Cheney says Obama endangers U.S.

The Politico ^

[Sub-Driver]

Cheney says Obama endangers U.S. By: Mike Allen March 15, 2009 09:56 AM EST

Asked Sunday on CNN if he thinks President Obama "has made Americans less safe," former Vice President Dick Cheney said: “I do."

Looking slimmer and relaxed, Cheney told John King on “State of the Union” that Bush administration policies on detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists – some of which were immediately modified by Obama — “were absolutely essential” to preventing another 9/11-style attack.

"I think that's a great success story. It was done legally. It was done in accordance with our constitutional practices and principles," the former vice president said. "President Obama campaigned against it all across the country. And now he is making some choices that, in my mind, will, in fact, raise the risk to the American people of another attack.

Cheney said the Bush administration "made a decision after 9/11 that I think was crucial: We said, ‘This is a war. It’s not a law-enforcement problem.'"

“When you go back to the law enforcement mode, which I sense is what they’re doing – closing Guantanamo and so forth – that they are very much giving up that center of attention and focus that’s required, and that concept of a military threat that’s essential if you’re going to successfully defend the nation against further attacks," he continued.

The former vice president, who now has a BlackBerry, said he plans to spend “the bulk” of his time in the next few months working on a book.

[Loud Mime]

High Five, Mr. Cheney!

[mgc1122]

Cheney is exactly correct. Obozo owns the war on terror now, and with his kumbaya “let’s all hug” approach - he’s going to get a lot of Americans killed.

[MayflowerMadam]

Good for him. Nice to hear an adult weigh in on the subject! Too bad he wasn’t Pres. instead of W.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Glad to hear him call it like it is.

Unlike the other Republocrats who want to “get along” with the commies in power.

[rockinqsranch]

Love this guy. I wanted Cheney for President, but it wasn’t in the cards back when. We really need somebody of his stature.

[Blue Highway]

What a difference between him and “Plugs” Biden. God bless Dick Cheney, we miss him already.

[Poison Pill]

Cheney said the Bush administration "made a decision after 9/11 that I think was crucial: We said, ‘This is a war. It’s not a law-enforcement problem.'"

The problem is that just over 1/2 the population did not ultimately buy into that notion.

[Loud Mime]

It’s a difference between straight talkers and slick salesmen.

I will buy his book as soon as it hits the market.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

After eight years of anti-Bush carping by the MSM, 1/2 the population was brainwashed.

[Ev Reeman]

Obama is endangering America and its allies by their reckless irresponsible actions. Under such conditions it would not therefore surprise me if our country was attacked again sometime in the next four years. And if we are it will be nothing they can blame on Bush, it will be their own fault.

[MyDogAteMyBallot]

Too bad he wasn’t Pres. instead of W.

so true...W set the table for Obama with his "we have to destroy capitalism in order to save it" approach.

[Nachum]

The List, ping

[Miss Didi]

How I miss the VP ping!

[Fast Moving Angel]

Too bad he wasn’t Pres. instead of W.

But ... but ... but ... didn't the media tell us he really was ???

/s off ... sorta

[dervish]

Aside from being 100% correct, this is a great PR move. If anything happens the left will try to blame Bush/Cheney. This sets the record straight - Obama opened us up to attack.

[DrDeb]

FYI: VP Cheney speaks on behalf of the BUSH Administration of which he was an integral part. In fact, he helped craft the Administration’s response to the current “economic crisis”.
-

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE:

1.) Who controlled Congress when President Reagan left office?

SENATE (1985-87)— 53 Republicans / 47 Democrats
SENATE (1987-89)— 55 Democrats / 45 Republicans
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm

HOUSE (1981-83) — 242 Democrats / 192 Republicans
HOUSE (1989-91) — 260 Democrats / 175 Republicans
http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/partyDiv.html
-

2.) During the 1992 election cycle, on whom did the electorate blame the bad economy — an assessment that delivered the White House to Bill Clinton?

According to Gallup, a majority blamed the economic policies of Ronald Reagan (who at the time had a lower post-presidency JA rating than Jimmy Carter — 47% to 49%).
-

3.) Why do ‘conservatives’ ignore President Reagan’s historically high spending/deficits as well as other center-left policies (e.g., amnesty)?

Conservatives ignore Reagan’s deficits/center-left policies because he (Reagan) was fighting and winning a COLD war at the time.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I do believe that during his tenure, President Bush was fighting and winning a HOT war — and a hot war trumps a cold war every time!
-

Additional perspective from Karl Rove:

“At home, Mr. Bush cut income taxes for every American who pays taxes. He also cut taxes on capital, investment and savings. The result was 52 months of growth and the strongest economy of any developed country.

Mr. Bush was right to match tax cuts with spending restraint. This is a source of dispute, especially among conservatives, but the record is there to see. Bill Clinton’s last budget increased domestic nonsecurity discretionary spending by 16%. Mr. Bush cut that to 6.2% growth in his first budget, 5.5% in his second, 4.3% in his third, 2.2% in his fourth, and then below inflation, on average, since. That isn’t the sum total of the fiscal record, of course — but it’s a key part of it.”
—Karl Rove
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123258532378704477.html

[Twinkie]

“let’s all hug” -

You hit that right on target. If Obama wants something a certain way, he brings it into being by pretending it’s some other way and calling it something else. Sigh. Hope that works for him.

[Twinkie]

“notion” = Obama’s favorite word which he uses to discredit any idea but his own.

[McGruff]

The former vice president noted that radio host Rush Limbaugh has challenged Obama to a debate.

“Hell, I’d pay to see that,” Cheney said. “I think Rush is a good man and serves a very important purpose."