Cheney: It ‘Always Aggravated Me’ That The NYT Won A Pulitzer For Exposing Warrantless Wiretapping
Cheney: It ‘Always Aggravated Me’ That The NYT Won A Pulitzer For Exposing Warrantless Wiretapping
On Dec. 16, 2005, the New York Times published an article by James Risen and Eric Lichtblau, revealing that President Bush had secretly authorized the NSA to “eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States…without the court-approved warrants ordinarily required for domestic spying.” The blockbuster article, which exposed one of the Bush administration’s biggest secrets, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2006.
Discussing the wiretapping program on Bill Bennett’s radio show today, Vice President Cheney called the program “important,” adding that it “always aggravated” him that the Times was rewarded for its reporting:
CHENEY: What happened then was they had the information we had, they knew how we were doing it, they knew what we were producing through that process. But then when — Nancy Pelosi, for example, was part of that group. But then it became public. The New York Times broke the story I think in December of ‘05, won the Pulitzer for it, which always aggravated me.
Listen here:
With his gripes over the New York Times’ Pulitzer, Cheney joins the list of conservatives, including Bennett, who have attacked the decision to reward those who revealed the secret program:
- “They win Pulitzer Prizes – I don’t think what they did was worthy of an award – I think what they did was worthy of jail,” — radio host Bill Bennett
“The Pulitzer Prize for treason,” — Powerline’s Scott Johnson
“After the quasi-collaborationist AP photo awards and the national security-damaging NYT awards, that’s just as well because I wouldn’t want the thing in the house,” — columnist Mark Steyn
“I don’t understand why you should pat yourself on the back for breaking the law and possibly, potentially, putting Americans at risk,” Accuracy in Media’s Cliff Kincaid
In December, former Justice Department official Thomas Tamm explained to Newsweek why he blew the whistle on the program, saying that it “was something the other branches of the government—and the public—ought to know about.” Tamm says that when a Justice superior said the program might be “illegal,” he thought, “I’m a law-enforcement officer and I’m participating in something that is illegal?”
Transcript:
Q: Let me ask you to step back. When you have arguments and disagreements — and I don’t want to get into the sensationalistic part of it, but the serious part of it — what is it that, whether we’re talking about senators or congressmen who criticized you, fundamentally disagreed with you, what is the disagreement about? Do you say, if you knew what I knew, you would hold my view? Do they look at the same facts as you, and just come out differently? Do they not — I’m going to throw out several options — do they not understand the nature of evil or the nature of the threat? Is it Pollyanna attitude? What is the difference? Is the difference in philosophy, a difference in a sense of reality? Or do you have a kind of privileged perspective because of what you have access to that other people don’t have? Do you see what I’m getting at?THE VICE PRESIDENT: Yes. I think it’s a combination of those things, Bill. We get into the whole area, for example, the Terrorist Surveillance Program –
Q Right, the perfect example.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Great example; important program, allows us to intercept communications from terrorists coming in to the United States, and a program we put in place using presidential authority. And it’s worked. It’s really given us some very, very good intelligence. Well, certain key members of Congress were briefed on that program from the very beginning. I used to preside over those briefings in my office with the chairman and ranking member of the House and Senate on the intelligence committees, for example, or on one occasion the entire congressional leadership down in the Situation Room in the West Wing.
What happened then was they had the information we had, they knew how we were doing it, they knew what we were producing through that process. But then when — Nancy Pelosi, for example, was part of that group. But then it became public. The New York Times broke the story I think in December of ‘05, won the Pulitzer for it, which always aggravated me.
Q Absolutely, the worst –
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Not with all members. I don’t want to cast a wide net here, but you’ll end up with some specific members who knew about the program, had been briefed in the program because of their responsibilities, and who had said to proceed with the program, then suddenly are critical of it publicly because it’s controversial. They don’t want to stand up and say, well, I was briefed on that program, and it’s a good program. So it’s that kind of thing that is most frustrating of all.
Q I guess it’s not a failure of judgment or intelligence, but there’s a kind of — I won’t put words in your mouth, these are my words — but a kind of political cowardice, their failure to –
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Exactly.
