Hagel rips Cheney’s claim that Obama is making the U.S. less safe: ‘That’s ridiculous!’
Hagel rips Cheney’s claim that Obama is making the U.S. less safe: ‘That’s ridiculous!’
Last night on MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show, Maddow asked former Sen. Chuck Hagel about former Vice President Cheney’s recent claims that President Obama is making the American people “less safe” by raising the “risk to the American people of another [terrorist] attack.” Hagel called Cheney’s comments “ridiculous” and “folly,” concluding “I’m sorry the Vice President said that“:
HAGEL: That’s ridiculous! It has no merit on fact or by any measurement. I mean come on, this guy hasn’t even been in office two months. The mess that the Bush administration left the Obama administration. I’m a Republican…we got America into two wars, we’ve done great damage to our economy, to our force structure, to our standing in the world. For a Vice President who participated in that, who led in that, to come on and say that this new administration has really put America in danger is just folly.
Watch it:
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Thank you, Senator Hagel. You are spot-on, sir.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:03 amChuck Hagel has long been one of my favorite Republicans. He has always eschewed the talking points.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:06 amI was really glad to hear former Sen. Hagel make this statement last night. So, I guess there are some repugnicans that still live on earth with us?
Oh and :) Rachel Rocks!
March 18th, 2009 at 10:08 amSweet Jebus, the Truth is being told??? By a Repub??? Let’s hope this is the start of a trend.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:08 amI give most of the credit for this to Rachel. She’s a national treasure.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:10 amBut, but, we never got attacked again after the attack they knew was coming so they attacked our personal freedoms as a result of the attack they knew was coming, but claimed the attack was a surprise so they couldn’t attack back.
Right?
Why was Cheney running the NORAD alert during 9/11?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:17 amHis comments against Steele’s threat to punish wayward Senate repubs was also a rare treat (from a repub). His concern with doing the “right” thing is why he isn’t a senator anymore — how messed up is that??
March 18th, 2009 at 10:21 amAnd Hagel is a hypocrite why?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:22 amChuck Hagel totally discredited Dick Cheney last night.
One has to ask why the MSM is permitting this slithering eel (The Dick, Cheney) a platform to criticize a president who has been in office for 2 months in the first place?
1) It’s never been done this early.
2) It’s totally classless.
Cheney was AWOL and working covertly behind the scenes for 8 years – never having the courage or balls to show the american people what he was really doing and now he’s given a national platform.
It’s time the people let these producers know that seeing this disgraced criminal ex-veep on their programs will not be tolerated.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:24 amI’ve noticed that all republicans are conveniently distancing themselves from bush and cheney.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:24 amFred: Bush and Cheney are toxic and they know it. However, they don’t slide off the hook that fast since everyone knows that for 6 years, they were rubber stamps for all that’s wrong right now with this country.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:26 amzimzone: All roads and paths lead to 911. Soon we will see just how “tin foiled hatted” these theories are. There definitely is major consensus right now that the “official story” is bogus.
Connect the dots…..Bush Cabal criminal acts were condoned under the Patriot Act…..Patriot Act was a direct result of 911….(as was the Iraq war, etc.)….without 911 none of this would have been made possible.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:28 amI know it’s always popular to think highly of Republicans who speak ill of other Republicans, but Hagel has shown a willingness to acknowledge facts and not recite the party line. Unlike John McCain who has shown a willingness to not recite the party line but still ignored facts.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:29 amRaptureReady Says:
You know, when your tampon is saturated, you should change it.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:32 amThe world will be a safer place when Richard Bruce Cheney is sentenced at Den Hague.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:35 amYour POTUS refuses to militarize our border, while an intense drug war continues. He wants America to be over-taken by the Mexican cartel,
Oh, STFU Darlyy. We don’t need to militarize the border, we need to legalize drugs, regulate them, and the cartels will go away.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:37 amAs usual, you add nothing.
Do I hear a plaintive cry for attention? Ignore it.
Thanks Hagel for speaking the truth. Cheney should be ridiculed publicly whenever he show his face. Especially by interviewers.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:39 amGuido, no one’s saying Hagel is a progressive, by any means. He is a staunch conservative.
But he is rare among his party in that he is willing to look at and deal with reality, rather than at Republican “Reality”™.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:41 amRUCerious, that would be the best stimulus plan yet. A new business, new source of taxes and cuts the legs out from under the Mexican cartels.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:41 amAre you in favor of criminalizing alcohol?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:42 amPoor miserable Daryll. Straps himself to the post, takes off his shirt and begs for someone to whip his ass. What are we repenting for this morning Ruptured? Another wet dream of Bush?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:43 amWe need to kill off the cartels and their minions.
