Two Bush-era officials reject Cheney's security stance (Gates and Ridge)

AFP on Yahoo ^ | 5/22/09 | Dan De Luce

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Two top Bush-era officials on Friday rejected ex-vice president Dick Cheney's scathing criticism of US President Barack Obama, saying the country's national security was not in jeopardy.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who served in the same post under former president George W. Bush, and Tom Ridge, the former head of homeland security, both voiced disagreement with Cheney a day after he attacked Obama's performance as the new commander-in-chief.

Gates said in an interview that opponents of Obama's decision to close the "war on terror" prison at Guantanamo were engaging in "fear-mongering," a reference to Cheney's stance on the issue.

Defending the president's decision to shut the detention center at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Gates said the prison was damaging America's image and served as a propaganda tool for Al-Qaeda.

"The truth is, it's probably one of the finest prisons in the world today. But it has a taint," Gates told NBC television's "Today" program during a visit to New York.

"The name itself is a condemnation. What the president was saying is, this will be an advertisement for Al-Qaeda as long as it's open," he said.

In an interview with CNN's "State of the Union," Ridge said he could not support the former vice president's charge that Obama had undermined US national security.

Asked if he believed the country was now less safe as a result of Obama's policies, Ridge said: "I do not."

The Republican said the discussion had become too politically charged with Cheney making a televised speech on Thursday immediately after an address by the sitting president.

[frposty]

Good grief, Gates’ boss is Obama. Basically, Gates recited the Bush policy, didn’t he? Namely that Bush also wanted to shut it down. It was interesting that Gates said that Gitmo was one of the finest prisons in the world and that the only problem with it is the public relations aspect.

[cpanter]

I’m no Ridge fan, but the author doesn’t explicitly say that Ridge said it was too politically charged “because” of the speech. The author used the word “with” to attach the sentence about the timing of Cheney’s speech to Ridge’s comment.

This author actually gets two “bias” points in one sentence if you think about it:
1. Cheney scheduled his tv attack to follow the sitting president’s speech.
2. Ridge believes that this action by Cheney has caused the discussion to become too politically charged.

What a crock.

[frposty]

I’ve always thought that Ridge looks and talks like an extremely boring person.

[PhiKapMom]

LOL!!! No it does not! There is an Aggie joke in there somewhere and I resisted! :)

[campaignPete R-CT]

yes, Gaffer
but it is uncanny that in places such as the New Hampshire primary, usually the “GOP establishment” shows up early to participate and the conservative true believers are stuck wondering why they don’t have anyone to support.

The GOP DC establishment is very, very, very well-connected in Iowa and New Hampshire. These events have morphed into something different than they were back in ‘76 and ‘80 when Reagan was running. Thus, we end up with Dole, Bush, McCain.

[Kickass Conservative]

I'm still waiting to see how Obama is destroying his Party.

Maybe on FR he is, but out in the real world of an Ignorant Populace and a Sycophant Media, Obama is popular and getting his Marxist Policies implemented. He gets away with this because he can blame President Bush for everything and he is acting like the poor guy that has to fix the mess.

We know the magnitude of Obama’s actions, but the typical American hasn't got a clue. Hopefully Vice President Cheney will change Hearts and Minds, but the Media will do everything it can to be sure that doesn’t happen.

[ThomasSawyer]

"Gates has been a political whore for years. I’m glad to say I’ve always despised him. He has built his reputation by sucking up to the press & Congress.
It appears that him and Colon Powell are cut from the same cloth.

[campaignPete R-CT]

BARLF, anyone who won’t throw in with the the Annapolis POW over a Marxist lawyer ... they’ve got a mental block.

[BARLF]

At least he’s doing it and our brain dead RINO president isn’t doing it in our name. I played that game long enough.

Okay, you have defended voting for obama. I defended voting for Mcain.

One more question: What obama seems to be doing with words and actions is opening us up for another terrorist attack.Many on this forum have said and apparently believe that to be true.

Will you feel comfortable with losing a few thousand more of our citizens at the hands of these terrorist as long as it isn't done in "our" name?

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

John McCain is a walking, talking, backstabbing and self serving piece of politician. He would sell out his own mother to get power for himself and to screw over the country.

He is a narcissist. He hates conservatives and conservatism. But he lies about it. Anybody who thinks John McCain has honorable intentions for he country or the conservative movement is greatly deceived, in my opinion..

I can see voting for the lesser of two evils, as I’ve had to choose between them since I voted for the man who despised Ronald Reagan when he ran against him, George Bush the First.

Then there was the clammy cadaver, go-along-get-along Bob Dole, who bragged he hadn’t even read the Republican platform as he campaigned for president .

Then there was Jorge the Second.

We are sick of the candidates we are being fed. McCain represents the Walking Undead, everything we DON’T need representing us as conservatives.

[Intolerant in NJ]

The Republican said the discussion had become too politically charged with Cheney making a televised speech on Thursday immediately after an address by the sitting president...in fact I heard somewhere that Cheney's talk was scheduled originally and Obama moved his address up to try to get himself on record before Cheney could give his speech - apparently when you're trying to score points with the current national heartthrob, any distortion of the truth will do......

