Dana Perino
Posted on 06/26/2007 9:53:25 AM PDT by SirLinksalot
An editorial in the New York Times says Vice President Dick Cheney and his staff members have been "belligerent," "ideological" and "shadowy." Also "extralegal" and "dastardly." And his position, writer Maureen Dowd says, is "bordering on lunacy."
But the attack will get no response from the White House, according to spokeswoman Dana Perino.
She was answering a question from Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House, who asked: "Yesterday New York Times published a column which contended that Vice President Cheney is – and this is a quote – 'bordering on lunacy' and referring to him as 'crazy Dick.' And my question: Neither the president nor the vice president would tolerate any of their staff referring to [New York Times publisher] 'Pinch Sulzberger, the left-wing lunatic,' would they?"
"We don't refer to him at all," Perino said.
The editorial harshly condemns the vice president for a number of issues, including his arguments with demands for the executive branch to provide a certain treatment for classified documents.
Cheney's office pointed out that not only is he the vice president, but a designated decision-maker in the Congress, therefore exempting him from some requirements.
The editorial called that "blowing off his own administration."
"Cheney's office is also denying it's an office. Tricky Dick Deuce declared himself exempt from a rule that applies to everyone else in the executive branch, instructing the National Archives that the Office of the Vice President is not an 'entity within the executive branch' and therefore is not subject to presidential executive orders,'" the editorial said.
That, among the other descriptives, is "absurd," the editorial said.
In another question, Kinsolving asked, "Does the president believe that it will be perceived by most American citizens that the United States really has equal justice under law if Scooter Libby is allowed to be sent to prison while Sandy Berger and Marion Barry remain free?
"I'm going to give you the standard 'no comment' line on that, Les," Perino said.
Libby was convicted in federal court of making false statements relating to the investigation into the public revelation of the identity of CIA agent Valeria Plame. A federal judge has sentenced him to 30 months in prison and a he's been denied permission to remain free on bond while appealing.
He wasn't accused of revealing that identity, just making false statements about the situation.
However, Sandy Berger, who admitted taking classified documents from the National Archives and disposing of them while President Clinton was in office, reached a plea agreement and was exempted from any prison time; he didn't even follow through and take a polygraph test he'd promised as part of the plea bargain.
U.S. Rep. Tom Davis and more than a dozen other Republican members of the U.S. House, unsuccessfully, have called on U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to have the test completed.
The polygraph was part of the resolution of a case that developed in the spring of 2002 and the fall of 2003. That was when Berger, former President Clinton's national security adviser, visited the National Archives to review classified documents to prepare for being interviewed by the 9/11 Commission.
WND has reported that Clinton signed the letter authorizing Berger's access to the classified documents that later came up missing.
Berger pleaded guilty in April 2005 to one misdemeanor count of removing a classified document and was given two years probation, 100 hours of community service, a $50,000 fine and revocation of his security clearance for three years.
And another high-profile leader, former Washington Mayor Marion Barry, was exempted from jail time when a federal judge declined to revoke his probation, which would have sent him to prison for failing to file his 2005 tax returns on time.
He had pleaded guilty that year to misdemeanor charges for failing to file returns from 1999-2004 and agreed to file future returns annually. Prosecutors said, however, he failed, and should be jailed.
He served four terms as mayor, and during his third term was videotaped in 1990 in a hotel room smoking crack cocaine in an FBI sting. He was then re-elected, and now serves on the city council after leaving the mayor's office.
The Gray Lady is getting senile.
Dana Perino
And what makes people like Maureen Dowd who are bordering on lunacy go over the edge? Anyone?
How about "We're rubber and you're glue..." just to keep it on the same level of discussion established by the old grey mare?
Projection by the NYSlimes. They’re the lunatics, not VP Cheney. They must be getting desperate to retain their last five looney lib readers.
Bush’s mistake in dealing with the media is that a snappy reply to this rant would go along way for the good guys. It would be easy to wish Maureen good health and happiness in her endeavors and that sentiment alone would take her out of the game.
If one owns a respectable company, why would one engager that reputation by being associated with the NYT?
The looney moonbats have no shame....so called objectivity at its best.
It takes one to know one and when it comes to lunacy who knows better than the NY Times?
Mad as Captain Ahab they be.
Bush reserves his insults for conservatives.
As usual, George Bush assumes the fetal position and calls for his mama.
That's easy...
Off you go MODO!
What’s the New York Times? I stay pretty tuned in to politics, and legitimate papers that matter, but I can’t say that I’ve heard of this one.
Well, if anyone would know ...
I don’t understand why W didn’t sit Cheney down a long time ago and have the “Me President, You Vice President” talk with him.
Wow! Bush Derangement Syndrome is getting really bad. Those suffering from it need a tight white jacket in a padded room.
I dont understand why Cheney doesnt resign over Shamnesty and announce he’s running for President. It would be...Epic.
The NYT is unworthy to line my bird’s cage.
