Monk

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I need to get down on the record Vice President Cheney's latest wild move to evade the law and the tenets of good government. As I understand it, dating back to President Clinton, an Executive Order gives the National Archives the authority over the Executive Branch to oversee its classified documents. Well, Cheney now maintains that he does not have to deal with that law, declaring that the Vice President is not part of the Executive Branch, making much of the fact that he presides over the Senate. Maureen Dowd highlights the hypocrisy of this move:

Cheney and Cheney’s Cheney, David Addington, his equally belligerent, ideological and shadowy lawyer and chief of staff, have no shame. After claiming executive privilege to withhold the energy task force names and protect Scooter Libby, they now act outraged that Vice should be seen as part of the executive branch.

Even dumb Dubya had to laugh over that one. Though, that hasn't stopped our so highly moral president from backing up Cheney's absurd move. What a joke these people make of our Constitution and our country, and in such serious times.

( Dowd column )

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“Cheney would have sent General Custer a congratulatory telegram.”

-- Dick Cavett

Great line. See, Cavett still has it. Even if he really is suffering from jet lag.

A little useful context. Just this week, in response to the British pulling out of Iraq, Vice President Cheney said this was another great sign of how well things are going in Iraq, and one doesn't bother to ask Cheney what does that say about our surge, as there really is no point in asking Cheney anything since we are only going to get Orwellian double-think bullshit anyway.

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Vice President Cheney is apparently taking the likelihood of a Democratic victory next week, along with the likelihood of more serious Congressional investigations, more seriously. A paper-shredding truck was seen heading toward the Cheney compound. Wonkette chides, "You better get crackin’, Dick — that evidence won’t destroy itself!"

Of course, this is Wonkette. If it's all just a joke, it's a pretty good one. It does have that ring of truth. I suppose Cheney may just believe that there is going to be a big upset victory for the Republicans and he just wants to prepare a lot of confetti for the celebrations - a lot of it!


(source: Wonkette)

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In which Cheney shows himself to be a pussy:

According to the lawsuit filed at U.S. District Court in Denver, Howards and his son walked to about two-to-three feet from where Cheney was standing, and said to the vice president, "I think your policies in Iraq are reprehensible," or words to that effect, then walked on.

Ten minutes later, according to Howards' lawsuit, he and his son were walking back through the same area, when they were approached by Secret Service agent Virgil D. "Gus" Reichle Jr., who asked Howards if he had "assaulted" the vice president. Howards denied doing so, but was nonetheless placed in handcuffs and taken to the Eagle County Jail.

That's the way to show the common people! You cannot go around bothering important people like that. I mean, what's your opinion really worth? Even counting votes is optional.

Though, I remember some of the protests of the Vietnam War. In that LBJ movie, one man doused himself in gasoline before Defense Secretary McNamara's office and lit himself on fire, like the burning monks in Vietnam. If that's a true story, that is one striking way to register your opinion. At least as an emotional matter. But I can hear Cheney now, "Hell, I'll supply the matches and gasoline." Off the record, of course, as we have not entirely shed our democratic innocence so that appearances need to be preserved. That's why they had to make up the assault charge.


(source: Charlie Brennan for The Rocky Mountain News)

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