More love from a supposed follower of Jesus. Rapture yourself Daryl. NOW
March 18th, 2009 at 10:44 amDaryll, you’re an idiot.
I believe alcohol is legal, yet it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle in an inebriated state.
“We need to kill off the cartels and their minions”? I can see you’re not a “strict constructuralist” when it comes to the Ten Commandments.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:44 amSo why doesn’t Rick “Good Hair” Perry just send in the Texas National Gusrd? Oh yeah, because Bush sent them to Iraq.
In any case, militarization of our border is a horrible idea, and it’s unnecessary.
From Daryll’s article:
Many officials in border cities have applauded Obama’s decision not to use extreme measures such as sending troops. Patricio Ahumeda, mayor of Brownsville, Texas, openly criticized Perry’s plan, calling him out of touch with what is really going on.
“I appreciate and support Obama’s decision not to militarize the border because troops aren’t trained for this sort of thing. There was an incident where a national guard killed a shepherd in the El Paso area. It doesn’t work. The training is not the same. We’re not at war, and the violence and incidents that are occurring over there are not daily and are not spilling over here yet.”
He also pointed out that the crime rates in Brownsville and El Paso are significantly less than many other large cities. While El Paso had 418 violent crimes in 2007, Austin, Texas, had 540, and Washington D. C. had 1,347.
Meanwhile, just across the border, bodies are piling up in Mexico as the violent situation in places such as Ciudad Juarez has grown dire. The drug-related death toll reached 6,290 people last year, and has already hit 1,000 in the first two months of 2009.
So Daryll, where do you draw the line? Will you militarize Austin, TX, Washington DC, Chicago, ect.?
The problem is actually on the Mexican side of the border. What will you do Daryll, invade Mexico?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:44 amOh boy! lets have another war. That,s the only answer you rethugs have when it comes to a problem, lets attack and kill someone. Mexico has a drug problem, lets go kill them. So RaptureReady, when are you signing up to go fight that war with Mexico? Didn’t think so.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:45 amDaryll’s to busy hating himself for being black to read article he links to.
Fcuking moron.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:46 amJust tequilla, I’m sure.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:46 amRaptureReady Says:
Your POTUS refuses to militarize our border, while an intense drug war continues.
I, on the other hand, will continue to solicit gay men on the beaches of Brazil to further my research into, umm, well ah,
FAMILY VALUES! Yeah, that’s it; family values.
‘Your POTUS’? Did you move to Brazil, too?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:47 amDaryll has actually employed a very clever strategy of derailing the thread: post an off-topic comment so stupid, so ripe for the squashing, that it’s irresistible.
Daryll knows his business, I’ll give him that. Too bad he’s a total nutcase.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:47 amThe “In God’s Name” killing is over fool. We don’t need your advice. Thanks for playing.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:48 amrapture, seriously dude you come on to a thread discussing how a republican is calling Dick Cheney a dolt for the c r a p that came out of his mouth and you start off with defending the borders.
Did you paint the target on your forehead, or were you just born with it.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:48 amRaptureReady Says:
Your POTUS refuses to militarize our border, while an intense drug war continues. He wants America to be over-taken by the Mexican cartel.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:29 am
____________
And where do you think all the money and weapons for the Mexican cartel war is coming from, freak? If anything, the Mexicans should be militarizing their border against their biggest threat – US.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:49 amCNN seems to be putting a serious effort into giving airtime to the criminals of the former Administration. Considering that in the eight years in office Dick Cheney gave maybe two interviews to the major media outlets (I don’t count FOX as they were the WH’s personal propaganda channel) he sure is becoming quite the media darling. John King had his nose so far up Uncle Dick’s @ss during the interview you almost couldn’t hear his questions. No follow-uos either with Cheney, Perino or any of the others. It appears that the corporate news channels are still pushing the Bush/Cheney agenda much to the further detriment of our Nation.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:49 amGlad to hear Hagel say Cheney’s words aren’t based on fact.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:51 amralph the wonder llama Says:
“We need to kill off the cartels and their minions”? I can see you’re not a “strict constructuralist” when it comes to the Ten Commandments.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:44 am
____________
“Christian love” obviously doesn’t apply to Catholics.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:51 amruptured rectum says:
yet yoo(pun intended), operate your keyboard in a severe hallucinated state.
GOTCHA!
March 18th, 2009 at 10:52 amAll right! Daryll wants to invade Mexico!
