Holder: Cheney is ‘way off the mark’ to say Obama has made the U.S. less safe.
Holder: Cheney is ‘way off the mark’ to say Obama has made the U.S. less safe.
Last month, Vice President Cheney claimed that President Obama is “making some choices that…raise the risk to the American people of another attack,” referring to Obama’s decisions to close Guantanamo and end torture. Yesterday, Attorney General Eric Holder responded to Cheney, telling CBS’s Katie Couric that Cheney’s comments were “totally false”:
HOLDER: Well, I think that’s totally false. It’s inconsistent with the facts. … All the things that we’re doing are designed to enhance the safety of the American people. And closing Guantanamo is, in fact, one of those things. It takes away from people who are our enemies. A recruiting tool. It actually makes our relationships with our allies a lot less complicated. If you look at what the president is doing, what this administration is doing in Afghanistan, what we’re doing with regard to Guantanamo, I think the former vice president’s remarks are are way off the mark.
Watch it:
Vice President Biden also said this week that Cheney is “dead wrong,” noting that the “last administration left us in a weaker posture than we’ve been any time since World War II.” Senior Obama adviser David Axelrod said on Sunday that Cheney has not been acting like a “statesman.”
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
So what choices did Dubya make, nine months into his watch, that raised the chances and led to America being attacked?
April 9th, 2009 at 2:49 pmA bit of an understatement, but a pretty decisive rejection of Dick and his web of lies, too. Well done, Mr. Attorney General.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:49 pmWouldn`t be nice if Cheney took Mr.Olbermann`s` advice and just went away.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:49 pmSenior Obama adviser David Axelrod said on Sunday that Cheney has not been acting like a “statesman.”
Actually, Mr. Axelrod, Vice President Cheney has not been acting like an American.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:50 pmXis – he decided to “leverage” the “perks” of his new position, and go on vacation.
Obama could spend 4 terms in the White House, and not break Dubbie’s record for vacationing on our dime.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:51 pmSTATESMAN? hah! Cheney’s more like an exEmperor, in his overinflated brain. Too much puppy blood does that.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:51 pmCheney has been actin like a treasonous leech!
April 9th, 2009 at 2:53 pmHolder: Cheney is ‘way off the mark’ to say Obama has made the U.S. less safe.
– - How about when members of this administration are asked to comment on Cheney’s statements, they just reply, “He’s irrelevant. Next question.”
April 9th, 2009 at 2:56 pmHe’s actually more like a treasonous bastard. don’t forget he worked behind Obama’s back re: Israel bombing Gaza to hell.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:56 pmWhen one hedges their political fortune on a terrorist attack, that in itself reeks of terrorism. Cheney couldn’t keep the country safe on 9/11, and he needs to see a terrorist attack of the same magnitude under the leadership of the opposing major political party so his tit-for-tat mentality can be comforted.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:56 pmTom Baker Said: Obama could spend 4 terms in the White House, and not break Dubbie’s record for vacationing on our dime.
I recall Dubya saying, quite a few times, how hard it was to be the deciderer
April 9th, 2009 at 2:57 pmCheney is “dead wrong,”
Cheney is wrong and the wrong people are dead because of him. Lot of blood on those hands.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:58 pm.
Dear Attorney General Eric Holder,
Arrest THAT man!!!
.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:02 pm“It’s inconsistent with the facts.”
This is the statement that needs to be used more by the Obama administration when combating the fearmongers.
Thank you Mr. Holder.
Thank you VP Biden.
We need to hear this more and backed up by the facts. It won’t change the mind of the hardcore followers of Fox, but it will raise the eyebrows of the sane americans.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:02 pmHolder: Cheney is ‘way off the mark’ to say Obama has made the U.S. less safe.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:05 pm…and Holder is way off the mark for not appointing a SEPCIAL PROSECUTOR to deal with the USA’s War criminals!
The American Voting Public made America safer when they rejected Cheney?Bush and their cabal mate McIIIrd.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:07 pmWhy would he want to keep beating that broken, discredited, atonal drum?
Den Hague, would you do us all a really big favor? Please?
Apples and oranges.
Why Cheney told us we’re less safe on Obama’s watch I will never comprehend. It’s only been ten weeks under Obama; why don’t we see how his policy turns out a few more months or years down the road before we can make that judgment?
After all, we weren’t very safe in the first few months under George W. Bush.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:08 pmMaybe Cheney is being smart here, perpetuating the myth that the torture issue is a mere policy disagreement. The Bush administration’s torture regime actually involved multiple violations of federal law, with penalties including 20 years in prison– or death, if torture victims die (many did).
