Cheney: “In the fight against terrorism, there is no middle ground”
posted at 2:24 pm on May 21, 2009 by Allahpundit
Actually, there is a middle ground; the point of the torture memos was finding it. That’s the only note that’s a tiny bit off here, though. Read the full transcript at the Standard, as there’s so much to enjoy about this speech that everyone’s bound to have a different favorite moment. For Frum, it was Cheney calling Obama out for covering up information about whether the interrogations worked. For me, it’s the second half of the clip you’re about to see. For others, it’ll be his mockery of the media intoning sanctimoniously about jihadists “abducted” from the battlefield by U.S. troops or his reminder that terrorists don’t need pretexts like Gitmo or waterboarding to attack the U.S. — a timely point given the arrest last night of those NYC plotters outraged by the war in Afghanistan.
It won’t surprise you to know that his approval rating, while still negative, has started to rise ever since he started his media tour. It’s a shame Bush didn’t use him as more of a mouthpiece on this subject over the last few years of his administration: Dour though his Darth Cheney persona may be, he projects gravitas and speaks with understated eloquence. He’s bound to persuade at least a few fencesitters.
Update: In hindsight, wasn’t it awfully stupid of The One to rush out a national security speech to try to preempt Cheney? If he’d kept quiet, this still would have been a hit on righty blogs and Fox News but nowhere else. By jumping in, he created the sensational “terror duel” storyline that’s forcing the media to magnify this. At the very least, he should have waited a week or so and then given his speech as a rebuttal to Cheney’s. For someone so message-savvy, he crapped the bed this time.
Blowback
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ROFL!!! Agreed. Where was all this righteous indignation, for the past 6 or 7 years? We only started hearing about how evil it was, during the campaign.
capejasmine on May 21, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Best thing about this, if Obama didn’t release the memos, Cheney would probably still be quiet. Obama released The Cheney. Totally his fault.
deidre on May 21, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Oh wow, Cindy. That was so beautiful a tear escaped….
ladyingray on May 21, 2009 at 3:56 PM
Obama has been crapping on America for years.
I am sure Michelle has to pin his depends on every morning.
izoneguy on May 21, 2009 at 3:58 PM
Thank you. Boy, was that long overdue!
INC on May 21, 2009 at 4:00 PM
I don’t know how you feel, but I HATE SHEP SMITH. Fox, please put him on, oh, about 1 am and put Greg Gutfeld and the crew on during afternoon. Like a nap, on a spring day, in a hammock. That is Andy Levy for me!
HornetSting on May 21, 2009 at 4:01 PM
I agree.
INC on May 21, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Has anyone called Obammy a lying scumbag for what he said about Gitmo?
Blake on May 21, 2009 at 4:05 PM
Quit acting like you don’t like Dick. We all know that you on the left secretly love Dick.
Thinking about waterboarding makes me chuckle and wish we had done it during hazing.
ClassicCon on May 21, 2009 at 4:07 PM
Laurie O’Donnell is what my grandfather used to call “a flamin’ Jackass”.
Remember his treatment of Swiftie John O’Neill in 2004, when O’Neill dared to criticize his pinup boy, Jeanne-Claude Kerri? Laurie called O’Neill a “liar” something like 50 times in 5 minutes.
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Well, 0bama released the memos because Cheney did the interview where he said that 0bama was making America less safe.
Rope.
A.
Dope.
CDeb on May 21, 2009 at 4:15 PM
Well stated. I feel exactly the same way. What a study of contrasts… both in style and substance.
PrincipledPilgrim on May 21, 2009 at 4:16 PM
Agree about Obama, but a guy who was running around in 02 like chicken little saying the sky was going to fall unless we got rid of a two bit dictator from a thirld world country that wasn’t a threat to us is not exactly “calm, cool and collected”.
LevStrauss on May 21, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Even shorter Cheney: Torture works.
strangelet on May 21, 2009 at 4:26 PM
Cheney/Petraeus 2012!
Akzed on May 21, 2009 at 4:28 PM
And your argument with that is? Values? Yours? No thanks.
petunia on May 21, 2009 at 4:31 PM
The country isn’t ready for a white male president. It’s not finished having its hissy fit.
