Nov 21, 2005 at 5:43 PM by Political Chase
Transcript of Dick Cheney’s speech. See my comments here and here.
Excerpt [Emphasis added.]:
I disagree with Jack and believe his proposal would not serve the best interest of this nation. But he’s a good man, a Marine, a patriot, and he’s taking a clear stand in an entirely legitimate discussion.
Nor is there any problem with debating whether the United States and our allies should have liberated Iraq in the first place. Here, as well, the differing views are very passionately and forcefully stated.
But nobody is saying we should not be having this discussion or that you cannot reexamine a decision made by the president and the Congress some years ago.
To the contrary, I believe it is critical that we continue to remind ourselves why this nation took action and why Iraq is the central front in the war on terror and why we have a duty to persevere.
What is not legitimate and what I will again say is dishonest and reprehensible is the suggestion by some U.S. senators that the president of the United States or any member of his administration purposely misled the American people on prewar intelligence.
Some of the most irresponsible comments have come from politicians who actually voted in favor of authorizing the use of force against Saddam Hussein.
These are elected officials who had access to the intelligence materials. They are known to have a high opinion of their own analytical capabilities.
Nov 21, 2005 at 5:07 PM by Political Chase
I know this event is several days old, but I thought it was appropriate after Vice President Dick Cheney’s speech this morning. Cheney admonished the Bush administration’s critics in multiple ways, one of them was how critics undermine our troops and send the wrong message to them.
What message does it send to our troops when the Commander-in-Chief does not place the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown on Veteran’s Day? Instead, President Bush goes elsewhere to deliver a political speech and sends the Vice President to do the job of the Commander-in-Chief.
When was the last time you remember anyone other than the Commander-in-Chief placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier? I cannot ever remember a president being MIA for such a symbolic and honorable occasion.
In Vice President Cheney’s own words, “It is reprehensible.”
Nov 21, 2005 at 4:34 PM by Political Chase
Just a few minutes ago, VP Dick Cheney gave a speech in an attempt to again rebuff the administration’s critics. In contrast to his speech last week, Cheney said it is acceptable for others to criticize and debate the administration’s policy, but repeated the same attack of last week. He said it is reprehensible, and several other derrogative adverbs and adjectives, to say the Bush administration misled the country about the war in Iraq. Attempting to wave the patriotic flag for Bush and himself, Cheney continued to strongly infer that his critics are not patriotic.
I will publish the transcript when it is available.
Late update: I linked to a news article on Cheney’s speech, but the transcript is still not available.
Nov 21, 2005 at 4:13 PM by Political Chase
Cheney’s job approval is at 36% according to a new Gallup poll.
The latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey finds a 36% job approval rating for Vice President Dick Cheney, just a point lower than the job rating for President George W. Bush. While some observers have speculated that the vice president is losing popularity because of the indictment of his closest aide, Lewis “Scooter” Libby, the poll suggests that Cheney’s ratings and Bush’s ratings are closely tied to each other. Cheney’s low rating in the most recent poll may be partially a result of the publicity surrounding Libby’s indictment, but if that’s the case, the Libby situation has most probably affected Bush as well.
The poll also measured polarization, which as you can see by the graph below is significant.
Nov 21, 2005 at 2:23 PM by Political Chase
General Motors announced it would cut up to 30,000 jobs. The cuts will occur over the next three years.
G.M. said it will shut down five automobile assembly plants in Oklahoma City; Lansing, Mich.; Spring Hill, Tenn.; Doraville, Ga.; and Oshawa, Ontario. Parts factories and distribution warehouses will be closed in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Oregon and Ontario.
This isn’t a business focused blog, but this enters into the realm of politics and the ecomony.
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Nov 21, 2005 at 3:25 AM by Political Chase
A Newsweek article by Evan Thomas and Michael Isikoff suggests that Bob Woodward and Bob Novak’s source are one in the same – Richard Armitage.
He was one of a handful of top officials who had access to the information. He is an old source and friend of Woodward’s, and he fits Novak’s description of his source as “not a partisan gunslinger.” Woodward has indicated that he knows the identity of Novak’s source, which further suggests his source and Novak’s were one and the same.
