NYT: In Indictment's Wake, a Focus on Cheney's Powerful Role

[highplainsdem]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/30/politics/30cheney.html?hp&ex=1130644800&en=d599c390429480e0&ei=5094&partner=homepage


In Indictment's Wake, a Focus on Cheney's Powerful Role

By ELISABETH BUMILLER and ERIC SCHMITT
Published: October 30, 2005

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 - Vice President Dick Cheney makes only three brief appearances in the 22-page federal indictment that charges his chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby, with lying to investigators and misleading a grand jury in the C.I.A. leak case. But in its clear, cold language, it lifts a veil on how aggressively Mr. Cheney's office drove the rationale against Saddam Hussein and then fought to discredit the Iraq war's critics.

The document now raises a central question: how much collateral damage has Mr. Cheney sustained?

<snip>

"Cheney becomes a bit of an albatross except with the base, where he's a real rock star," Mr. Light said. "It'll be less possible for him to make campaign trips because this issue will dog him."

A number of influential Republicans agreed, although they did not want to speak for attribution for fear of harming their relationships with Mr. Cheney.

<snip>

[autorank]

1. Oh, really. So they can report the damn news when the need to.

Their only choice, the NYT's, is to lead the charge against Bush. If they fail, and by that I mean fail to totally nail him for everything, they're finished. Why, because Judith Miller lied us into war and she had the FULL support of the Times.

Watch this to continue and then for the cousin of Punch to move in and take over.

It's all good, maybe. :evilgrin:

[Vidar]

2. Hope you're right.

[robbedvoter]

5. "lead" the charge? Daily News took care of that. NYT is done.

Stick a fork in it.

[senseandsensibility]

6. Bumiller is a sickening hack

If we're counting on her to tell the truth, we're in deep doo-doo, to use an elegant phrase!

[autorank]

8. Her name caused my remark. Slacker is too kind;)

But there she is, reporting something interesting. Maybe they've got a bunch of droids that they can re-program at will. "Hmm... we helped start the damn war. People are pissed. Maybe if we expose it, we'll survive. Yeah, tell the truth. Reprogram Bumiller right away!"

There's some Sulzberger family fued onoing. I believe that the publisher of the International Herald Tribune is the cousin who hates the current NYT publisher. :wtf: couldn't be any worse!

[IndianaGreen]

3. Why is everyone so afraid of Cheney?

A number of influential Republicans agreed, although they did not want to speak for attribution for fear of harming their relationships with Mr. Cheney.

Cheney is as dominant a figure as the evil Cardinal Richelieu was to Louis XIII.

[cynatnite]

4. More are afraid of Cheney than bush n/t

[Tatiana]

7. This is a major point and why the Libby indictments are so important!

Cheney runs the F-in country! Honestly, Rove would be nice, Bush would be nice, but if we're left with Cheney standing... we're in even DEEPER $hit!

Bush is a DimSon, Cheney is the damn godfather. We need to get him OUT of government and into a federal prison where he belongs. Libby is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, he gives Fitzgerald what he needs to nail Unka Dick.

[autorank]

9. I couldn't agree more. This is a real "shot across the bow."

And the press conference by Fitz was a masterpiece. He's doing it all by the book. But, you know what, he's a very smart guy from a city filled with very smart people. He knows how to operate.

[IndianaGreen]

10. I expect them to offer Libby hush money if he goes to prison

I mean, they are just like organized crime.

[Tatiana]

11. They are set up exactly like the most powerful organized crime families.

With one major difference, in my opinion:

The neocons are bigger wimps. They've never been seriously threatened or challenged. I don't think hush money will work. What good will $$$ do if Libby is behind bars? He won't be able to enjoy it.

He'll crack. But I don't expect any major breaks in this case, unfortunately, until after Scooter is convicted and has spent a couple of months behind bars.

Look at how much prison was a motivating factor for Judas Miller....