JiangxiDad on May 21, 2009 at 4:33 PM
That sounds like a description of Bill Clinton and Colin Powell and Tony Blair and every single Democrat in congress!
I think the point of this is: Obama, Pelosi and others are trying to rewrite history. And Cheney is saying knock off turning this into partisan politics.
It wasn’t partisan then–pretending it was is the big lie.
petunia on May 21, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Of course Obama did not watch Cheney’s speech. He has staff people to do that stuff for him and to tell him what he wants to hear and later say.
AverageJoe on May 21, 2009 at 4:39 PM
So were Bush and Cheney right to take out serial torturer Saddam Hussein?
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2009 at 4:47 PM
O’Donnell, Carville, and the third twit got their orders or conspired and agreed upon the magic word being “liar.” They all repeated in numerous times in interviews about O’Neill. However, after O’Donnell’s bizarre performance they dropped it quickly because they looked like the phoney and dishonest doofuses they really are.
I have never seen conservative commentators or politicians all use the same language the way the donks do. It makes them look like twits.
Blake on May 21, 2009 at 4:47 PM
You mean Big O took questions after the speech, and the press lit into him? Link, please!
PattyJ on May 21, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Yep, amazing isn’t it. People like strangelet very seldom use logic in their thinking; instead it is all “feel good” and “koombaya” emotion. What’s ironic about strangelet and all the other “lets have a coke, hold hands, and sing koombaya with our enemies” lefties is they actually believe fascist Islam (and other bad actors) share their utopian vision which as anyone with a functioning synapse knows is far from the truth and therefore those of us with a functioning synapse can only look at these morons with pity shaking our heads in disbelief and attribute their ignorance as the following:
A) They are blinded by their ideology
B) They are wearing dark rose colored glasses
C) They are in denial
D) They’re morons
E) All of the above
I vote for all of the above as there really is no other explanation for their behavior!
Liberty or Death on May 21, 2009 at 4:50 PM
“In the fight against terrorism, there’s no middle ground,” -Cheney.
“Hey Dresden, we’re sorry,” -Obooba.
Akzed on May 21, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Every time Dick Cheney speaks, I actually feel safer. He’s so calm, cool and collected. He’s like a protective grandfather. I trust him completely and have NEVER doubted for a second his love for this country. Obama comes across as a petulant child. Cheney comes across as a statesman.
Redneck Woman on May 21, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Exactly.
shoregulls on May 21, 2009 at 4:57 PM
So true. The real scary thing is that this was only 6-7 short years ago and the current Commander in Chief hadn’t even hit political puberty yet.
Daemonocracy on May 21, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Can we let adults run the country again please.
Please.
notagool on May 21, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Rush Limbaugh is fond of stringing together sound bites of all the Leftist talking heads doing that. It’s devastating, and yet sad.
One of the best ones he did was to string together about 12 of them all using the exact same word in their “reporting”, namely “gravitas”.
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2009 at 5:06 PM
He should have spoke out sooner, like 8 years ago…..
DL13 on May 21, 2009 at 5:06 PM
A 10 minute dialogue on the strategy used by the Communists to undermine and take over America starting 60 years ago, which pertains to what has happened and is happening in our country since then and also fits in perfectly with what the Left is trying to do to America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3zhdRErYT8&NR=1
DL13 on May 21, 2009 at 5:22 PM
Whenever Obama speaks, Chris Matthews feels a thrill going up his leg. Whenever Cheney speaks, a terrorist feels a trickle going down his leg.
PackerBronco on May 21, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Flopping Aces has a devastating piece about what is going on-excerpt:
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2009 at 5:30 PM
And reminded the nation at the perfect time (NY attempted attack) how important security is.
Economy? Security? Health care? Security? Mortgages? Security? Jobs? Security? Taxes? Security?
Cipher-in-Chief taking over Carter, with penache.
Schadenfreude on May 21, 2009 at 5:33 PM
Obama has said that somehow, someplace he wants them released
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2009 at 5:30 PM
How about a hunting ranch. .50 BMG. I salivate.
faol on May 21, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Torture works, even here. You’re comments are torturous, and we survive.
