I just finished watching the entire hour of Tim Russert’s very aggressive grilling of Vice President Dick Cheney on Meet the Press. I don’t watch MTP on a regular basis, but have always respected Russert’s approach and tough questioning no matter who is guest is. Despite the premise that Cheney was on as a special guest in concert with the 5th Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks, Russert asked questions primarily focused on why we went in and remain in Iraq, how (from Russert’s view) Iraq and the Global War on Terror are not linked, and all of the other very tough questions I would have expected the Vice President would get.
As usual, Cheney handled himself with steady intelligence, patience and respect. I would have blown a vein in my neck.
With his typical dry sense of humor, Cheney closed out the hour with what I believe will become a classic line. This exchange occurred after a few questions about Cheney’s hunting accident this past February.
Russert: Should I be glad you didn’t bring your shotgun today?
Cheney: No, don’t worry. You aren’t in season.
The contrast is stark between how Cheney can deliver pointed humor in a classy way, while the “loyal opposition” now openly suggests and promotes the assassination of our elected officials.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
Russert is never in season. As any rancher knows, you don’t need a shotgut when dealing with a CHICKEN….
Regards,
Peter H.
Hot air has video highlights here.
For diehards, Hot Air also gives these links: full video here and full transcript here.
Russert does restrict himself to the less-crazy Left canards, and state them clearly and fairly. Cheney them demolishes them clearly and fairly.
Russert should take a lesson or two from Cheney…in fact, all liberals, including Russert, need to get a life.
Yup.
#3 P.S. If Cheney was evasive on something: it might have been when (1) Russert asks him if he authorized Libby to leak confidential information re: Plame, and (2) Cheney answers in a general way that he is allowed to declassify stuff and always uses his authority properly.
I take that to mean that it’s still POSSIBLE (not certain) that Cheney authorized Libby to CONFIRM (since we know Armitage was the primary leaker) that Wilson had been recommended for the Niger junket by Plame.
Assuming that’s the case: I’m still not bothered, because:
(1) Plame wasn’t undercover in any serious fashion, as we’ve discussed ad nauseum in other threads;
(2) any “leak” was the truth – i.e., that Wilson really was sent by his wife and not by Cheney (as Wilson wanted people to believe); and
(3) any “leak” was highly relevant to public debate (or to public understanding of what the Wilsons were up to).
You are right.
I wish Cheney was my g-pa.
He is funny, disarmingly charming and I love his sarcasim.
But I think we can all see that all he did was Spin and Spin. When things are so screwed up as they are now, I would just like to see some straight talk.
And of course, 401(k) plan, you had NO problem with spinning from 1993-2001 when it came out of the mouth of Clintonistas or Slick Willie himself…
Regards,
Peter Hughes