March 18th, 2009 at 10:53 amRaptureReady Says:
We need to ensure that the war does not spill over onto our sovereign soil. Do you want to live in fear? Also, I do believe that it is time for the military to infiltrate these foreign towns to extradite or kill these dangerous people, to protect the foreign residents, as well as our border/citizens.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:51 am
___________
And yet when Russia does this to Georgia, you people scream bloody murder. It’s funny how morality is such a fluid thing with you Christian whackos.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:54 amDarlypoo,
There’s private contractors patrolling the border as I type.
Why don’t you sign up, or is your p u s s y to big from all those Bibles in there?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:54 amI recently stumbled across an ancient text entitled “Revelations to Daryll” that has opened my eyes to the real world. This text clearly reports that Jesus of Nazareth had organized an armed militia and had plans to surround the border of Jerusalem, to keep lepers, epileptics, Samaritans, Gentiles, and other unsavory types from entering the holy city to work or otherwise improve their lot in life. I have converted and am now a Daryllian.
/snark off
March 18th, 2009 at 10:55 amRaptureReady Says:
How dare you call me a Catholic. I am right with God (Holy).
March 18th, 2009 at 10:53 am
____________
I didn’t call you Catholic – that would be an insult to all Catholics. I was pointing out that you have no Christian love for Catholics, as your statement above has proven beyond all doubt.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:56 amYou’re a factless idiot..
Chuck Hagel, a man of honor in most cases…..not all. He did give up on the republican party rather than continue carrying their water. Good for him.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:56 amWeapons: Most from Mexican military bases.
Wow, when you’re wrong, you’re really wrong.
The majority of weapons are coming from U.S. gun dealers.
You know, you’ve already claimed the prize for being the poster-boy of self-loathing losers, why keep up the pace?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:56 amI guess we need to take out those Mexican military bases. I’m thinking air strikes. How about some Shock and Awe for those damn Mexicans?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:57 amRaptureReady Says:
Money: From various countries in Europe, Africa and North America. Weapons: Most from Mexican military bases.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:52 am
_________
Really?
So the Mexican military is manufacturing guns on their bases and then selling them to the cartels? Is that what you’re saying? You have some proof of this, I’m sure.
March 18th, 2009 at 10:58 amDaryll,
If you had any money (we know blacks are all on welfare, right?), I’d ask you to “put it where your mouth is”.
Instead, I’ll just pass…
March 18th, 2009 at 10:59 amIf we do not control our border, we will be eventually terrorized on a constant basis.
We are constantly terrorized by the likes of you. How do you suppose we should rid ourselves of you?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:59 amU.S. Is Arms Bazaar for Mexican Cartels
When the shooting was over, eight agents were dead. Among the guns the police recovered was an assault rifle traced back across the border to a dingy gun store here called X-Caliber Guns.
Now, the owner, George Iknadosian, will go on trial on charges he sold hundreds of weapons, mostly AK-47 rifles, to smugglers, knowing they would send them to a drug cartel in the western state of Sinaloa. The guns helped fuel the gang warfare in which more than 6,000 Mexicans died last year.
LINK
Daryll, self-hating black-guy, you GOT NOTHIN, IDIOT.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:01 amRapture Ready:
Maybe the drug problem wouldn’t be this severe if the CIA stopped trading drugs for weapons
March 18th, 2009 at 11:02 amruptured rectum says:
Obama wants Mexican drug cartels to take over America.
WOW! WTF are YOO smoking?
March 18th, 2009 at 11:02 amNo doubt Obama is Stalin reincarnated too.
What the hell does a Van Halen song from 1984 have to do with anything?
Daryll, you’re really losin’ it, bro.
I’m a little surprised, though. I’d have thought anyone as far to the right as you are would be a “strict constructuralist” on the Ten Commandments as well as the Constitution. Apparently not.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:02 amRapture, were you reading “The DaVinci Code” awhile back when the anvil landed on your head? I ask only out of concern because you seem to be convinced that you are the Silas character. You advocate murder in the name of Jesus, your ultra-conservative and overzealous religious beliefs contradict the love, forgiveness and charity that embodied Christ according to the Bible. Do you self flatulate both morning AND night and does it help quell the voices in your head? Once again I ask out of concern.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:03 amRaptureReady Says:
Do you remember Panama?
March 18th, 2009 at 10:57 am
_________
What about it? When we assassinated Omar Torrijos and installed CIA asset Manuel Noriega? When Noriega stopped being our friend and we invaded, killing 4,000 Panamanians in the process? Are you attempting to use Panama as a cautionary example of the grave consequences when we invade countries we have no right to invade?
