members of the Bush administration disagreed with his harsh views on treatment of detainees. Indeed, Cheney lost more and more of those battles in the waning years of his tenure.
In his interview, Cheney presented himself as out of step with less hawkish members of the Bush administration on whether to release prisoners from Guantanamo or to preserve interrogation methods that the International Committee of the Red Cross called torture.
He recalled a meeting in the Roosevelt Room “where we had a major shootout” over whether to try captured terrorist suspects before military commissions or, as the Justice Department advocated at the time, in civilian courts.
“We never clearly or totally resolved those issues,” Cheney said. “These are tough questions, no doubt about it. You want my opinion, my view of what ought to happen, I think we have to treat it as a war.”
That’s why it’s such stunning hypocrisy for Cheney and other Republicans to criticize the Obama administration for its handling of the Nigerian undie-bomber. Eric Holder’s justice department is handling Abdulmutallab just like the Bush administration handled shoe-bombed Richard Reid.
Or as Joe Biden put it:
“Dick Cheney’s a fine fellow, but he is not entitled to rewrite history without it being challenged,” Biden said on “Meet the Press.” “I don’t know where he has been. Where was he the last four years of the last administration?”
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362 comments Add your comment
Moderate Line
February 15th, 2010
7:45 am
“That’s why it’s such stunning hypocrisy for Cheney and other Republicans to criticize the Obama administration for its handling of the Nigerian undie-bomber.”
You can’t call Cheney a hypocrite on this issue he has been fairly consistent. You can disagree with him and his methods.
Does Cheney and the Rep want Obama to fail. No more than the Dems wanted Bush to fail. There are always people who put their own interest before the countries interest. I see no reason to believe that the Republicans have anymore of these people than the Democrats. After listening to Democrats under Bush, I believe both sides have to many.
The real question is whether Cheney is right or wrong.
Peadawg
February 15th, 2010
7:51 am
“That’s why it’s such stunning hypocrisy for Cheney and other Republicans”
Your calling Republicans hypocrites? Do you really want to go there this Monday morning? “Does Cheney and the Rep want Obama to fail. No more than the Dems wanted Bush to fail.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.
kayaker 71
February 15th, 2010
7:52 am
Cheney wants Bozo to fail so thousands of Ameicans will be killed and Cheney will win an argument. That is about as stupid as it gets. Cheney might mean a lot of things to a lot of liberals but a more true American does not exist. Cynthia, you really believe that our former Vice President would like to see thousands of Americans die just so he could prove Bozo wrong? What logic!!!
deborahinAthens
February 15th, 2010
8:01 am
Another thing that made me so angry was when Cheney said that he approved the Obama administration’s surge in Afghanistan, then, with his trademark sneer, said he didn’t know what took so long! WHAT TOOK SO LONG!!!!!???? The Bush administration had eight years to take care of Afghanistan, yet they chose, for their own arcane reasons, to divert valuable American lives and resources to IRAQ. Cheney still continues to lie about the WMD in Iraq as justification. He then said that we got rid of a dangerous dictator in Iraq and now they have a democracy. Really? Does this Bozo not read the newspapers? He thinks that if he repeats lies, eventually they will become the truth. Biden was correct. Cheney is entitled to his opinion, he is not entitled to re-write history. One of the good things coming from this “showdown” was that one journalist pointed out that Cheney was a good opponent to fight in the media since his approval rating while in office and out of office, is lower than O.J. Simpson’s! One has to wonder why the media keep giving Cheney and Karl Rove, another useless piece of humanity, a forum for their lies. We the People saw through their lies and changed the players in Washington. I only wish now that the Democrats would show some backbone–get us out of Iraq, get the job done in Afghanistan, close Gitmo, and get our men and women home where they belong.
Turd Ferguson (The Original # 1 fan of Cynthia Tucker)
February 15th, 2010
8:01 am
Seem Biden wanted to re-write his own history.
Turd Ferguson (The Original # 1 fan of Cynthia Tucker)
February 15th, 2010
8:03 am
“One has to wonder why the media keep giving Cheney and Karl Rove, another useless piece of humanity, a forum for their lies”
Perhaps because they are not lying? Seems otherwise the “media” would be just causing problems for the annointed one St Barack Obama.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
February 15th, 2010
8:06 am
I respectfully suggest the invective against the former vice president is mis-aimed. Quite the contrary I believe VP Cheney would wish President Obama to succeed, but that he correctly sees the president inflicting on himself a serious of foolish wounds. It is hard to imagine a well-conceived Obama initiative – the world-wide apology tour (sure, that got us a lot of support from the Chinese and Russians and Iranians), the dithering over whether to try to win the war in Afghanistan, the re-investigation of CIA officers who defend the county. No, I think VP Cheney means the best in his criticism, but of course the think-skinned one is unlikely to embrace any well-aimed criticism.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
February 15th, 2010
8:08 am
Apologies, my note intended to type “thin-skinned One. Screwed up my own little joke there.