Schadenfreude on May 21, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Three simple letters sum up Cheney–
CFR–Council on Foreign Relations…a globalist cabal!
BobAnthony on May 21, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Waterboarding isn’t torture.
Asher on May 21, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Throughout history fascists have used fear to manipulate the masses and take away their rights. Nothing new here.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin
popularpeoplesfront on May 21, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Obama is very thin skinned and he let Cheney goad him into this speech. Not a good trait for the Commander in chief.
roux on May 21, 2009 at 5:55 PM
popularpeoplesfront on May 21, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Yeah you’re right.I lost my right to..to..to. something.
Yeah, they took our rights away. Now I cant uh uh do what I want anymore yeah, bastards.
faol on May 21, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Exactly, and I bet the tires would be at the right pressure, too…
barton on May 21, 2009 at 6:01 PM
A pink Barbie “Hot Wheels” with streamers and bows.
But it has playng cards clothespinned to the spokes. Sounds like a real hog, therfore it is.
faol on May 21, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Thanks for reminding us why your administration was a big fat failure, Dick. Keep on talking!
Constantine on May 21, 2009 at 6:13 PM
It was an honor to listen to his speech today. The One would be well served to sit down by himself and play it on his Ipod.
He might learn something about duty, honor and country.
FireBlogger on May 21, 2009 at 6:13 PM
Remember when Obama said, “Nobody messes with Joe?” He probably wishes Cheney was his own pick for VP. Nobody messes with Darth, I mean Dick… I couldn’t resist that but I love Cheney.
petunia on May 21, 2009 at 6:18 PM
I agree, please keep reminding us how good it used to be before Obama stole the American Dream.
petunia on May 21, 2009 at 6:19 PM
Yeah I remember that and he was rightfully suspended, actually I believe he was fired by MSLSD for the insane tirade. They hired him back on the scene last year as the election approached.
He is truly a horrible human who should be medicated.
His poor family.
FireBlogger on May 21, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Fixed.
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2009 at 6:24 PM
I loved it when VP Cheney made sure to mention that House Speaker Pelosi was informed of the waterboarding. For all the vilification this brilliant patriot has endured for the last 8 years, he deserved his chance to state the facts. And Pelosi deserved the bitch-slapping so ably administered by VP Cheney.
CatchAll on May 21, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Wow, strangelet’s Mom showed up.
Where’s your daughter?
While you’re at it, tell us how preventing a repeat of the 9/11 attacks contributes a “failure” on the part of Bushco?
After all, they inherited those attacks from Bill Clinton.
Del Dolemonte on May 21, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Whatever dries the tears, darlin’, whatever dries the tears.
ladyingray on May 21, 2009 at 6:27 PM
I loved it when VP Cheney made sure to mention that House Speaker Pelosi was informed of the waterboarding. For all the vilifiication that this brilliant patriot has endured for the last 8 years, he deserved his chance to state the facts.
And Pelosi richly deserved the b!tch-slapping that VP Cheney so ably administered.
CatchAll on May 21, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Don’t you have a credit card payment to default on, Whiskey Tango? This is why you don’t let poor people have computers or vote…
ClassicCon on May 21, 2009 at 6:33 PM
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/
the written text. He is articulate.
biden said Obama was articulate and clean. I say Not so much.
Cheney really puts the Trainee in his place.
seven on May 21, 2009 at 6:34 PM
I normally don’t frequent Politico too often, but this article of theirs was fairly well written. Feel free to bash me, but this goes on to show that neither sides of the political extrema are good models of reality : http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22831.html
peter_griffin on May 21, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Is anyone thinking a Cheney/Gingrich ticket? ;) He should have the same first meeting with opposing foreign leaders that BHO did… but in a DUCK BLIND! … Nobody.. and I mean NOBODY would jack with these guys!
justice4ddd on May 21, 2009 at 7:59 PM
The failure was wasting billions of dollars and thousands of lives in Iraq to eliminate a threat that didn’t exist, meanwhile creating a recruitment poster for Al Qaeda, betraying the principles of the constitution, letting Bin Laden escape, not properly equipping the troops, fueling an insurgency by dismissing the Iraqi army… shall I go on?
