Jun 24, 2003
Cheney, in Richmond, vows defeat of terrorists
BY TYLER WHITLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Dick Cheney told Richmonders yesterday, "There is great work in this world that only America can do."
(MARK GORMUS)Asserting America's might, Vice President Dick Cheney vowed yesterday to continue the war against terrorism until "every enemy that plots against the American people is confronted and defeated."
"Those [members of al-Qaida] still at large are living in fear and their fears are well founded, because we are on their trail," Cheney said.
He added:
"There is great work in this world that only America can do."
In his first campaign foray for 2004, the vice president poked fun at his lack of charisma and picked up $452,000 for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign in a luncheon speech at The Jefferson Hotel.
Guests, mostly members of Richmond's Republican-leaning business and legal establishment, paid $1,000 to $2,000 to dine on halibut, potatoes and mixed vegetables, with chocolate cake for dessert, and listen to a 15-minute speech by the vice president.
Standing in front of 10 American flags, Cheney read the speech and left before lunch was served.
Cheney did not mention weapons of mass destruction or yesterday's Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action. He was one of the leaders who argued that America needed to invade Iraq because it harbored weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons have been found so far.
He drew applause when he talked of the Bush administration's efforts to cut taxes, in 2001 and this year.
"By the time we took office, the economy was already in recession and confidence was further shaken by the terrorist attacks and corporate scandals," Cheney said.
Economists say the recession officially began in March 2001, two months after Bush and Cheney were sworn in, but they trace the economic downturn to the bursting of the Internet stock bubble beginning in 2000 before Bush took office.
Touting the Bush administration's efforts to promote international trade, reform education and reorganize the federal government, Cheney said "there is some pressing business to complete."
Medicare needs to be reformed so seniors get more prescription-drug benefits, and "the health-care system needs liability reform so doctors can spend time healing patients, not fighting off frivolous lawsuits," he said, as the audience applauded.
Cheney also called on the Senate to seat more judges President Bush has nominated to the federal courts.
"They have a responsibility to give every nominee a prompt hearing and an up-or-down vote," he said. Democrats have held up several of Bush's appointees.
Cheney was in Richmond only about an hour. He met briefly in a private room at the hotel to have his picture taken with the event's sponsors before the speech.
Whisked in and out of the hotel, he likely did not see about 35 people gathered across Franklin Street from the hotel to protest Bush, Cheney and the war in Iraq. Police said the demonstration was peaceful.
Cheney flew to Boston later in the day to address another fund-raising gathering in a private home. Bush was expected to raise $4 million at an event in New York City yesterday.
Bush and his wife, Laura, began raising money last Tuesday. The Bush-Cheney re-election team has a goal of raising $170 million, compared with the $100 million they raised in 2000. Campaign-finance laws allow campaigns to tap individual donors for $2,000 - twice as much as in 2000.
Afterward, several people said they were disappointed Cheney was not more spontaneous. However, they expressed admiration for the performance of the Bush-Cheney administration.
State police reported some traffic backups as Cheney's motorcade was escorted from Richmond International Airport into the city via Interstate 64 yesterday morning. His return trip during the early afternoon caused few troubles for area motorists, state police said.
Troopers used a "slow roll" technique to keep traffic behind the motorcade and to block on-ramps, said Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Sara Cross. Traffic backed up "somewhere around 20 minutes," she said.
Richmond police spokeswoman Christie Collins said roads around the hotel were cordoned off but said there were few traffic problems and that "it's pretty easy to divert traffic" in that downtown area.
The Bush-Cheney re-election campaign pays the travel costs to and from fund-raisers, according to a long-used formula.
Any extra costs for state or local police to provide security are borne by state or local taxpayers.
Contact Tyler Whitley at (804) 649-6780 or twhitley@timesdispatch.comTimes-Dispatch staff writer Chris Dovi contributed to this report.
RTD