Bob
February 15th, 2010
8:08 am
Cynthia, a new pathetic low. Biden has lied and plagerized throughout his career. Biden and Obama were both against the surge before they were for it. And why do dems have a problem with George Bush intercepting cell phone calls from terrorists but no problem with Obama saying Americans should not expect privacy with cell phones and Obo wanting to eavesdrop without a warrant ? Bush tracking KSM, bad. Obo tracking Americans, no comment.
Cynthia exposed
February 15th, 2010
8:12 am
Cynthia was EXPOSED yesterday, so badly she could NOT respond, when it comes to her anti teacher bias.
Cynthia, if you don’t have an anti teacher bias, why did you mention ONLY teachers in regard to the cheating scandal yesterday, when the education editor at YOUR OWN PAPER, along with others, say the evidence shows that ADMINISTRATORS would be the ones most likely to have the time and access to the tests at those schools where cheating is the most severe.
Administrators have been sanctioned, HER OWN PAPER says it’s most likely administrators are guilty in the most extreme cases, yet she mentions ONLY teachers. No wonder she could NOT respond. Even if she DOES respond today, she won’t DIRECTLY answer the question as to why she referenced ONLY teachers, as she knows that will CONFIRM her bias.
archie
February 15th, 2010
8:14 am
Right on, Bob. Cynthia, you are ignorant.
kayaker 71
February 15th, 2010
8:29 am
I have little to no faith in someone who would take credit for something that he did not do. Biden said on Larry King the other night that Iraq and it’s progress, were one of the great accomplishments of the Obama administration. That said when he and Bozo were openly critical of Paetraus in his effort to manage our troops and our resources with a surge. You can’t vote against something in one breath and then say you were right in another. Pelosi and Reid openly stated that the “war is over”, stating that we had already lost. Wonder how that made our troops and their families feel? Biden is a flaming idiot, a snake and a loudmouth to boot. He lies, just like his boss and has no credibility.
Garfish
February 15th, 2010
8:32 am
I agree with Cheney every time I watch “24″.
Cheney claims that torture prevented a few 911 sequels. The details are classified for 50 years, though.
Now there seems to be a think-tank consensus that we won’t see, much less stop what’s coming. (No country for old men).
These could be the last days of civilization as we know it. It only takes one nuke on one city to end this great Eden we live in.
I re-read Genesis yesterday. After Eve ate the apple, God told her that she would suffer greatly-increased labor pains, and that she would desire only her wised-up and now-dominant husband.
That’s a form of torturing the sinner/terrorist named Eve, isn’t it? Hows that working for you, God? Now we’re a planet with 6 billion pagans and all we think about is sexting and sodomy.
Cheney must not have read Genesis.
Marine
February 15th, 2010
8:42 am
Kayaker, how many deferments should I have gone for to make me a “true American” like your hero Chaney? In you mind he took the right path and myself and those I served with didn’t? Interesting way to look at things.
Byron Mathison Kerr
February 15th, 2010
8:49 am
Regarding the shoe-bomber tried in civilian court being no big deal and the undie-bomber tried in civilian court being a big brouhaha…
I guess hypocrisy is considered irrelevant if it makes for effective partisan political theater, especially in a campaign year.
Van Jones
February 15th, 2010
9:00 am
Very weak column. Didn’t you win some sort of prize for being good at your job? Might want to try going back to those types of columns…
Former Reader
February 15th, 2010
9:05 am
No I know why I rarely read anything in the AJC!
Silverchief
February 15th, 2010
9:05 am
You state that Cheney doesn’t care if thousands die….you’re sick !!!
“The former veep doesn’t care if that means another successful terrorist strike kills thousands of Americans”
Wyomingdodger
February 15th, 2010
9:07 am
The fact that a hypocrite like TRICKY DICK-5 DEFERRALS-CHENEY (not1, not 2, not 3 not 4-BUT -5!!!!) still insists that the Iraq war was a noble endeavor , only serves to bolster the belief that this so- called American patriot is not playing with a full deck. During the height of Viet-Nam, this valiant and stalwart fellow chose to be stateside-5 TIMES!!!! If the man who obviously has NO COMPUNCTION- risking the lives of tens of thousands of American men and women for a COMPLETELY BOGUS WAR- had served his country-honorably, then -maybe, he would have a leg to stand on. But he didn’t, and he doesn’t. He is tilting at windmills. I don’t think too highly of Geo. W. Bush, but I do respect the fact that he has kept his mouth shut. He is probably sitting at home reflecting on the damage that his administration wreaked upon this country and the world. Most likely he is traumatized. Cheney, who lacks not only balls- but a conscience, should be ashamed of himself. Imagine the cry and uproar there would be if Obama had sent men and women to their deaths-based on a faulty premise!? Amazingly, incredibly-the architects of this debacle have been given a free pass. While thousands of families mourn the loss of loved ones-the fat cats who sent them to their graves are prospering-unfazed and unscathed. If Cheney is a hero to a certain, demented segment of the population- that’s just fine. They deserve him!