The Obama administration appears to be playing along, pretending that this is just politics.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:09 pmHolder is wasting time debating Cheney when he could be ending wiretaps. Cheney makes helpful headlines; wiretaps help oppression.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:11 pmpersonally, i think the response from anyone in the obama administration regarding anything cheney says should be, “cheney is a dooshbag”
April 9th, 2009 at 3:24 pmCheney is just doing what all right wingers do: spread fear amongst the ignorant.
Only cowards and pansies (aka – right wingers) would buy into his fear-mongering BS.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:25 pmAlso:
Using fear to further one’s political agenda is the DEFINITION of terrorism, is it not?
Dick Cheney is a terrorist.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:26 pmJust like most wingnuts, Cheney is praying that this country be attacked again.
These scumbags would love to see 3,000+ Americans die again just so they can use it for political purposes.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:27 pmIt is insane to even address the inanities of people like Cheney–he already has no respect outside of the fringe right–addressing his issues or those of ilk only lends credence to their status and their outrageous claims. Laugh at them and dismiss them as for the cowardly crap that they are!
April 9th, 2009 at 3:30 pmSenior Obama adviser David Axelrod said on Sunday that Cheney has not been acting like a “statesman.”
Did you actually expect this man (and I use that term loosely), who wouldn’t even stand and honor the incoming president, who had to go home and sober up after shooting his friend in the face, who advocates torture, to act like a statesman?
Because I believe this is how “evil” actually behaves.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:32 pmAnd news of Cheney’s “DEATH SQUADS” wasn’t all that helpful.
Republican’s thought processes are totally messed up.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:45 pmMy husband and I worked our butts off for almost 2 years campaigning to this adminstration into office and are
April 9th, 2009 at 3:53 pmextremely pleased with their overall performance. However, I am starting to get frustrated with them on this issue. Indict Cheney, Bush, Rove, Gonzales et al for not just war crimes but ALL THE CRIMES they committed or were connected to. We made an example out of the Watergate crew for less evil offensives. Why aren’t we aloud to take care of our own dirty laundry. Why are we letting Spain, Canada and others do it for us. INDICT THEM ALL!!!!
Somebody needs to ask Cheney does he WANT another terroist attack to happen so he can say “I told you so”. I think he actually hopes American people be harmed so he can argue that his war crimes were justified.
April 9th, 2009 at 3:56 pmHolder: Cheney is ‘way off the mark’ to say Obama has made the U.S. less safe.
Pardon my inelegant reply, but NO SH!T, SHERLOCK!!!
April 9th, 2009 at 3:56 pmBush couldn’t keep us safe nine months into his term but Obama can make us unsafe two months into his term. First Dick you and W have to take responsibility for 9/11 and then you can judge President Obama.
April 9th, 2009 at 4:01 pmMr. Holder, talk is cheap. While I respect you are in a difficult position, either go ahead and do your job right or admit you buy into the game and quit playing pansy.
Spain has set the stage. And I don’t think they are bluffing.
April 9th, 2009 at 4:19 pmTheir criteria for ’safe level’ was the number of domestic terrorist attacks since 9/11. Since there have been none since Obama took office a mere ten weeks ago, they (as usual) move the goalposts. Now it’s not solely based on the number of domestic terror attacks because the resulting conclusion is that we are more safe based on the lone criteria.
April 9th, 2009 at 4:19 pmAttorney General Holder, you make a good point. The facts are on your side.
Now here’s another good point. These people are admitted criminals. They’ve committed crimes against the people of the United States, against the citizens of the world and against our Constitution. Go after them. The facts are on your side.
Thank you.
PEACE
April 9th, 2009 at 4:23 pmComing from the guy who thinks warrantless wiretapping isn’t illegal.
April 9th, 2009 at 4:33 pmSpeaking of wiretaps, hear that Obama is expanding further on the taps, to the point, where the government can listen in on private citizen’s conversations even if they aren’t terrorists. Can’t sue the government. Obama going way beyond the Patroit Act. Can’t believe that Obama would expand on the wiretaps if they aren’t legal. Must be legal as Obama woul never break the law!
April 9th, 2009 at 9:46 pmnuna
You should have directed that hot reich-wing bad breath at the Bush Administration for creating the (un)Patriot Act.
Obama would not break the law as long as he stays within the laws of the (un)Patriot Act to prosecute. Funny how the shoe is on the other foot now because the very same law that took away America’s Freedom, can now be used against those neo-cons that crafted that legislation.
AG Holder with reasonable cause can wiretap let’s say, Cheney phone line who could be looked upon as a homegrown terrorist threat upon America’s Civil Liberties? Cheney is a threat to America’s Freedom? He’s not the only one.
Partially explains why Cheney and others are paranoid with the Obama Administration while the far right and the Republicans could be considered Obstruction Terrorist within the US?
April 9th, 2009 at 11:43 pm