Keep refining that response script! It’s really coming along!
Constantine on May 21, 2009 at 8:24 PM
I love that man. Fellow Wyomingite. He employed a friend’s kid as an intern, and my friend was vice chair of a civilian defense department committee under Reagan when Cheney was the SecDef.
If Pres. Bush would have just put him out there to respond to the crap the media was shoveling during the 43′s time as president, he would not have had the low popularity ratings he had. Regardless, thank God we don’t run our republic on popularity — or at least we used to.
Tennman on May 21, 2009 at 8:24 PM
does anyone have a link to where Obama reserved himself the right to use enhanced interrogation techniques?
commodore on May 21, 2009 at 8:31 PM
I know trying to keep the Great Unwashed Masses ignorant is SOP for conservatives, but you shouldn’t be so blatant about it. Bad form, old chap.
Constantine on May 21, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Why do moonbats have no problem waterboarding fellow Americans ?
William Amos on May 21, 2009 at 8:41 PM
I agree should of just nuked the entire shithole, but I am sure you would have whined about that as well.
Wait, so according to you the Iraq War took place before 9/11?
Sorry child, laws of war. What is Obama’s excuse?
Yeah, your rapist-in-chief really dropped the ball on that one. Like most of your kind you are terrified of negative publicity so he just arranged so 3000 Americans would die. Hey, great vote you made there. Blood is on your hands.
Oh, you expect us to believe you actually care about the safety of our troops…that is cute.
I agree…see point one…
Slither back to DailyKos and get yours and we will compare.
ClassicCon on May 21, 2009 at 8:46 PM
Are you kidding? Ignorance is what put your guy into the White House. Obama garnered more high-school dropout votes than any president in history.
Ignorance is the fuel of the Democrat party.
ddrintn on May 21, 2009 at 8:47 PM
What a complete and utter jackass.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 8:51 PM
The moonbats are pissy because they aren’t going to get their show trials. Pffft.
ddrintn on May 21, 2009 at 8:52 PM
And fear the engine of the GOP. Both parties suck.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 8:55 PM
too bad Cheney wasn’t president instead of Bush….
the guy is a serious intellect….at least he has the guts to fight back…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 8:55 PM
oh please…go back to dailykos…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 8:56 PM
Where have you been the past 8 years?
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 8:56 PM
Classic. You’re the right-wing psycho caricature everybody loves.
Clinton went after him and failed. Bush didn’t try, even when we had him nearly cornered in Afghanistan. Just like he didn’t try when he got the intel “Bin Laden determined to attack within the US” because it wasn’t “actionable.” Instead we went off on Iraq because the PNAC had a hard-on for a war there.
DailyKos is no fun. There are far more idiots to mock here. Thank you.
Constantine on May 21, 2009 at 8:57 PM
too bad the terrorists aren’t unborn babies…then the liberals would have no problem cutting a hole in their head and sucking out their brains…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 8:57 PM
Clinton wouldn’t order the hit when he had the chance…do you really think our special ops guys wouldn’t have gotten him if they could?? please…
oh yeah that ‘warning’ al-qaeda wants to hijack a plane…yeah…thats real ‘intelligence’ hell even you might have been able to figure that out…
are you calling the first black president, and THE MOST MORAL MAN IN AMERICA, Bill Clinton, a liar?? he bombed the sudan because of the relationship between al-qaeda and iraq..
stick around…I can always use a few laughs..
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 9:00 PM
Wrong, the only thing preventing Clinton from getting Obama was lack of political will, and fear of a potential PR nightmare if things went awry. Such a profile in courage…
Oh I am an idiot for sure, but at least I can get the timeline of 9/11 and Iraq War correct.
ClassicCon on May 21, 2009 at 9:01 PM
laughing at wackos who say things like that…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Ouch…I am sorry you are poor.
ClassicCon on May 21, 2009 at 9:02 PM
‘Poor’ is relative. Relative to Bill Gates, I am ‘poor’ in the bank account. Relative to ‘Dick’ Cheney, I am a poor sucker for once having had confidence in the man. Relative to you, I am quite happy with my basic character.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Translation: I will pretend to be satisfied filling out a 1040EZ till death.
