Cheney Is Hurting The Party, Say Republican Insiders

A National Journal poll of top GOP political insiders and strategists finds that Republicans believe former Vice President Dick Cheney has hurt the party since leaving office.

Of 100 insiders polled, fully 57 percent believe Cheney has hurt the party, and only 33 percent believe he has helped. The poll also includes quotes from unnamed insiders.

"Anything that reminds the public of the Bush administration harms the party's ability to turn the page. If he'd had any concern for his public image when he was in office, he wouldn't have to worry as much about defending his reputation now."

"There is nothing Dick Cheney can say or do to help the Republican Party today. The best thing he can do is disappear for the next 10 years."

"Let's face it: The guy doesn't know anything about winning elections outside of Wyoming."

"Not even a close call. With Cheney out there, Obama doesn't even need to remind the American people about the mess that was the Bush years."

"Cheney represents the grumpy intolerance that has come to characterize the GOP. Get off the stage!"

The poll also asked party insiders about which governors they see as "having the brightest political futures." Twenty-two percent of Democrats picked Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, while 21 percent of Republicans chose Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal as having the brightest future.

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Comments

[Shelby77]

I wonder if the white house or the democratic party are just beside themselves in wicked glee that Dick Cheney is upfront and center in the public spotlight right now as the republican party is trying desperately to rebrand themselves or at least trying to change they're image to the american public.

He just comes across as this scary dark foreboding character,thats the image he seems to have gotten right now from the media.

[PhilipTaylor]

Chainy (sic) will not let this go away - EVER!
Release all the files including his favorites!
Only FULL Investigation will make Chainy happy!

He needs his day in court so he can prove his case under oath! OR NOT!

[Forest]

Cheney's relentless attacks are a beacon to terrorists. What game is this guy playing?

[dhinds]

Cheney hurts everything he touches!

[freedomitchy]

Then why aren't Democrats doing all they can to increase Cheney's attacks and exposure? Instead you rail against him?

[Diogenes08]

It does not surprise me that you ask this question. Democrats care more about the reputation and stability of America than we do about parading a madman about to increase our electoral advantage. It is impossible for a Con to understand such motives.

[freedomitchy]

Really, then explain your current support for expanding warrantless wiretapping, renditions, no rights for prisoners in his new Gitmo east the Bagram prison, military commissions, launching missiles into civilians in Pakistan, the state secrets claims of the Bush administration and indefinite detentions.

[Ivar]

Do you think Cheney cares if he hurts someone? NOOOOOOOOO­OOOOOOOOOO­OOOo

[harpen1]

The more Cheney talks the more it sounds like he is trying to convince terrorists that we are weak, or prod some home grown nut case into doing something damaging.

[den1953]

Jeeze these Republican insiders are mental wonder's are bright, to bad the idiot's didn't way in before this war criminal Cheney ran rip shot all over this country!

[Daly]

Hurting the GOP; I wish that were all. This man has hurt America.

[dimplesmile7]

He pimped and pileged the country. Continues to damage our image everyday for self serving reasons. The wimpy GOP will not stand up to him, hell they are afraid of a chubby talking show host. The republican party no balls, no new ideas, no plans, and no future.

[myarmsaregreen]

Obama has decided to keep the military commisions further affirming Bushco.

[Ivar]

dimpplesmiley: Cheney, like Bush, assume the American people are dumb. We will never figure out that Osama Bin Ladin attacked us.....so we attack Iraq. As Keith Olberman would say, "wtf?"

[Nomccain]

Although Cheney is hurting the party, they have many other issues that are hurting them as well. First of all, the Republicans have lost the trust of t he American people to lead and adhere to their stated platform and values. To Americans, national security and the economy are probably the two most important things. Of these two, the Republicans have made a total mess of both. They've conducted two wars based upon lies and borrowed and spent money we didn't have and allowed our economy to reach a near depression with their lack of fiscal responsibility and prudence. Now, with all this done, they remain defiant, pompous, arrogant, and refuse to acknowledge their errors. Instead, people like Cheney, Limbaugh, Coulter, Hannity and other Republican media personalities and former government officias rail daily against the President and his policies, which are intended to try and rectify the wrongs that the republicans have done. In other words, they''ve become poor losers, obstructionists, liars, and a party of no new ideas and no leadership. With all this, they refuse too budge an inch on their philosophy and agenda. They're cutting their own throats.