Yesterday the Washington Post's Sally Quinn launched a trial balloon for Sen. Warner to head a Republican "death squad" to ask the Vice President to resign. She suggested Fred Thompson as the new VP.
The New York Times article is aimed at creating a groundswell of opinion against Cheney with the intent of keeping up the momentum.
If the Establishment Media is taking this tack, it means that the Foreign Policy Community is united and is moving forward with it. Expect more of the same, perhaps a "60 Minutes" segment on this topic.
“Cheney’s office is also denying it’s an office. Tricky Dick Deuce declared himself exempt from a rule that applies to everyone else in the executive branch, instructing the National Archives that the Office of the Vice President is not an ‘entity within the executive branch’ and therefore is not subject to presidential executive orders,’” the editorial said.
Amazingly, the VP is correct, according to 5 U. S. C. 101 - 105.
__________________________________________________
Sections 101 through 105 of Title 5 U.S.C.
5 U.S.C. §101. Executive Departments
The Executive Departments are:
The Department of State.
The Department of the Treasury.
The Department of Defense.
The Department of Justice.
The Department of the Interior.
The Department of Agriculture.
The Department of Commerce.
The Department of Labor.
The Department of Health and Human Services.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The Department of Transportation.
The Department of Energy.
The Department of Education.
The Department of Veterans Affairs.
5 U.S.C. §102. Military Departments
The Military Departments are:
The Department of the Army.
The Department of the Navy.
The Department of the Air Force.
5 U.S.C. §103. Government Corporation
For the purpose of this title, “Government Corporation” means
(1) “Government corporation” means a corporation owned or controlled by the Government of the United States; and
(2) “Government controlled corporation” does not include a corporation owned by the Government of the United States.
5 U.S.C. §104. Independent Establishment
For the purpose of this title, “Independent Establishment” means
(1) an establishment in the executive branch (other than the United States Postal Service or the Postal Rate Commission) which is not an Executive department, military department, Government corporation, or part thereof, or part of an independent establishment; and
(2) the General Accounting Office.
5 U.S.C. §105. Executive Agency
For the purpose of this title, “Executive Agency” means an Executive department, a Government corporation, and an independent establishment.
Cheney isn’t getting elected anything and he knows it.
First, his health is a big strike against him, and his public image is worse than either W or the Congress.
Yeah, but where is the Executive Office of the President on that list? It would seem to be a glaring omission...
Kind of a case of the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?
If you take out the part "says, " it would be a lot closer to the truth.
Which has been this administrations weakness right from the very beginning- never taking advantage of the opportunity to strike off the heads it's enemies when they put their outstretched necks on the chopping block.
The EO that the NYT is having a coronary over applied specifically to Agencies of the Executive Branch, and referenced 5 U. S. C. 105.
To understand the entities that 105 refers to, you have to read 101 through 104.
I love Dick Cheney. Apparently, the NYTimes is having to work real hard to maintain Cheney’s image with the public because the Clintons are terrified that he might change his mind and run for POTUS. He would chew Hillary up and spit her out in a debate. No question about it. She would look horrible.
What a refreshing view. Just what I needed.
I feel all... refreshed now.
I don’t know about that, it’s hard to see based on what’s here. Is the argument that executive orders only apply to the listed entities? If so, then he may be correct, but that’s not the same as saying he’s not part of the executive branch...
Anyone who keeps the Slimes this worked up is my hero!!
You sound like you want a cigarette. ;-)
Well, THEY would know!
This is hilarious. Cheney strikes me as one of the most resolutely sane people on earth.
Are you kidding? Who would want to get in there, and put up with some of you flamethrowers? The first time he did something you disagreed with (refuse to jump through your flaming hoops on command) with, you’d tear him up too! (shaking head in disgust)
This is a political assassination attempt on the Vice President, nothing more. These folks are very disappointed that the Plame thing didn't deliver his head, so they march onward.
It's not necessary to reply in kind against the blood-suckers, but there's never an answer of any kind by anybody, no moral authority exercised, no approbrium, no embarrassment extracted nor no indirect, high-toned-but-barbed ripostes, just silence, aka as the insane "new tone" squared.
Our country's two highest offices have been degraded, but the current holders don't seem to care.
The whole political scene today is sickening.
Leni
I think she never go over Michael Douglas.
Gotcha. Thanks.
It is interesting that it is written to exempt the Executive Office of the President. On the other hand, the media has to be taken to task for their imprecise description of Cheney’s argument...
Even the Fox All Stars have proven themselves to be idiots WRT this.
Brit is becoming a disappointment on a number of issues.
rules are rules
This is NOT Maureen Dowd
I normally give WND short shrift, but I have to admit, when it comes to lunacy, I can’t think of any outlet more familiar with it.
I met Les on the Capitol Mall a couple years ago. A real gentleman and a national treasure.
I can’t wait for his book. As G. Bush is about as capable of writing history as his father (e.g. the execrable tome written with and ghostwritten by Brent Scowcroft), it should serve as the definitive piece on the administation of Bush II.
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