"Dick Cheney: Washington trembles at the return of 'Darth Vader'"

Guardian UK ^ | May 4, 2009 | Ewen Mac

[Covenantor]

Barack Obama, unlike George Bush who wanted to be in bed before 10pm, likes to work late. But even by his standards Wednesday was out of the ordinary, sitting up in a largely empty White House until 2.30am as he edited a speech an adviser later described as one of the most important of his life.

He was still nervous about it when he rose to deliver it eight hours later. Normally Mr Cool, he fluffed his opening, referring to the defence secretary, Robert Gates, as Bill, the Microsoft founder.

Part of the explanation for the bout of jitters is that Obama is struggling to contain an ever-growing row over the future of Guantánamo Bay and the security apparatus created by the Bush administration as part of its "war on terror". But there is another factor: the return of an opponent the Democrats had thought of as politically dead: Dick Cheney. The sinister, reclusive figure at the heart of the Bush administration, who attracted labels such as Darth Vader and Dr Strangelove, has returned to the heart of Washington and is causing havoc.

Obama and Cheney were billed to speak at roughly the same time, though at different Washington venues. The US media described it as the political equivalent of Ali v Frazier

end excerpt

[windsorknot]

He’s more of a preacher than an orator, and his delivery certainly doesn’t come up to Freeman’s standard.

One very annoying speech pattern is Obama's pronunication of the word "to": he always says "tuh".

[matthew fuller]

"I’ve noticed that in his speeches, he looks to his left, then looks to his right, all the time. He never looks right at the camera. It’s as if he shifts at precise angles to face the teleprompters on either side of him. Knowing about his teleprompter dependence, he looks so staged and stilted.

I have great respect for Sarah Palin and her speeches by contrast. At the Rep. Convention, the teleprompter broke down, so Sarah had to “wing it”. And she did a fine job. I wonder how Barack will do if his teleprompter ever malfunctions."

I also noticed the contrast between Buckwheat and Palin- His head is always tilted, while Sarah is always looking dead ahead. I think that her presentation generates trust.

[Clock King]

Go Sith!

[goat granny]

I think he picked Joe Biden as an insurance policy...

[FTJM]

Ewen, you can get up now, Obama’s finished.

[Fred Nerks]

I love that image! GWB looks as if someone made his flesh crawl - and Cheney is thinking you don't fool me, punk!

[Peter ODonnell]

There is a disturbance in the farce.

[jimfree]

So does this make Joe Biden Jar Jar Binks?

Straining to avoid laughing raucously. Thanks for the 2am treat.

[wardaddy]

If Cheny had good health...and maybe even without that.

He is almost our frontrunner...I say that being a Sarahmaniac.

[EDINVA]

“I wonder how Barack will do if his teleprompter ever malfunctions.”

His teleprompter failed on St. Patrick’s Day ... he got a couple of lines into his speech before realizing it still have up the Irish Ambassador’s speech (who had preceded him). Pretty funny stuff.

[Republic of Texas]

Dick Cheney could douse the Sun with his tears...if he ever cried.

[elhombrelibre]

Notice the writer puts quotes around the words “war on terror.” This is another great example of Liberalism in our times. They run around self-promoting themselves as highly tolerant, yet let someone provide a different opinion than their narrow ideology and they flip out with anger. Dissidents to their Orthodoxy are “stupid;” they're “evil.” The Liberal has seen the world and knows there is only one way to see it. They'll save their tolerance for those who agree with them and never know the irony of their claptrap.

[dixiechick2000]

And, they will happily let anyone and everyone in the terrorists way be killed, and blame it on the good ole USA.

It’s good to “see” you. ;o)

[True Republican Patriot]

That Slow Joe is an Insurance Policy is a popular theory, but The Messiah wouldn’t need that type of protection. Joe Biden did protect Obama from the onslaught of Larry Sinclair and appears to be the effective mover in Sinclair’s arrest and incarceration after his National Press Club Allegations against Obama.

[Nateman]

[Talisker]

ROFL!

[Talisker]

At the Rep. Convention, the teleprompter broke down, so Sarah had to “wing it”. And she did a fine job.

She did a great job. But with McCain as her "friend," I seriously doubt her teleprompter merely "broke down."

[Talisker]

Way, way excellent.

[nfldgirl]

LOL! ... good one!

[Covenantor]

If Cheny had good health...and maybe even without that.
He is almost our frontrunner...I say that being a Sarahmaniac.

He's always enjoyed my highest regards especially over his former boss and remains in my mind a model for the next candidate, the crop of which falls far short in comparison with the exception of Gov. Palin. A C&P ticket would be just the thing even but for his health.