Posted on 02/21/2006 4:07:48 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
"I thought the vice president handled the issue just fine." — George W. Bush, Feb. 16, 2006
"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job." — George W. Bush, Sept. 2, 2005
Some of us have always thought of Dick Cheney, vice president of the United States, former secretary of defense, industrial magnate and general mover-and-shaker, as The Brains of the Outfit.
We still do, but intelligence isn't everything in a leader. Or even the most important thing — like judgment or honesty or prudence or modesty or, well, name your own favorite character trait. Lest we forget, the smartest people can do the stupidest things. (Cf. The Hon. William Jefferson Clinton.)
It's become almost a Washington mantra since Watergate: What really gets a politician into trouble isn't the mistake, even a serious mistake, but how it's addressed afterward — promptly or tardily, candidly or evasively, well or badly enough to amount to a far more serious mistake, as in cover-up.
Dick Cheney now has stepped forward (finally) and taken responsibility, full responsibility, for firing first and looking afterward on that quail hunt, or maybe looking simultaneously, which can be just as dangerous. That's good.
But he's still sticking with his story about its being perfectly proper to wait till the next morning to let the country know that a vice president of the United States has shot a friend in a hunting accident. Even though presidential counselor Dan Bartlett and the president's press secretary, Scott McClellan, both advised him to get the story out — widely — as soon as he could. But the best advice is of no use if one doesn't take it, and the vice president didn't. .
(Excerpt) Read more at jewishworldreview.com ...
Another head safely buried in the sand.
None of this has been about the shooting accident, it's about the mishandling of the communication of the incident to the people.
Excuse me?
No.
Knock off the theatrics, Luis. You're no more brilliant than anyone else here, you just have a different, if wrong, opinion, so get over yourself.
I think that's a bogus argument; if he had called them first, not one word of what they said would have changed; it would have just been "Why weren't we there? We should have been there? You're so secretive.'
He shot a man; perhaps he needed some time with HIS family and friends before he faced the world; it's not my place to judge.
not sufficiently upset to lose his appetite
That's just catty.
ROFLMAO. God love ya!
And it would be the EXACT same posters who went bezerk when they THOUGHT Alito had already made a bad ruling from the bench a few weeks ago.
You know, that really pissed me off.
I've taken a whole lot of crap over the years in here and elsewhere in defense of this administration, I took to the streets to works for their election, and to stop the election from being stolen, so I believe I've paid enough dues to stand up and speak my piece as I see fit.
And you have yet to hear what I have to say about this port deal.
And your opinion shuts mine off?
After watching the ongoing meltdown taking place over the ports issue, I'd be real skeptical about this one if I were Cheney.
Yeah...just one piss poor peformance after another, all leading us right into mid-term elections.
Just friggin' great.
Who shut you off??? You started the damn thread, posted your opinion, we disagreed, and you got pissed off and accused us of being the ones with the problem. Like I said, get over yourself. You're just one (minority) opinion.
Cheney showed perfect judgment when he held the story long enough to avoid the Sunday talk shows. He knew that they would pile on regardless of the circumstances so he wasn't about to go out of his way to accommodate them.
Cheney did the things that were decent and proper when an accident like this happens and just let the Washington press corps show themselves for who they are.
A "minority" opinion?
Roughly half of America thinks he handled it badly, including 30% who identified themselves as Republicans.
Let's not discuss hs 29% job approval rating...I'm sure this helped.
---You know, that really pissed me off. I've taken a whole lot of crap over the years in here and elsewhere in defense of this administration, I took to the streets to works for their election, and to stop the election from being stolen, so I believe I've paid enough dues to stand up and speak my piece as I see fit.
Larry Lucido wrote:
Who shut you off??? You started the damn thread, posted your opinion, we disagreed, and you got pissed off and accused us of being the ones with the problem. Like I said, get over yourself. You're just one (minority) opinion.
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I think someone is getting overwrought, and could use a little rest.
Great pic luis. You wear the makeup well.
There are probably many good economic reasons (and very likely strategic ones) to let the UAE deal go through, but at the same time there are lots and lots of questions and concerns. Those are all lost now under a tidal wave of hysteria, half-truth and outright bullsh!t put forward by the democrat party and their media allies, who were allowed to spin and lie and bloviate and play on our fears for three friggin' days while the White House sat mute and took a nice relaxing holiday weekend off.
I know they hate dealing with the media, and God knows they've got legitimate reasons to do so. But damnit, it's part of the job. There's things I hate doing on my job, but they have to be done, so I just roll up my sleeves, grit my teeth and do them anyway.
And now as a result of their refusal to effectively communicate, this deal that Bush wants to go through is most likely dead, dead, dead, and several years from now we'll probably be looking back at this episode as a squandered opportunity.
Louey what has got your beeber in a up roar dude ?
Thirty three Senate seats up for grabs in a few months, and an administration that seems intent on jumping from one PR disaster to another.
I'm beyond Bush/Cheney and looking ahead.
Other than that, I'm just peachy.
Thanks for speaking your mind.
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