[Nita Harris]

I'd rather cut my throat than be a democrat who trusts terrorists (new name for acts of terror - "man caused destruction". Hah) and wants to release terrorists so they can go out and kill more "bad soldiers who were sent to Iraq to kill people and steal big oil," but DO NOT MIND torturing and killing babies.

Yes, and I will continue to rail daily against the President and his policies, because I do not like Socialism. You cite that repubs "borrowed and spent money we didn't have and allowed our economy to reach a near depression with their lack of fiscal responsibility and prudence" Imagine a democrat speaking of fiscal responsibility and prudence, ha, ha, especially in the light of Obama's trillions and trillions, which my grandchildren will have to pay for. And think Barney Frank & Co. (re Fannie Mae and Freddie Mack) who are the instigators of the near depression we are in. Re the 2 wars, if Bush lied, then so did Clinton, Pelosi, Ted Kennedy, Kerry, etc., etc., etc., because they all said Bin Ladin had wmd's even before Bush became president.­. So Bush should blame them for lying to him.

[terkid]

Well, boo-hoo for the Rethugnica­ns...
Get in the line of all else that CHENEY HAS RUINED...
Shall we start with the thousands of young lives RUINED by his bogus war?
And, let's not forget the unregulated BOGUS ECONOMY OF GREED over which he ruled.
"RUIN" should be this thug's middle name.
The fact that he sees himself fit enough to comment on anything, especially
the massive efforts involved cleaning up his messes, is laughable beyond belief.
The age of self-interested, grubby, greedy, hateful and heartless thugs
such as this one is well over. He should realize this, stop grubbing for the media
limelight (from which he ironically kept himself so well-hidden while perprtrating his
myriad crimes) and just retire on all his ill-gotten gains...
and finally and absolutely SHUT UP!

[wilray]

thousands of lives lost, millions of lives ruined

[NOV42008]

Before he gets off the stage, could he also ask that the memo from August 2001, stating that we would be attacked, be declassified.

[Jamchinadian]

Cheney doesn't care about hurting the party. All he cares about is saving his own behind. He is terrified that it will be revealed that he tortured to extract false "confessions" of a Saddam - Al Qaeda link. That is why he keeps insisting that we need to continue torturing in order to be safe. He is creating a diversion by framing the discussion as one of national security in order to avoid discussing the real reasons they tortured - to obtain false "information" under duress to justify attacking Iraq..

[thenorthshore]

GO VP Cheney

you are driving the left

NUTS

[Diogenes08]

Speak, oh toothless one..

[Nita Harris]

Absolutely, ha, ha.

[hegdehog]

"What we did in the whole counter-terrorist area was extremely effective. And I think Obama needs to be careful because he appears to want to cancel out some of those most important policies. We were able to go nearly eight years without another major attack on the United States."

- Richard Bruce Cheney

Yeah, dick. Those first terrorist attacks (you know: the three terrorist attacks that occurred on your watch, on American soil, ON THE SAME DAY) don't really count, do they? Because before 9/11, we all thought the terrorists were just kidding around. Who could take that stuff seriously? So 9/11 was sort of like a dress rehearsal in a way. A freebie. No big deal. You guys couldn't have been expected to keep the country safe before 9/11 because you had more important stuff to take care of. Like planning the Iraq invasion. But after you allowed the terrorists to attack us on 9/11--whoa. You guys really got serious after that. Except that, according to you, Obama isn't the one who canceled out the important policies. According to you, you did. According to you, you ended the practice of waterboarding in March of 2003. So why are you talking about Obama? Oh, that's right--because you don't want us to talk about you.

[dontvote4him]

Dude, put down the crack pipe.