Is Cheney setting up a defense for himself by attacking Obama so overtly?

[DeepBlueC]

I'm thinking that if the Justice Department ever does get around to him the right-wing machine will be primed to argue that it is to shut him up...an assault on first amendment rights. Is this a game of chicken?

[JayMusgrove]

1. You must be a great chess player.. you are 5 moves ahead of

the rest of us.

I think you may have a point... Cheney and his associates are probably going to claim that their prosecutions would be "political" in nature, and not about actual criminal activity in which they engaged.

I hope Cheney and Bush lose their entire economic fortunes defending themselves in courts in the Hague, Geneva, or Barcelona, I don't really care where they are tried.

Let the Spanish inquisition begin.

[Howardx]

6. i agree, excellent point

i can see it working just that way, "obama out to silence critic" blah blah blah

[DeepBlueC]

8. It would be very typical of that bunch

Look at the vote for the war. They did not have all the information in, had not exhausted other possibilities, but they wanted to force a vote before the November elections so that they could dare Congressional Democrats up for re-election to vote against it and run themselves on "Democrats won't stand up to threats"...a very winning appeal at that time. In addition they made explicit private assurances to Democrats who asked that they were not pursuing war only leverage they could use on the UN which was also a talking point they pushed...which actually had some rationale. But it was all about forcing the Democrats into a position of voting strategically and falling right into their hands. The leaks to Judy Miller and the use of the NY Times article shortly thereafter as confirmation of their disinformation is a similar trap. That's why I look for these set-ups. Republicans are publicly questioning the propriety of Cheney's statements but down the line they will be just as vocal in DEFENDING HIS RIGHT TO MAKE THEM. It will be all about changing the story from their crimes to DOJ's intentions.

[ecstatic]

2. I think that's what it is

But it won't work. He will be locked up alongside his buddy Libby.

[DeepBlueC]

12. except that Libby isn't locked up

yet

[babylonsister]

3. When was the last time a former vp attacked a current president

so overtly? That might disgust a lot of people-it does me. I just hope it makes Obama so furious he'll get inspired.

[JayMusgrove]

4. Inspired to indict him!

That would be justice.

Michelle Bachmann and Cheney indicted for treason. I'd love to see this!

[masuki bance]

5. You have to go all the way back to Al Gore.

..."There was then, there is now and there would have been regardless of what Bush did, a threat of terrorism that we would have to deal with. But instead of making it better, he has made it infinitely worse. We are less safe because of his policies. He has created more anger and righteous indignation against us as Americans than any leader of our country in the 228 years of our existence as a nation -- because of his attitude of contempt for any person, institution or nation who disagrees with him. "...
http://pol.moveon.org/goreremarks052604.html/

________


"Rather than defending our freedoms, this administration has sought to abandon them. Rather than accepting our traditions of openness and accountability, this administration has opted to rule by secrecy and unquestioned authority. Its assaults on our core democratic principles have only left us less free and less secure," he said.

... In both cases, Gore said, the administration has "recklessly put our country in grave and unnecessary danger."
http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/000749.php

[babylonsister]

9. Yes, but Gore held his fire as long as he could-4 years?

And he wasn't just trying to trash someone, he was responding to circumstances.

Very different.

[DeepBlueC]

10. He did not undermine policy in the making

[FrenchieCat]

11. but it was strange how the media wasn't really "disturbed" about Cheney's Attack....

only more so about the Current President's response a week later.

[babylonsister]

13. That's why this is so important. Keep this out there, if at all possible.

So much going on, so little time.

[DeepBlueC]

17. I'm waiting for new torture memos to come out

I love a bit of outrage but this thing is kind of changing the subject from Cheney and Bush to Cheney and Obama. As if precedent and taste were the issues in play here. They are but not the big ones.

[babylonsister]

18. Good point, they are due, and

that will ratchet up the call from us to say 'enough'. I think this nominee to the DOJ that the rethugs keep blocking might be the key, too.

[dflprincess]

7. When I heard this tonight, my first thought was to hope that this will annoy Obama enough

that he'll finally decide to sic the DOJ on Busho.

On second thought, I realized Cheney is still trying to control the message and it might be working. A couple weeks ago he says Obama has made us less safe and in the last few days Obama starts singing the "9/11, we will thwart any plot agains the homeland" blues.

[John the Revelator]

14. Fear is beginning to creep into the bloated gut of Cheney

[LynnTheDem]

15. Yep, that's what he's trying to do. Trying his case in the court of public opinion. Too bad for

dick that the public opinion of him is 18% approval.

[Yavin4]

16. Just The Opposite, Obama Is Letting Cheney Indict Himself

Most criminals tend to brag about their crimes. The longer Cheney talks, the closer we get to a outright confession.

[babylonsister]

19. Damn! I think and hope you are right. nt