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Nobody likes a tattle tale.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:05 pmSpeaking of worthy of jail.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:06 pmKeep talking dirtbag. It will make your prosecution so much easier.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:07 pmGotta love wingnuts – when the “librul” media reports something they like (like the WMD stories 2002) they go “lookie lookie:. But when it is something they don’t they bring out their venom.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:08 pmWere you annoyed or just inconvienced when you took those five deferments Dick ??
January 13th, 2009 at 3:10 pmYeah, those Bushies didn’t like anyone going Cindy Brady on them. They only recruited from the Frank Burns end of the pool.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:10 pmHe’s just jealous because he didn’t get a Pulitzer for exposing Valerie Plame.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:10 pmIf you hadn’t of shredded all your notes, Uncle Dick, maybe you could have a chance at a Pulitzer…
January 13th, 2009 at 3:12 pmIt has always aggravated me that Mr. Cheney is a paranoid, narcissistic megalomaniac.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:12 pmI bet Nixon really hated the folks that blew the cover on him too.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:12 pmHistorians of the future will wonder why we even tolerated Republicans.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:13 pmBut then when — Nancy Pelosi, for example, was part of that group.
?????????????? Group?????????????
January 13th, 2009 at 3:18 pmCheney will be glad to see the scales of justice are balanced when Joe ‘The unlicensed, tax-dodging plumber’ returns from the Holy Land with his Pulitzer for his courageous, hard-hitting, in-your-face, bare-knuckled reportage. In the meantime, I’ll change my name to Nyt Pulitzer and email Cheney endlessly, because an ounce of aggravation is worth a pound of cardiac events.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:20 pmSo?
And it always aggravated me that this administration of war criminals have not been arrested, tried, convicted, and executed.
NUREMBERG II 2009!
January 13th, 2009 at 3:21 pmIt amuses me that even with the toothless almost fawning way that the media treated the Bush Regime, it wasn’t enough for these facists.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:22 pmYou know he’s arguing against himself? Of course they got a Pulitzer for it. They exposed a secret that people in power wanted kept secret. That’s the sort of thing Pulitzers are for.
These idiots keep thinking that everything in the world is a popularity contest, and whine like little b!tches when they don’t get to judge all of reality.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:25 pmProof that Cheney’s “war on whistleblowers” must go on. Beware private citizen Dick should you see him in cammo.
“Shhhhh! Be vewy, vewy qwiet. I hunting whistleblowews.”
January 13th, 2009 at 3:26 pmYeah, and the Wonderful Wizard was aggravated when Toto pulled open that curtain, too…
Now, can we please all click our heels three times, say “there’s noplace like home,” and have Cheney and his flying monkeys disappear once and for all?
January 13th, 2009 at 3:27 pmbonzo 1958 Says:
But then when — Nancy Pelosi, for example, was part of that group.
?????????????? Group?????????????
The White House claims that they were doing some closed-door briefings with selected Congressional leaders. Of course, what they did or did not divulge to that group was never explained, and Congress didn’t seem to have “consent” power over the program anyways. It was basically “Here, this is a top-clearance secret, so it’s illegal for you to tell anybody. We’ve been breaking the law left and right…”
Nevertheless they try to make it sound like Congressional leadership was “in on it too” so it’s OK.
But the funny thing about doing closed-door meetings with no records kept? You don’t get to use the content of those meetings as a defense.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:30 pmShorter Cheney” Wahhhhhhhhhhh! We got caught.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:32 pmIt always bothered me that this administration considered the Fourth amendment a suggestion. This is typical of this criminal administration. Its about the Omerta. There worst hatred goes to those that expose their behavior. The problem isnt they were wiretapping without warrants the problem is that someone TOLD AMERICA they were wiretapping without warrants. Don Corleone would be so proud of Darth Cheney
January 13th, 2009 at 3:36 pmGee….something upset Uncle Dick? Were is the NYT when you need them? They seem to have fallen off the face of the earth on hard hitting journalism, preferring McCain’s alleged mistress.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:37 pmThey probably feel the exact same way about Nixon getting busted by Woodward & Bernstein. As a matter of fact, I believe Cheney worked for Nixon.