March 18th, 2009 at 11:04 amDaryll, when Jesus said “God forgive them, for they know not what they are doing”, he certainly must have included you.
On topic: I don’t always agree with Hagel (or anyone else, for that matter) but I do respect the man for not spewing the party line all the time and for presenting a case for his positions.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:05 amYes, that was when Bush Sr. illegally invaded one of our allies in order to kidnap his former friend before he could rat about their huge cocaine deal, the profits of which were used to fund the Contras.
See, I remember.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:07 amI think Daryll prefers to be called an “American of darker complexion”.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:08 amHagel should have said Cheney’s comments were unpatriotic as well as treasonous.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:14 amRaptureReady Says:
Your POTUS… wants America to be over-taken by the Mexican cartel…
_____________
Hallucinate much? That’s silly beyond words.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:14 amDaryll, like Jesus, is “dark-toned” and ready to defend the land given to him by his Heavenly Father. And we Daryllians stand by his side, in honor and in truth. The heathen Mexicans who, among other things, have dishonored the name of our Lord by mispronunciation and taking it for themselves, must be slaughtered and scourged. Take up the Sword of Jesus and join us before it is too late! Do not let liars like Chuck Hagel, Satan’s Voice, tempt you from your sacred duty! Arise! Attack!
March 18th, 2009 at 11:15 amThat was pretty darn good, PLC. You obviously know the rhetoric well.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:19 amThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
Your POTUS… wants America to be over-taken by the Mexican cartel…
_____________
Hallucinate much? That’s silly beyond words.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:14 am
___________
And he’s yet to explain to us how it would be bad if the United States were taken over by Mexican drug cartels. Obviously these people know how to handle money – you don’t see drug dealers going before their legislature begging for a bailout. Maybe they could teach our economists a thing or two!
March 18th, 2009 at 11:19 am.
Dear Assassin Cheney,
How safe did you keep America on 09/11/01 exactly?
.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:23 am.
Dear RupturedAllReady,
Get bent!
.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:25 amralph, just keep an eye on me, don’t let me get too close – it’s sort of like a black hole.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:25 amPlease don’t equate Daryll with all or even most Christians. It’s disrepectful and offensive.
Much like Daryll.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:26 amWe don’t, wags. We know Daryll’s not really Christian — he’s just a scared little boy who needs a daddy figure to protect him, even if it’s a daddy-figure in the sky.
Of course, that’s just the character of Daryll. Most of us know that Daryll is a parody of a Christianist troll.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:29 amI know most of you don’t, just saying.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:31 amMax, Daryll may bend but he shall never break. He wears the Armor of Faith which eternally protects him from your spears of truth. He is strengthened by the power of exclusion. He is nurtured by the sustaining grace of zealousy.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:35 amPatrioticLiberalChristian Says:
He wears the Armor of Faith which eternally protects him from your spears of truth.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:35 am
_________
It’s like he’s wearing a chain mail suit of hate. “Hate mail,” if you will…
March 18th, 2009 at 11:38 amPatrioticLiberalChristian Says:
ralph, just keep an eye on me, don’t let me get too close – it’s sort of like a black hole.
PLC, are you referring to my other brother Daryl? Black Hole?
March 18th, 2009 at 11:45 amwags, Daryll’s not a Christian but that’s the handle he sticks out that we sometimes grab and twist. Sometimes making fun of Daryll looks and sounds like making fun of all Christians because that’s how he labels himself, but the disrespect is aimed at Daryll.
In reality, Daryll is anti-Christian. Any reasonable person would be repulsed by Darryl, and his associating himself with Christians is a shitstain on Christianity.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:46 amI know I know, it’s easy to get carried away. I’m not pointing any fingers; it just irks me that a) the right has hijacked Christianity and claimed a monopoly on it and b) that many on the left are quick to paint all Christains with a broad brush, even if no malice is intended.
Bleh, need coffee, and maybe a thicker skin.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:53 amRaptureReady Says:
Money: From various countries in Europe, Africa and North America. Weapons: Most from Mexican military bases.
EX-Freaking-CUSE ME???
Speaking as someone living HERE IN MEXICO, I can certainly say most of these weapons are bought legally or illegally on the USA, and then smuggled across the border into my country. They’ve caught drug dealers with freaking rocket launchers bought in the USA.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:56 amLuis M Says:
Speaking as someone living HERE IN MEXICO, I can certainly say most of these weapons are bought legally or illegally on the USA
Sorry, typo. I meant to write “IN the USA”.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:00 pmHe is nurtured by the sustaining grace of zealousy.