ClassicCon on May 21, 2009 at 9:18 PM
Anyone ever tell you how brilliant you are?
I thought not.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 9:23 PM
dear goopers, thanks for sending the Prince of Darkness out to be your front man. The same man who wouldn’t listen to Richard Clarke, when Clarke, for the first 7 months of his administration, warned him that Al Queda was determined to strike. Deadeye Dick just ignored him. 3000 Americans died on 9/11. Dick has blood on his hands. But now he brags how he kept us safe for 7 years. What a pig. He is your messiah, goopers. You can have his smirk and his arrogance. The typical conservative who thinks he’s smarter than everybody. The old, white, bitter male, who represents your dieing slice of the electorate. Keep sending dick out, send rove, and newt. Pretend its 1994 again, bury your head in the sand, forget what the demographics of this country are going to do with your Limbaugh party. Keep reminding people of the bush years, every chance you can get. Bush,Cheney, 24/7, tell Americans how great those years were.
athensboy on May 21, 2009 at 9:23 PM
looks like the truth hurts doesn’t it sonny?
Cheney is making obama look like a bumbling fool..ok its not that hard…
and how do you like Obama becoming another BUSH??? military tribunals, not releasing those pictures or the memos cheney wants, AIR RAIDING innocent civilians in afghanistan???
too funny!!
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 9:26 PM
Gitmo tortued souls return to Jihad
William Amos on May 21, 2009 at 9:27 PM
Athensboy, you are a very poor excuse for a human being.
No offense.
Just sayin’.
Tennman on May 21, 2009 at 9:27 PM
after a year or so of obamanomics….the bush years will be remebered as a golden age!!
I just hope the liberals are the ones who suffer the most..glad I don’t live in DC or NYC…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 9:28 PM
I see you and “Dick” have a common purpose in life.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 9:28 PM
at least me and *dick* don’t hang out in park restrooms like you and *dick*
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 9:29 PM
I have just read the full transcript of VP Cheney’s speech, and I was glad I did. My admiration for this patriot has increased a thousandfold. It was a gem of a speech that made my day!
I bet those in the WH have had a really lousy day after listening to a speech that contained nothing but unadorned truth…
Now, I’m going to watch Dick Cheney’s speech posted on YouTube to feel my admiration for this great man increase in mega-doses till it hit the roof.
mz.josephine on May 21, 2009 at 9:34 PM
You are a troll, right? A troll from the Beelzebub Daily, sent here to pretend to be a “Christian” and everything, a good “conservative,” then you prattle on about the most bizarre and disgusting things.
I’m on to you. You pretend to be religious, then you hit the keys and people start thinking – “Wow, if that’s what Christianity does for people, like, no thanks!”
Finally it dawns. I know ole’ Satan was a crafty fellow, but sending you here to throw people off the right track the way you do, I’d have to say he’s even trickier than I thought.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Well I am an athiest, and the only reaction I would get from watching your side jump to your deaths from a burning skyskraper would be, man I wish I had popcorn.
It’s ok though…I am just a vile, hateful SOB.
ClassicCon on May 21, 2009 at 9:40 PM
At least you admit it. I can respect vile honesty far more than righteous hypocrisy.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 9:42 PM
you’re a wacko, obviously…but I think people should get the results of their actions…and the liberals voted for obama…so I hope they are the ones losing jobs, and if we get hit again, then yes I hope its its a blue area, since the libs have stabbed our troops and our country in the back since 9/11…they don’t think we’re in a war…so let them get the results of their beliefs and actions…
I think thats just, don’t you?
unfortunately we all suffer under left-wing wacko policies…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 9:44 PM
oh and as far as being a christian, I’ll let Someone else decide that…if you haven’t guessed…your opinion, and that of many others here, is to me like something I wipe off of my shoes…
right4life on May 21, 2009 at 9:47 PM
So by that ‘logic,’ we got hit on 9/11 because undereducated conservs voted Boosh into office.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 9:47 PM
You cannot wipe off of your shoes what resides in your soul.
trailboss on May 21, 2009 at 9:49 PM
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