Posted on 11/16/2005 2:32:09 PM PST by Cautor
VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY: "As most of you know, I have spent a lot of years in public service, and first came to work in Washington, D.C. back in the late 1960s. I know what it's like to operate in a highly charged political environment, in which the players on all sides of an issue feel passionately and speak forcefully. In such an environment people sometimes lose their cool, and yet in Washington you can ordinarily rely on some basic measure of truthfulness and good faith in the conduct of political debate. But in the last several weeks we have seen a wild departure from that tradition. And the suggestion that's been made by some U.S. senators that the President of the United States or any member of this Administration purposely misled the American people on pre-war intelligence is one of the most dishonest and reprehensible charges ever aired in this city.
"Some of the most irresponsible comments have, of course, come from politicians who actually voted in favor of authorizing force against Saddam Hussein. These are elected officials who had access to the intelligence, and were free to draw their own conclusions. They arrived at the same judgment about Iraq's capabilities and intentions that was made by this Administration and by the previous Administration. There was broad-based, bipartisan agreement that Saddam Hussein was a threat … that he had violated U.N. Security Council Resolutions … and that, in a post-9/11 world, we couldn't afford to take the word of a dictator who had a history of WMD programs, who had excluded weapons inspectors, who had defied the demands of the international community, who had been designated an official state sponsor of terror, and who had committed mass murder. Those are facts. What we're hearing now is some politicians contradicting their own statements and making a play for political advantage in the middle of a war. The saddest part is that our people in uniform have been subjected to these cynical and pernicious falsehoods day in and day out. American soldiers and Marines are out there every day in dangerous conditions and desert temperatures – conducting raids, training Iraqi forces, countering attacks, seizing weapons, and capturing killers – and back home a few opportunists are suggesting they were sent into battle for a lie. The President and I cannot prevent certain politicians from losing their memory, or their backbone – but we're not going to sit by and let them rewrite history. We're going to continue throwing their own words back at them. And far more important, we're going to continue sending a consistent message to the men and women who are fighting the war on terror in Iraq, Afghanistan, and many other fronts. We can never say enough how much we appreciate them, and how proud they make us. They and their families can be certain: That this cause is right … and the performance of our military has been brave and honorable … and this nation will stand behind our fighting forces with pride and without wavering until the day of victory."
Snugs, thanks for the link.
go get em Mr VP
It's time...
Big Time Cheney Chick here, too.
I spent 25 years in Wyoming and hosted several campaign events for both Cheney and Al Simpson.
Really great guys, both of them, and they are still very good friends. Simpson is the most un-PC person I've ever met! Cheney can be when the camera isn't on him, and he has a remarkable wit. In his position he has to rein in his feelings a bit. His wife, Lynn, is pretty terrific, too.
Now I'm in So. Dakota and work for the John Thune campaigns.
Keep your eye on him. He's going places. IMHO
ON CNN RIGHT NOW!
I suggest something like the following:
This was always going to be a tough chore. Anyone who thought otherwise needs to understand that if it was going to be easy, one or the other of the previous administrations would have tackled it. We always knew that unseating Saddam would only be half the battle, and no matter how well you plan, the enemy always has something to say in things. President Bush told us at the beginning of this war on terror that it would be a hard, long battle. He told us there were things we would know about and things we would not be able to share until long afterwards, and that is still the case.
"Anyone who thought otherwise needs to understand that if it was going to be easy, one or the other of the previous administrations would have tackled it."
Did you get a load of that prick Klintoon today bashing our effort in Iraq? He was too bush dorking young girls and raping women to care what Saddam and the terrorist were up to, and now he criticizes the man who is trying to clean up his mess.
So he could run for president? Me too. I would vote for him now. And work hard to get him elected.
He's just my kind of man. Intelligent, handsome, tough, and an outdoorsman too.
It may not be on C-span's schedule...but the speech sure is on the Dems minds...
Harry Reid was just up on the Senate floor....saying that the Senate, both dems and Reps had voted yesterday for a "NO CONFIDENCE" in the war...and obviously Cheney didn't get the message, or he wouldn't be giving this speech tonight.
I'd like to see Cheney when he isn't in front of the cameras, the honest, uncensored Cheney.
Lynn is a lucky gal, and she is pretty awesome too.
I'll watch Simpson, and when I do see him someday at the top, I'll remember your comments.
I was just about to send you a "ping" ; )
Nothing personal against Scott. I think he's a fine gentleman but this isn't a gentleman's job.
God bless you, Mr. Vice President.
Who can forget this line from his speech at the 2000 Convention: "They have not led...we will."
YES!
Won't do a damn bit of good to try and reason with terrorist sympathizers and generally lazy bastards to begin with. You can't DELETE the stupidity contained in liberal minds.
I agree. You can only destroy every liberal mind you can. And that means a lot of work for all of us. Get to it!
I think the administration has been waiting until everyone got on record. Unfortunately, that includes some republicans who are going to get nailed as well. Perhaps it will teach them a lesson about loyalty.
Love it.
That's my feeling as well. Surely there is another job within the administration they could give him, but they need a barracuda out front with the press.
Something went wrong in the Senate. How were they supposed to challenge the President's leadership with nothing but a conspicuous, embarrassing and public display of their own lack thereof? (See also: tagline.)
"from losing their memory, or their backbone"
More likely both.
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