Zealousy? That’s damn near as good as ‘misunderestimate.’
Zealotry combined with jealousy?
It’s would certainly describe, say, Glenn Beck…
March 18th, 2009 at 12:02 pmIf the R’s had a shred of sanity left they’d be gravitating to Mr. Hagel and his positions rather than flipping through a string of embarrassing idiots with wack-job ideas.
Oh well – the path they’ve chosen is a lot more entertaining.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:03 pmLuis M Says:
Speaking as someone living HERE IN MEXICO, I can certainly say most of these weapons are bought legally or illegally on the USA, and then smuggled across the border into my country.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:56 am
____________
Though to be fair, many of them are probably manufactured in outsourced factories in Mexico before they’re shipped back into the USA to be sold to drug cartels and then smuggled back across the border. I bet someone could profit highly from cutting out the middlemen…
March 18th, 2009 at 12:08 pm.
Dear Daryyl,
Why all the fear mongering?
… Just pray on it, NO?
.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:12 pmSorry, I had to laugh at this one :)
March 18th, 2009 at 12:14 pmAny time Cheney says something, the media should just say, “So?”.
And for good measure, they should add, “Go poop yourself”.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:15 pmSo Hagel gets to appear on Rachel’s show in mid-week when many Americans are not tuned in.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:22 pmThis, in contrast to Cheney, who calls his asskissing friend, John King, and gets a softball interview on the Sunday morning news show, when many people get their weekly news summary. Russert is gone, Gregory hasn’t made his “bones” yet, so Cheney needs a new sycophantic reporter in the guise of neutrality.
Unless and until programs on CNN and MSNBC present balanced interviews, we can only expect to see the difficult task before Obama to be unnecessarily more difficult.
hussein toasterhead Says: It’s like he’s wearing a chain mail suit of hate. “Hate mail,” if you will…
Oh, I will! Saved in my file!
tokin librul Says: sustaining grace of zealousy. Zealousy? That’s damn near as good as ‘misunderestimate.’ Zealotry combined with jealousy?
I would like to take credit for this being on purpose, but, alas, it was not. ralph was supposed to make sure I didn’t get to close, because this is what can happen, although I admit that this time it was funny rather than harmful. BTW, I’m claiming origination of the term, regardless!
March 18th, 2009 at 12:22 pmDaryll really doesn’t want us talking about how treasonous Dick Cheney’s comments are.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:28 pmRaptureReady Says:
Your POTUS refuses to militarize our border…
And it was your POTUS who caused this country to crash and burn.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:42 pmRaptureReady Says:
And allow irresponsible Americans to operate their jobs, vehicles, etc., in a severe hallucinated state. No! That is not a relevant resolution. We need to kill off the cartels and their minions.
My, how very christian of you Darryl.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:46 pmRaptureReady Says:
And allow irresponsible Americans to operate their jobs, vehicles, etc., in a severe hallucinated state. No! That is not a relevant resolution. We need to kill off the cartels and their minions.
How’s about starting with the users first? They’re not packing heat so they should be more easily dealt with, right?
I mean, as long as we’re spewing BS left and right…
March 18th, 2009 at 12:50 pmPatrioticLiberalChristian Says:
On topic: I don’t always agree with Hagel (or anyone else, for that matter) but I do respect the man for not spewing the party line all the time and for presenting a case for his positions.
The problem with Hagel is that he talks the talk and doesn’t walk the walk. He rarely votes the way he talks. I believe he has something like a 95% rating by a conservative watch-dog group.
March 18th, 2009 at 12:52 pmThere are two conservatives in this country that deserve a lot of respect, at least from my viewpoint(and I really do hate to say this). One is David Brooks and the other is Chuck Hagel…they do piss me off from time to time but neither one marched in lock step behind Bush’s bullshit and both expressed their anti Bush Administration opinions early on when the rest of the republicians on the hill were scared shitless to do so.
March 18th, 2009 at 4:04 pmRupteredRetard.
My GOD you are stupid. You are just a worthless troll. Your staggering ignorance is an embarassment to all good Americans in fact to our entire species.
March 18th, 2009 at 5:10 pmWhose God?? What Species??? You need to get off the floor…stop sniffin’ your ass…stop lickin’ your nuts… stand up on two legs and take a good look around. I really doubt if I offended any of your four legged friends. But if I did…OH WELL…….
March 19th, 2009 at 11:04 am