The Day Dick Cheney Was Silenced

[demwing]

The power behind the throne was out-manoeuvred by Edwards

Sidney Blumenthal
Thursday October 7, 2004
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/comment/story/0,14259,1321624,00.html

Cheney expected the assertion of his authority to be sufficient to make his case. His logic is built on his force. He was commanding, domineering, sardonic and intimidating. His transparent attitude to the debate was as if it were a waste of his valuable time.

<SNIP>

Faced by another younger man, Cheney attempted to denigrate him. "Your rhetoric, Senator, would be a lot more credible if there was a record to back it up ... Now, in my capacity as vice-president, I am the president of Senate, the presiding officer. I'm up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they're in session. The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight."

With that, the master of Washington dismissed the apprentice. But it turned out that Cheney's statement was untrue. He and Edwards had met several times before and photographs were published the next day showing the two together. Cheney's effort to intimidate Edwards rebounded on his credibility, the larger point the former trial lawyer was pressing. The case for the Bush doctrine floundered on the Groucho Marx doctrine: "Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?"

<SNIP>

Cheney's performance revealed how formidable he is as the power behind the throne and how inadequate as a public man. Through charm and litheness, Edwards demonstrated that Bambi is the disguise of a fox. But enduring issues of class and culture, of power and democracy, were disclosed in this one-time encounter between the high-handed Cheney and the quicksilver Edwards.

END


Excllent piece! Please give it a read. Cheney WAS silenced, figuratively and literally. Anyone spinning this for Cheney hasn't been paying attention. Cheney's performance sums up the problems with the Bush administration - rhetoric that appears solid and reliable, but when held to the light is shown to be as thin as tissue and as just as transparent.

[NightOwwl]

1. This administration is so arrogant.

He knew he was lying, but I think he also believed no one would call him on it. Must have been a shock to get up this morning and see all the headlines.

[LittleClarkie]

2. Someone on the radio today

was trying to spin it for Cheney by saying that the "first time I met you" comment was referring exclusively to seeing him in the Senate.

Which doesn't make much sense, considering that stage last night was not in the Senate.

Nope. Cheney got spanked by that comment.

[Old and In the Way]

3. That lie has backfired a lot worse for Cheney.

The "not meeting Edwards" was easily refuted as the obvious lie #1.

But the larger truth is that Cheney presided over the Senate just as many times as Edwards has in the past 4 years! And that is his job. Edwards had almost 100% attendence until campaign conflicts understandably affected his ability to make votes. So he really illuminated his own dereliction of office by not presiding over the Senate.

Just a really dumb thing for Cheney to do. But I wonder if he was testing the media's obedience with that statement?

[w13rd0]

4. How's he supposed to preside over the Senate?

He's got a war on terra to lead, and bunkers to explore.

[demwing]

8. And undisclosed locations to, uhm..

hide in?

[Philostopher]

9. He's got real zebra-skin upholstery to have installed

on the heart-shaped bed in the bunker, y'know?

Ew. Bad mental picture. I need to go bleach my brain -- BRB!

[SoCalDemocrat]

5. link to lies in debate?

I'm looking for a link to all the lies Cheney spewed in that debate.

[Disturbed]

6. The bigger lie.

Cheney said that he never suggested that there was a direct link between Saddam and 911 Attacks. The Cheney arrogance of power was displayed in vivid color.

[WilliamPitt]

7. sig

[KharmaTrain]

10. We Need Sidney On The Tube...PRONTO!

This man has been spot on about what this regime has been doing without fail and is a great voice for our cause. This is the "balance" the mainstream media lacks and should be heard and heard now.

Add to that list Joe Connason as well! There's so many great writers and poltical observers who have a clear view of things that we never hear from unless you really have to look for them.

Now that we're starting to make our voices heard, it's time to push for our mouthpieces to be heard as well.

Another great Sidney piece...kicked and pass this along! At least it'll make you feel good.

[EndElectoral]

11. Edwards should have hit him on Energy Meetings and Counter-Terrorism meeti

He left Cheney off the hook on these two big issues....as well, as the inaccuracies of the meetings between the two, Edward's own voting record 84.8% and Cheney's absentism as President of the Senate.

But the Counter Terrorism failure to schedule a meeting in 2001, AND the sealed records of the Energy Meetings never came up. Both are HUGE DEM points. And Edwards failed to mention them.

I am voting for Kerry, but Wes Clark and Howard Dean would NOT have missed these.