[okie01]

Then there was the clammy cadaver, go-along-get-along Bob Dole, who bragged he hadn’t even read the Republican platform as he campaigned for president .

Actually, I thought John McCain made Bob Dole look pretty good...

[DoughtyOne]

Obama is losing ground. Congress is bucking him, and if you think they want to be doing that, I think you’re wrong. They are loathe to show any disunity. Even they can’t stomach some of what he is doing, and I don’t think we’ve seen anything yet, inner party protest wise.

By 2010, the Democrats are going to be in serious trouble, unless McCain can destroy any momentum we have coming our way. And he’s just the prick that can do it.

Look what he did last year, capturing the titular head of Conservatism’s spot so that no Conservative could.

He’s the only thing that stands between the public’s dissatisfaction with Obama, and our ability to get them to side with us because of it.

[Ag88]

Heck, are we going to close down everything that has a taint just to be politically correct? I know Gates can’t oppose his boss - it was Barry O and his slavish media cohorts that tainted it in the first place. Gates was honest in his reply, just not forthright. We should close Gitmo. We just have to open up an exact replica somewhere in Iraq, and call it Super Happy Fun Time...

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

But it has a taint

Damned straight is has a taint. The dems tainted it and now they should live with it.

[DoughtyOne]

I didn’t defend voting for Obama. I defended not voting for McCain. I didn’t vote for Obama.

1. McCain wanted to close Gitmo
2. He wanted to stop the water boarding
3. McCain has championed Obama’s military production cutbacks
4. McCain would have allowed 30,000 Saudi nationals to remain here on student visas
5. McCain just trashed Cheney for supporting abuse against terrorist prisoners
6. McCain would have transitioned the illegal immigrants to citizenship

Do you really think we would have been much safer under McCain, considering that he would have further desroyed the perception of what Conservatism stands for?

IMO, he’s the reason why Obama got elected. He refused to trash Obama on point. He even managed to applaud some of Obama’s intentions, during the campaign.

So how did he differentiate himself from Obama, when he was finding choice nice things to say about him every week or so?

Look, I do understand your point of view. I’ve argued from the same viewpoint in the past. I through doing it. A person either earns my vote, or I take a pass.

[windsorknot]

That settles it: if Gates and Ridge both disagree with Cheney, then Cheney must be wrong.

[BARLF]

Remember the Kenny Rogers song, Lucille?

You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille,I've had some bad times, I've had some sad times

Reminds me of you and others on this forum, you picked a fine time to leave us, bad time, sad times after 911.

2008 was not the time to turn our country over to a man from where we know not. McCain at least we knew and could have worked with, amnesty proved that. McCain would not have promoted Nationalized Health Care. McCain would not fired a CEO of General Motors. McCain would not have funded ACORN.Most certainly McCain would not have bowed and kissed a Saudi King ring nor would he abandoned Israel as the now punk obama is going to do. The list goes on and on.......

I'm angry at any and all that voted for "That One" sat on their hands and didn't vote against this person that hates The United States and will try to change her into a third world country.

So, when you bash me for voting McCain you show a lack of understanding of just how terrible I view obama. So you keep dragging up all the negatives on McCain if that makes you feel better. You think I didn't do my own research before voting? Please, I am not a stupid, liberal democrat.

There is a season for all things,2008 was not a time to to turn our country over to a Muslim.

[DoughtyOne]

You can puff you your chest and scream bloody murder all you like. I don’t really give a damn.

I wasn’t going to vote for a guy who would do 80% of what Obama would, from our side of the isle. It’s that simple.

I have watched Conservatism reduced to a pipe dream rather than a broad grass roots movement. I’m not going to play into that any longer.

If you wish to advance that game plan, and it certain sounds like you’re more than happy to, go for it. It’s a free country. Just count me out.

We have 30,000 Saudi nationals in our nation right now. It took just 19 to take down the twin towers of the Trade Center. That means that we have the potential of 1578.95 more terrorist teams in country.

Bush and Cheney can state that they prevented another 09/11 level event, and they may be 100% right. They may also have been extremely lucky that another cell didn’t form out of the 30,000, and cause another devastating event.

McCain would have done the same thing. No, I’m not going to play that game any longer. I’m not going to refuse to call folks on something, that if it happens, they can raise their hands to their faces and say, “We had no idea this kind of thing could happen.” Oh yes they did.

When folks like you wake up and quit supporting the defining of Conservatism downward, we’ll see some progress in this nation. Until then, we’ll continue to hand power over to people who are more concerned about hurting some foreign national’s feelings, that protecting the citizens of the United States and their Constitution.

[BARLF]

Will you feel comfortable with losing a few thousand more of our citizens at the hands of these terrorist as long as it isn't done in "our" name?

Like most democrats and even the head honcho hizself, you refused to answer my simple question. Instead, going off on another one of your rants of how you are the perfect conservative,blah, blah, blah.

In other words trying to deflect the question you do not have the guts to answer.