January 13th, 2009 at 3:38 pmIt has “always aggravated me” that Cheney doesn’t bother to recognize that the American people have any value…. until he is trying to spin something… Now he is trying to spin his record… Cheney go back in hiding…no one is buying your lies…
January 13th, 2009 at 3:39 pmCheney: It ‘Always Aggravated Me’ That The NYT Won A Pulitzer For Exposing Warrantless Wiretapping
You know, It ‘Always Aggravated Me’ That You Were Never Impeached!
Mucking Foron!
January 13th, 2009 at 3:47 pm“As a matter of fact, I believe Cheney worked for Nixon…..”
From Wikipedia…Cheney’s political career began in 1969, as an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger during the Nixon Administration. He then joined the staff of Donald Rumsfeld, who was then Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity from 1969–70.[13] He held several positions in the years that followed: White House Staff Assistant in 1971, Assistant Director of the Cost of Living Council from 1971–73, and Deputy Assistant to the president from 1974–1975. It was in this position that Cheney suggested in a memo to Rumsfeld that the Ford White House should use the Justice Department in a variety of legally questionable ways to exact retribution for an article published by The New York Times investigative reporter Seymour Hersh.[17][18]
Cheney was Assistant to the President under Gerald Ford. When Rumsfeld was named Secretary of Defense, Cheney became White House Chief of Staff, succeeding Rumsfeld.[13] He later was campaign manager for Ford’s 1976 presidential campaign as well.[19]
Congress
In 1978, Cheney was elected to represent Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives and succeed retiring Congressman Teno Roncalio, having defeated his Democratic opponent, Bill Bailey. Cheney was reelected five times, serving until 1989. He was Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee from 1981 to 1987 when he was elected Chairman of the House Republican Conference. The following year, he was elected House Minority Whip.[20]
January 13th, 2009 at 4:08 pmHey, Dick!
January 13th, 2009 at 4:19 pmIt has always aggravated me that you appointed yourself vice-president, and interpreted the Constitution to give yourself unlimited powers, in whatever branch of government you choose to assert yourself.
I think Bush and Cheney should receive a fair trial before they’re hung.
January 13th, 2009 at 4:30 pm… But then when — Nancy Pelosi, for example, was part of that group. But then it became public. …
a handy, opportunistic, change-the-subject, take-the-heat-off bit of name-dropping there…
news flash: so what’s new?
January 13th, 2009 at 4:35 pmThroughout history, the fourth estate has served to shine a light upon the darkness in government. Where there is coverup, there is crime. Cheney is a criminal and it bugs him because he is the criminal they uncovered.
January 13th, 2009 at 4:43 pmWas this a special Pulitzer for excellence in sitting on a story until after the 2004 election?
January 13th, 2009 at 4:49 pmDRxJ Says:
Cheney: It ‘Always Aggravated Me’ That The NYT Won A Pulitzer For Exposing Warrantless Wiretapping
You know, It ‘Always Aggravated Me’ That You Were Never Impeached!
Mucking Foron!
You took the words right out of my mouth… This Evil Doer needs to be tried…
January 13th, 2009 at 4:54 pmYea, try over eight years of aggrevation that begins with the electorate loser being appointed. It could only get worse, and it did. Aggrevation is knowing no good will come of this appointment and being proven right the whole time and it doesn’t matter, no one will do anything about it, except be complacent.
January 13th, 2009 at 4:55 pmAs with all things right-wing, the exact opposite is true.
Start a war on lies, spy on americans, torture -> Presidential medal of freedom
Blow the whistle on the above -> labeled a traitor
January 13th, 2009 at 5:14 pmI’m glad he’s aggravated. It’s good to hear.
January 13th, 2009 at 5:17 pmI know how Cheney feels. My best friend got a good citizenship award in seventh grade for telling the principal that some of us kids were cutting school and hanging out in the woods, drinking beer and smoking.
That always aggravated me.
January 13th, 2009 at 6:03 pmIt aggravates me that you and Bush are not in jail, yet. Begin to restore America, by putting the RepubliCons in jail.
January 13th, 2009 at 6:31 pmWhat bothers me about the NY Times winning the Pulitzer is that they won the award despite waiting until AFTER the election to print it.
THAT is the kind of journalism that makes a difference.
January 13th, 2009 at 7:02 pmBBBHHHHAAAWWWEEEeeeeeeaaaaaaaaa….
