Barack Obama, meet your national security shadow (Vice President Dick Cheney)

The National Post ^ | May 20, 2009 | Giuseppe Valiante

[2ndDivisionVet]

It is being billed as Obama v. Cheney: The Great Debate, even though the two men will not be in the same room.

On Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama makes a major speech on national security as well as tackling the increasingly prickly issue of closing the Guantanamo Bay prison. But an hour before, former vice-president Dick Cheney will cast an ominous shadow over the President when he speaks on the same topic.

For weeks now, Mr. Cheney, who some hoped would retire graciously into the background after Mr. Obama's rise to power, has been highly critical of the President, granting media interviews to anyone who would listen.

"[Cheney is] just talking his face off, there's no question," said Allan Bonner, political consultant and author of a new book, American Conventions.

But why Mr. Cheney has been driven to the airwaves is open to question. Some analysts say Mr. Cheney is trying to save his colleagues from prosecution, while others claim that he feels so strongly about his views that he must share them with America.

Last week, Mr. Cheney was on CBS's Face The Nation and Fox News - even his daughter Liz went on MSNBC to plead his case.

On Thursday he is scheduled to give a speech at the American Enterprise Institute called "Keeping America Safe." One can assume the topic will cover the same issues he has already covered extensively.

Mr. Cheney has criticized several of Mr. Obama's policies, including the decision to end what he called "enhanced interrogation techniques" for terror suspects and declassifying memos that explained the methods.

Mr. Cheney also criticized the current government over its decision to "attack their predecessor[s] because they disagreed with the legal advice that was given by the Justice Department."

[GraniteStateDad]

"But why Mr. Cheney has been driven to the airwaves is open to question..."

Not really! He's an American Patriot, using what remains of his "bully pulpit" and credibility to challenge a president who is systematically taking apart 200+ years worth freedoms that were purchased with the blood of courageous American Patriots.

We need a few more of our leaders to follow his example by rolling up their sleeves and fighting the socialist agenda that PEBO and his drones are putting forth.

Obama is not a leader, he's a consensus builder who has been handed the keys to a vehicle he is unfit to operate.

It's time for some of our national conservative leaders to take some risks and make some noise similar to Mr. Cheney. Even though the media doesn't agree with him and treats him with disdain, the message IS getting out. He's too visible to ignore, as are many other political leaders who share his views but have chosen to remain silent. I suppose the difference is testicular fortitude...

[VeniVidiVici]

Gore and the Clintons have been bashing President Bush for years. Finally Cheney gets some nads and starts tossing some long overdue verbal grenades of his own, resulting in the Left squealing little girls who have had their toys taken by a bully.