Leahy Knocks Cheney: "I Don't Need Any Lectures From Him"

Senator Patrick Leahy and Dick Cheney have a legendarily icy relationship, one that crested with the former Vice President telling the Judiciary Committee Chairman "go fuck yourself" on the Senate floor.

And while in a recent interview Cheney insisted that the animosity between the two has been "patched up," some, it seems, still remains.

In an interview with Leahy last night, I asked him about the former V.P.'s latest, cryptic assertion that the Obama administration was making it easier for terrorists to successfully attack the United States. The senior Senator from Vermont didn't disappoint.

"I just want to say here Bush and Cheney were in charge when the last attack happened," Leahy said. "They were warned about the last attack before it happened. On September 10th their proposal was to cut our counter-terrorism budget substantially. I don't need any lectures from him. They screwed up badly.

"They are also the same people who said the war in Iraq would be over in a couple weeks, shock and awe and we would find the weapons of mass destruction. Their policy was to let Osama bin Laden get away when we had him cornered and send the troops into a useless war in Iraq. No, no, I don't think he has a great deal of credibility."

Comments

[urbanhortspec]

07:56 PM on 02/13/2009

Every republican in Congress who supported the Bush/Cheney treason should also go to jail! They're all as guilty!

[afgail]

05:55 AM on 02/17/2009

Cheney was desparate to get a pardon for Libby before Bush left. Libby can convict Cheney and would do so in a heart beat in any negotiations/plea bargain with the attorney general. Once under investigation, Libby would flip like an Olympic gymnist. At risk are Cheney, Rove and Rumsfeld.

[krocklin]

05:30 PM on 02/12/2009

I wish Leahy could get more coverage. As much as Cheney, who can get it anytime he wants on any ridiculous pretext.
I love the dismissive way Leahy has of seizing on Cheney's most vulnerable points.

Can you even imagine a debate between the two? Leahy would expose the absurdity of this man lecturing Obama on National Security while taking no reponsibility for the Twin Catastrophes of 9/11 and Iraq.

[PamelaH1227]

03:52 PM on 02/12/2009

Senator Leahy, You Sir have covered the entire 8 year mess in one paragraph.

I hope investigations follow to make them take responsibility for their bogus actions.

[connski]

10:57 AM on 02/12/2009

Cheney's been running scared since 9/11 because history IS going to ask the question "why did this happen on Bush's watch?". That's how history works and Cheney knows it. So he's trying to justify the Bush administration's negligence with repression of rights and expression in the name of security.

His recent statement about the next terrorist attack to be Obama's fault due to some kind of new lax anti-terrorist policy is downright disingenuous. If Cheney really cared about American security instead of scoring political points, he'd disclose exactly what results torture and spying on Americans achieved and which planned terrorist attacks were prevented. Maybe not publicly but to Obama. In any case the records of all spying and interrogation are now in Obama's hands so he can judge for himself

[rabiddog6708]

09:45 AM on 02/12/2009

Leahy should tell Cheney to go F himself.

[MetalCanuck]

09:25 AM on 02/12/2009

This guy is as useless as the rest of them, he should investigate Bush regeim and have them sent to prison.

[SeagirlX]

09:08 AM on 02/12/2009

AMEN

[gubbypix]

03:01 AM on 02/12/2009

I think everybody knows who is guilty and who is not, why don't they drag those Sins of B%6&*8 and lock them up & shut them up. We don't need these crimminals for nada, nothing. They have the gall to pretend that they are relevant? Knott! Spare them nothing because they deserve everything coming to them.

G

[pjburke]

12:13 AM on 02/12/2009

You did a really nice job on Rachel's show tonight Sam... I'm sure that's just a tad unnerving.

[freethinkergirl]

11:27 PM on 02/11/2009

Go Leahy, hold all their sorry @$$es accountable to the Rule of Law. Don't promise immunity for these criminals if you can help it, dole it out very carefully, they can't be trusted.

[bboyy]

11:15 PM on 02/11/2009

Kool- Get him, Ohhh , I sound so immature

[blackriver]

11:04 PM on 02/11/2009

I've never met anyone in Vermont who doesn't respect Senator Leahy. He's a true representation of the spirit of Vermonters and their proud history.

[Iscarius]

11:04 PM on 02/11/2009

Leahy is definitely one of the least spineless of the Democratic Senators.

[krocklin]

05:32 PM on 02/12/2009

Yeah but only one of a sorry handful.

[zanzig]

10:29 PM on 02/11/2009

I think I'm in lurve.

[Faxus]

09:57 PM on 02/11/2009

RIGHT ON!