The Cheney Imperative

OpinionJournal.com ^ | August 15, 2007 | STEPHEN F. HAYES

[gpapa]

Dick Cheney sat transfixed by the images on the small television screen in the corner of his West Wing office. Smoke poured out of a gaping hole in the World Trade Center's North Tower. John McConnell, the vice president's chief speechwriter, sat next to him and said nothing.

Then, a second plane appeared on the right-hand side of the screen, banked slightly to the left, and plunged into the South Tower. "Did you see that?" Mr. Cheney asked his aide.

A little more than an hour later, Mr. Cheney was seated below the presidential seal at a long conference table in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, better known as the bunker. When an aide told Mr. Cheney that another passenger airplane was rapidly approaching the White House, the vice president gave the order to shoot it down. The young man was so surprised at Mr. Cheney's immediate response that he asked again. Mr. Cheney reiterated the order. Thinking that Mr. Cheney must have misunderstood the question, the military aide asked him a third time.

The vice president responded evenly. "I said yes."

[roses of sharon]

Cheney/Rumsfeld, 08!

[Maelstorm]

Dick Cheney should be President.

[Cobra64]

Dick Cheney should be President.

Should have been President.

I was for Dick Chaney 8 years ago, and people thought I was nuts because he's an eeeevil, rich businessman.

[EagleUSA]

Dick Cheney should be President.
::::::
Dick Cheney should HAVE BEEN President. In 2000.

[shield]

ping

[shield]

He’d never been elected. Good thought though

[squidly]

ping

[Eagles6]

He’s got my vote. He won’t run, but if...

[fleagle]

Cheney is a Churchill for our times. Too bad he’s the anti-Christ ;>)

Seriously though, Dems fear Cheney because they can’t beat him. Recall the Cheney/Edwards VP debate. If Edwards had any sense, after that televised thrashing he would have crawled into whatever hole trial lawyers live in and never be heard from again.

[Ooh-Ah]

I like your ticket—just add John Bolton as Secretary of State and imagine what could be done!

[Frwy]

Of course. Why else would the Dems spend so much time trying to silence him. He knows of which he speaks.

[khnyny]

I pretty much see Cheney as “co-President” right now.

[SuziQ]

Where there is an information vacuum, people move to fill it, particularly in Washington, a town that operates on appearances.

Is it any wonder, then, that Fred Thompson often states that he left DC for the 'sincerity' of Hollywood.

[Mr Inviso]

This clip is an excerpt from a recent book about Cheney. The author of the book and unprecedented access, including 30 hours of face-to-face time with the Sith Lord. bwahahahahha.

The book is excellent, by the way. I finished it in just a few sittings. It gives a great deal of insight into Cheney the man, as opposed to Cheney the image.

And yes, he should have been President. Perhaps even for life.

[cubfan]

Agreed....

I like your quote/saying, never heard it before but it sure fits the insanity of today.

[snugs]

This incident is one of the reasons I hold this man in such high regard though I suspect it has changed him as a person.

More determined to protect his country his family and his way of life. Maybe it has made him serious and less likely to compromise maybe more than a politician has to and hence comments from former colleagues and acquaintances that this is not the Dick Cheney they knew.

I am sure if we had had to face these decisions and issues it would have changed us.

Underneath though when you read his speeches on the White House website you still the genial quick witted and good humoured and dare I say gentle side is still there and able to come out when appropriate.

[gpapa]

Dick Cheney is the man. If he was in better health I am sure he would consider running in 2008. Unfortunately that will not happen much to my disappointment. He is head over shoulders with regard to political and governing experience of anyone currently in the Republican crop of candidates.

[Clioman]

“Dick Cheney should be President.”

And Joe Lieberman should be leading the Democrats.

Now THAT would be a War on Terror!

[Dahoser]

While Dick Cheney was taking action, what were the RAT Congressional leaders doing? The July 8, 2004 Larry King Live show with John Francois Kerry and his wife tells us all we need to know:

KING: Where were you on 9/11?

HEINZ KERRY: You know, it's very interesting. I landed at National Airport less than 12 hours before, coming from Pennsylvania, where I was doing a prescription drugs thing -- meeting. And I came in from Pittsburgh, landed at National, and that's the last time I landed at National for quite a while.

KING: How'd you hear about it?

HEINZ KERRY: I was at home in Washington. I had just come in and I got a call...

KERRY: I think I called.

HEINZ KERRY: And they said, look at the TV. I looked at the TV and I couldn't believe it.

KING: Where were you?

KERRY: I was in the Capitol. We'd just had a meeting -- we'd just come into a leadership meeting in Tom Daschle's office, looking out at the Capitol. And as I came in, Barbara Boxer and Harry Reid were standing there, and we watched the second plane come in to the building. And we shortly thereafter sat down at the table and then we just realized nobody could think, and then boom, right behind us, we saw the cloud of explosion at the Pentagon. And then word came from the White House, they were evacuating, and we were to evacuate, and so we immediately began the evacuation.

...then we just realized nobody could think...

You don't say.

[snugs]

And these people accuse the President of not acting for 8 minutes when he was trying not to frighten a room full of school children whilst an incident room was being set up for him.

[Dilbert56]

The article makes it sound like the VP ordered the shootdown of the approaching airliner. If I recall correctly, the order originated with POTUS and was relayed by VP Cheney. He certainly is a great man to have at the center of a storm.

[jch10]

Thanks for the pics of the best VP ever.

[Tax-chick]

Sigh ...

[Utah Girl]

Thanks for posting this photo. VP Dick Cheney spoke at my alma mater, BYU, in Provo, Utah in May 2007. It was a great speech and he received a rousing reception. The Marriott Center (where the graduation ceremony was held) seats about 21,000 people. It was packed.

There were some protestors who felt that Dick Cheney should not have been asked to speak. They held their alternative commencement, had Ralph Nader speak, and attracted about 150 lost souls at the most. They rented the arena for $20,000. Quite a contrast.

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl