Should Edwards question Cheney's secret energy meetings?

[kentuck]

With Ken Lay and others, which he fought all the way to the Supreme Court rather than divulge who was in those meetings? How would Cheney respond? Would that put him on the defensive? What other subjects do you think Edwards should bring up - besides Halliburton?

[DemocracyInaction]

1. Yes---it's amazing how many people really don't know about

the energy meetings, Haliburton, etc. That's why so many responded to Kerry during the first debate. Number ONE thing for both these men in their debates is to tell the American people what these criminals have done. It's the prime time to do it. This reflects on the energy prices and the secretiveness of these thugs.... A breath of fresh air with light on the subject vs. dark, dank corners where the unclean meet and decide the fate of the nation.

[kentuck]

6. And tie it into the price of gasoline and oil men in the White House...

And the money that was stolen from the state of California by these crooks and friends of Bush and Cheney...

[caledesi]

2. Oh yeah! nt

[Sparkly]

3. Yes. Cheney will repeat his usual claim that it's about "principle"

but Edwards could question what kind of advice the administration couldn't get if there were less secrecy. Who would need to hide it and why, in other words.

These meetings were not about matters of national security or covert operations or state secrets -- they were about domestic energy policy. Why is secrecy (on "principle") more important than the principle that the American people have the right to know what they government is doing with their tax dollars on domestic issues? That's the sort of challenge I hope he'll make.

[Richardo]

8. The original request was for the names of the invitees only

Not the substance of the meetings. Just who was there.

THAT'S how secretive they are with OUR information.

[seabeyond]

4. i want to know. do you want to know

we have the right to know. this should absolutely be a time for us to be able to say we want to know about this cheney energy meeting. and the one in calif with arnold

[Not Me]

5. By all means YES!!

I see this debate as the one opportunity for Edwards (as a stand in for a free press) to make Cheney answer for his arrogant, secret, money grubbing ways.

If the media won't ask the hard questions, then Edwards should. And, I am certain that he can do so skillfully.

[patricia92243]

7. Are they allowed to question each other or do they have to stick to the

questions the moderator asks them?

[kentuck]

9. There are ways to slip in anything you wish to say...

He could connect it to almost any question asked...he's a lawyer. :)

[PsN2Wind]

10. Cheney will probably

bring up the wealth Edwards has accrued as a "trial lawyer". Edwards needs to respond that his net worth is probably less than the severance package Cheney received from Halliburton.

[cap]

11. can u say windfall energy tax???

remember the 70's???

[kentuck]

12. And most of it from American taxpayer funds....

and the contracts they received from the US Government.

[Goldmund]

13. He better

[kentuck]

14. Cheney will attack Kerry --- Edwards should attack Cheney....

Make him defend himself and all his questionable decisions.

[Old and In the Way]

15. ABSOLUTELY!

Edwards should underscore the secrecy of these meetings and speculate that they were used to get Big Oil on board for the Iraq War, by divvying up the oilfields amongst the business interests that support this criminal administration. Let Cheney try to refute it....he'll have to release the actual details if he wants to prove Edwards wrong.....and he won't because he can't.

Edwards should also ask Cheney to explain why his company, Halliburton, circumvented the US embargo in 1998 to do business with Hussein ($24MM worth). Another war profiteer that has no problem trading with the enemy when it suits his interests.

[Robert Oak]

16. Yes! Edwards need to expose Cheney like the corrupt CEO he is

Cheney is the ultimate Benedict Arnold CEO...

and he is sitting in the VP spot...

nailing him on energy, oil, defense contracts...

I sure hope Edwards can pull this off.

[kentuck]

18. Cheney believes he can escape scrutiny by criticizing Kerry and....

making Edwards defend the head of the ticket. This is his strategy. Edwards should attack Cheney as Cheney attacks Kerry. He will have to defend himself eventually.

[The Chronicler]

17. Is the Pope Catholic?

[jobycom]

19. He should allude to them in a rebuttal

so that Cheney has no chance to respond. It will bother Cheney, and he'll bring it up in the next question's answer.

Cheney will have a slick, packaged, focus-group tested response prepared on that issue. Edwards shouldn't fall into the trap of setting a ball on the tee for Cheney to knock out of the park.