oldmac
February 15th, 2010
9:09 am
Quoting Biden is just laughable. He and Obie fought all things “Iraq” every step of the way yet now he has the gall to claim it as an achievement. Talk about re-writing history. What a creep.
Cheney is sort of the grown-up in the room. Think for a moment had that underwear bomber just been either a bit more competent or a bit more committed. We’d have had 80 or so dead passengers, pilots and innocent bystanders on the ground. Not to mention the impact to our weak economy. Anybody remember how after 9/11, the stock market went down 1000 point in 2-3 days? I guess some of you ACORN types would somehow be excited about “the man” getting his 401k tanked but try finding a job if the economy gets another panic? And on Xmas day no-less. Obie and his minions really downplayed what could have happened if that kid hadn’t choked.
Roger Johnson
February 15th, 2010
9:09 am
Obama is failing all by himself. It doesn’t matter what Cheney or anyone else thinks.
ctucker
February 15th, 2010
9:10 am
Van Jones, If you don’t like my blog, you can certainly find another more to your liking.
ctucker
February 15th, 2010
9:10 am
Kayaker 71, what did Biden and Obama vote against?
DHD
February 15th, 2010
9:11 am
It really doesn’t matter who wants Obama to fail. He is doing a wonderful job all by himself. After November, he’ll be a lame duck president.
ctucker
February 15th, 2010
9:11 am
Archie, You may criticize me harshly, but you may not call me “ignorant.” If you continue, you’ll have to go to the muttonheads’ blog.
Call it like it is.
February 15th, 2010
9:11 am
Unreal, Pretty funny how you pick and chose what was stated by Biden and Cheney. Biden states he feels like something like 9/11 could never happen again, and Cheney feels it could. So Cynthia who is living in a dream world here?
Also I see how you fail to mention that Cheney stated that he feels it time for the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell thing get thrown out of the military. Even when Cheney states something you support, you can’t acknowledge it. Pitiful.
ctucker
February 15th, 2010
9:13 am
Cynthia exposed, I didn’t respond yesterday because I was shoveling snow, reading to my child, and taking care of other weekend tasks. As far as my so-called bias, my mother was an excellent classroom schoolteacher for 40 years. And she called me yesterday (oh, yeah, that’s another thing I do on Sundays) to say she really like the column.
laterlaw
February 15th, 2010
9:15 am
there should be a constitutional amendment that both the president and vice president need to be veterans of the armed forces in order to hold office. i hate left wing nutcases that disrespect soldiers and think they are nothing but baby killers and i hate right wing loonbats that think nothing of sending a mother’s son or daughter into the line of fire to pay off debts to defense contractors.
American (Really born and raised here)
February 15th, 2010
9:16 am
Oh Yea! Obama’s plan is really working. He is the best leader ever. Awesome intellectual giant with another 300,000 forclosures expected this month. Commercial is just starting to foreclose now and job losses will really increase. Always someone elses fault, just like our leaders in congress and in business, in our local schools. Especially over the last 30 yrs that is what you get. No one is accountable. Things like integrity, honesty and dedication and owning up to a failure is a thing of the past. The 1st lady talking about childhood obesity, with no jobs and no homes I don’t think over eating will be an issue! Get real he should have pumped some money into some things that would have made a difference leadership is a rare quality and speeches do not make a great leader. How about some more prizes , Economic Comedy Medal.. LOL.
jimbob
February 15th, 2010
9:16 am
I agree 100% Cynthia. For years, how many times have we heard, regarding another attack, that ‘it’s not a matter of if, but of when?” Cheney would love to see the ‘when’ during Obama’s administration so that he can work more of his wicked and evil into this world by blaming the attack on Obama. I think his overall objective is to stoke fear, no surprise there.
