WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday defended the Bush administration's economic record, the invasion of Iraq and the treatment of suspected terrorists, warning that reversing its anti-terrorism policies endangers Americans.
He said Bush left former Cheney aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby "sort of hanging in the wind" by refusing to issue Libby a pardon before leaving office. Libby was convicted of perjury, obstruction of justice, and lying to federal agents investigating the leak of a former CIA officer's identity.
"I believe firmly that Scooter was unjustly accused and prosecuted and deserved a pardon, and the president disagreed with that," Cheney said. He would disclose no details of his efforts to lobby the president on Libby's behalf, saying they would be "best left to history."
Regarding Iraq: "I don't hear much talk about that, but the fact is, the violence level is down 90 percent," Cheney said. "The number of casualties [among] Iraqis and Americans is significantly diminished. There's been elections, a constitution. They're about to have another presidential election here in the near future. We have succeeded in creating in the heart of the Middle East a democratically governed Iraq, and that is a big deal, and it is, in fact, what we set out to do."
It goes on and on. I don't recall Al Gore constantly camping out on Meet the Press, defending his "legacy", critiquing every last policy and appointment of the incoming Bush administration. He had too much class for that.
I concede that this is a free country, and that the first amendment gives Cheney the legal right to say whatever he wants. But it seems to me that dedicating your life to becoming a one man peanut gallery throughout the course of the administration of your successor is unseemly. You're not running for political office, you're retired. Why not let the current crop of Republican politicos make their policy arguments, and criticize Obama, and jockey for position. You are taking oxygen out of the room and adding nothing to replace it.
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Comments: 5
Now of course its fine. One of yours is in the White House.
This mess was started by Carter and Clinton. Neither Reagan nor Bush I violated that unofficial rule. I could care less whether the one making the comment was a success or not, not that long ago our former leaders shut up and stayed out of the way.
It's dead wrong I think for any American leader to down the president overseas. When Cheney did that I said so but so far not a single one of you did the same for Carter or Clinton. Once again, its just when its your guy being hit that it's wrong.
I will certainly monitor Cheney's utterances to see if he plans to keep this up for the duration. I do agree with you that there needs to be one standard of behavior, not a double standard.
I think he should put his money where his mouth is and move there.