Has Cheeny’s Whammmbulance been called yet??
WWWWWAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaa
Now go away…
January 13th, 2009 at 7:11 pmI hope you are willing to say that again at your trial, dick. Do you mind if I call you Dick?
January 13th, 2009 at 7:39 pmAnything that doesn’t werk personally for Dick Chainey, works
January 13th, 2009 at 7:55 pmfor me. Adios, old fiend … Via con Bohemian Grove
F#*CK YOU CHENNEY!
January 13th, 2009 at 9:03 pmIs there a non-staged photo of Cheney where he doesn’t look enraged? In every one of these things, it looks like he’s about to charge.
January 13th, 2009 at 9:42 pmBill Bennett was correct: what they did is worthy of jail. They being Bush, Cheney, the NSA and the telecoms companies.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:11 amThomas Tamm is a hero for ratting out Bush and exposing Bush’s illegal NSA spying program.
“There are few viewpoints, if there are any, which trigger more fervent agreement across the political and media establishment than the view that George Bush, Dick Cheney and other top officials should not be criminally investigated, let alone prosecuted, for the various laws they have broken over the last eight years. Conversely, in the Beltway world, few things will render you ‘Unserious’ as quickly and irrevocably as arguing that Bush officials should be held accountable under the rule of law for their multiple violations of criminal statutes. Everyone from Cass Sunstein and Ruth Marcus to David Broder and Stuart Taylor valiantly stands up and defends the President and his top aides against the terribly uncouth and disruptive suggestion that their crimes merit investigation and prosecution. [. . .]”
“Thomas Tamm is the mid-level, career Justice Department lawyer who, in 2004, blew the whistle on Bush’s illegal NSA spying program by alerting The New York Times’ Eric Lichtblau to the fact that Bush was eavesdropping on Americans without the warrants required by law. He then watched his life be virtually destroyed by the FBI’s ensuing — and still ongoing — criminal investigation into this disclosure. Last month, Newsweek’s Michael Isikoff wrote a detailed account of what Tamm did and why, and how his life has unraveled as a result. I had been exchanging emails with Tamm for several months prior to that and the extent to which his life has been shattered as a result of his heroic whistle-blowing is truly amazing.”
Glenn Greenwald. (2009, January 8). The DOJ pursues the “real criminal” in the NSA spying scandal. http://www.salon.com/. Retrieved January 8, 2009, from http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/01/07/tamm/
Thomas Tamm is a hero for ratting out Bush and exposing Bush’s illegal NSA spying program.
It is really bewildering why the Department of Justice is investigating Tamm when it should be investigating those responsible for the illegal NSA spying activities.
Bush is like an idiot. Bush knew or should have known that too many people had known about the existence of his illegal NSA spying program. Bush knew or should have known that one or more people would eventually rat out Bush and expose Bush and ruin Bush.
Thomas Tamm did just that.
Thomas Tamm is one of my role models.
Thomas Tamm is great.
Bush is a fool: Bush kept on pursuing his illegal NSA spying program with no plan relative to its harm to his reputation pursuant to exposure.
The American people should thank Thomas Tamm from the bottom of their hearts for responsibly ratting out Bush.
Had Thomas Tamm not ratted out Bush, the American people would not even have known that so many of them were being illegally spied upon.
Bush must be punished.
Submitted by Andrew Yu-Jen Wang
B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1996
Messiah College, Grantham, PA
Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, PA, 1993
“GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY” BLOG OF ANDREW YU-JEN WANG
ONLINE ANTI-BUSH SCHOLASTIC RESEARCH: LISTING OF MAJOR ISSUES
http://andrewyu-jenwang.blogspot.com/2008/10/bush-is-worst-president-in-american.html
January 14th, 2009 at 2:05 amIf Cheney could only view his “warrantless wiretaping” from where I am in America?
He would be distressed that the NYT won that Pulitzer for completely different reasons…………..!
January 14th, 2009 at 3:11 amCcetonversely, in the Beltway world, few things will render you ‘Unserious’ as quickly and irrevocably as arguing that Bbedava mp3 indirush officials should be held accountable under the rule of law for their multiple violationssohbet of criminal statutes.
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