Send Cheney to Prison
February 15th, 2010
9:16 am
He and all his neocon cronies belong in prison. Make it so….
resno2
February 15th, 2010
9:18 am
“He thinks that if he repeats lies, eventually they will become the truth”
Sounds a bit like our current guest living in the White House.
marco1122
February 15th, 2010
9:21 am
Ms. Tucker, Mr. Cheney simply wants the President to treat these killers as the enemy not as citizens due the same rights as us.
bart
February 15th, 2010
9:21 am
Great column…and sadly, all too true. Kayaker 71 and his right wing cronies are so full of hate and bigotry, they refues to see the truth.
Matt
February 15th, 2010
9:21 am
Wow, I’m just amazed by your journalistic acumen. A Republican wants a Democrat to fail?! Amazing! Never wouldn’ve thought of that one. I wonder, Cyndi, how many articles did you write saying that you wanted Bush to fail?
A True Patriot
February 15th, 2010
9:21 am
You know Tucker, most of your columns deal with Racism in one way or another and this is another example of your evil, slanted, racist and almost idolatry toward YOUR black, not qualified to be president. Some of the statements you make are so obviously made with the intent to incite your black brethern toward hatred of any body born white. Why don’t you and Jesse and Al form a triumvirate and travel around the country spewing your special brand of hatred……maybe then people, black and white, can see what you, Jesse and Al are all about.
walter
February 15th, 2010
9:22 am
Fortunately, the bulk of Americans do agree that Cheney is flat out full hot air. Cheney knows he completely screwed up by taking the President’s eye off the prize in Afghanistan in pursuit of oil for his friends at Haliburton. Iraq has turned into the ultimate recruiting tool for those who wish the U.S. and its allies and Osama’s network is survives and even thrives thanks to the mistakes of Cheney and Bush. Cheney has to re-write history so people will forget the failings of their administration and hope that people will somehow shift the blame to the Obama administration.
Given the hand that he was dealt, I think Obama and Biden have done a tremendous job. Republicans seem content to block any and all attempts to do what’s right for this country and all Americans to ensure they can simply blame him for not accomplishing much during his first term. Just as with starting the war in Iraq, this does nothing for the American people and will ultimately fail. You can’t keep playing politics with American lives and well being. The more Republicans keep playing that game, the quicker their demise.
I’m looking forward to the next 7 years of his term of Obama’s Presidency.
Bada Bing
February 15th, 2010
9:23 am
Bah Bah muttonhead, have you any wool? No, there is no wool, it has all been pulled over the liberals’ eyes.
quod erat demonstrandum
February 15th, 2010
9:24 am
If i received advice from someone with 7 more years of experience, I would investigate rather than ignore. or criticize. Biden is just showing his ignorance if he thinks Cheney has anything to gain from his appraisal of the Obama Administration. Decent is the highest form of patriotism, (or at least the left kept telling us during the last administration).
Anyway, the crotch commando should be tried in the military tradition, and then shot or hung. He deserves the long dirt nap wrapped in pig skin.
russ
February 15th, 2010
9:25 am
cynthia, I intended to make a point here, but the more of your blog I read I can see your head has beat me to it !!!!!
jimbob
February 15th, 2010
9:25 am
To A True Patriot: Your invective is childish; if you don’t have anything intelligent to add, why not just sit this one out?
Clean House 2010
February 15th, 2010
9:26 am
He already has failed. Can any of you hope and change morons provide a single example of success by this administration?
jimbob
February 15th, 2010
9:26 am
quod erat demonstrandum: I hope you meant ‘dissent.’
KMP
February 15th, 2010
9:27 am
kayaker71, you call our President “Bozo”!! If you want to get your point accross and have some of us on this forum to take you seriously – quit the name calling and identify individuals by their name and or title!
ctucker
February 15th, 2010
9:27 am
A True Patriot, Race was not mentioned in this post. Like many of my critics, you are “projecting,” as psychologists call it — accusing me of something you do yourself. If you cannot refrain from indulging in your race-obsession, you’ll have to go to the muttonheads’ blog.
ctucker
February 15th, 2010
9:27 am
Matt. I never wanted Bush to fail.
CW
February 15th, 2010
9:28 am
hey CT, it’s not that Cheney wants Obama to fail, Obama IS FAILING!!!!! Why don’t you people wake up and smell the crap you elected.
John
February 15th, 2010
9:28 am
Wyomingdodger and others- I see a lot of tough guy name calling on a opaque blog with fake names. Nice.
Bob
February 15th, 2010
9:29 am
defermants had nothing to do with Biden lying and were no problem when it came to Clinton, in fact, Clinton “loathed” the military.
DAVID; AJC Truth Detector
February 15th, 2010
9:30 am
AJC WANTED BUSH TO FAIL
TUCKER WANTED BUSH TO FAIL
AJC WANTED BUSH TO FAIL
TUCKER WANTED BUSH TO FAIL