Dick Cheney Book Tour: 11 Questions Reporters Should Be Asking

Dick Cheney has spent his career not revealing himself, and in his new memoir and the ensuing PR blitz, he appears to be staying largely in character.

But as the former vice president uses media interviews to sell books, reporters have an unprecedented opportunity to confront him about his highly controversial legacy and push him to divulge more about how he pursued his agenda.

And there's so much material -- starting of course with Cheney's cheerful acknowledgment of his role in promoting governmental conduct that is flatly illegal and conflicts with traditional American values.

Here are some questions journalists could be asking Cheney -- and, most importantly, some facts he should not be allowed to escape.

For a list of the questions readers most wanted to ask the former vice president, click here.

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Dan Froomkin is senior Washington correspondent for The Huffington Post. You can send him an email, bookmark his page; subscribe to his RSS feed, follow him on Twitter, friend him on Facebook, and/or become a fan and get email alerts when he writes.

Comments

[madisonhack]

05:21 PM on 09/17/2011

He should get a fair trial and be imprisoned for the rest of his miserable life.

[ttaal]

12:49 PM on 09/17/2011

I don't agree with the "few bad apples" excuse for Abu Ghraib prison, but I would suggest listening to Dr. Phil Zimbardo's lecture on the lucifer effect before adding this to Cheney's long list of crimes.

[obamaprimarychallenger]

09:57 AM on 09/04/2011

Dick said his new book would make "heads explode" I would think he had all ready made enough heads explode during his administration. Eric holder should probably read this book. He probably admits some more crimes in there.

[docmark]

05:10 AM on 09/03/2011

Obviously, Nixon is the poster-boy for corruption and abuse of power. Nixon honestly believed he had unlimited powers (Nixon (paraphrase): "If the President does it, it's not illegal" ). He resigned and was pardoned by President Ford. That pardon by Ford is still being debated today. I ws pretty young, but I do understand Ford's reasoning. I believe Ford was an honorable man who found himself in an unprecedented and impossible situation.

The things we learned about Nixon's abuse of power (those things that had nothing to do with "Watergate") were scary. But at least, there was an end to the story. Yet, there are still folks who honestly believe Nixon's downfall was the result of some "Liberal Conspiracy".

With that said, I believe historians will learn that corruption and abuse of power within the Bush Administration far exceeded Nixon's. The lessons they learned from "Watergate" was how not to get caught.

Nixon's mistake was appointing people he didn't know well. Bush and Cheney hired those whose loyalty to them exceeded their loyalty to America, with the exception being Powell (who was deliberately left out of the loop) and Condi.

Rove's "Bushie" requirement for hiring and firing federal prosecutors should've been a huge red flag to Americans. But, the Conservative machine was just strong enough (Conservative leaders, pundits and Fox News) to stave off opponents. In a hundred years, I believe historians will learn the Bush/Cheney power abuse was much worse than we imagined.

[Craig Bovia]

10:42 AM on 09/18/2011

Let The International Courts do what American Courts are too weak and corrupt to do. Don't expect anything but more of the same from Scalia/thomas/roberts/aliota Court of the Supreme Rich. I don't see Bush/cheney traveling to Europe any time soon. US has not signed on to the International Court so there will be no extradition. Our leaders make up the law as it pleases. When they get caught, they get pardoned. Kind of like CEO's. We are making the Roman Empire appear Compassionate and Just. I know that is a bit of a stretch, but you get the idea

[docmark]

06:29 AM on 09/19/2011

Great comment. As for pardons, you're also correct. In Nixon's case, I believe Ford felt that a trial would prolong the agony for most Americans. It would've consumed the entire nation (those who agreed and those who disagreed), who lived through the 60's and early '70's (civil rights issues, assassinations, Vietnam, V.P. Spiro Agnew resigning, and the long, drawn-out Watergate hearings). Had Ford not pardoned Nixon, I probably would've agreed with that choice. Ford was thrust into an impossible situation. But, I certainly understand why many folks felt Nixon should've gone to trial. Anyway, enough of that.

But, you're absolutely right. Bush/Cheney and company will never be held accountable for their blantantly obvious illegalities. At least Nixon left office in disgrace. The Bush Administration knowingly deceived (lied) us, Congress and our Coalition Partners about the reason for invading Iraq. The other Co-Conspirator, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, lost his job because the people demanded it. The British people were incredulous that our press felt so intimidated, they took it easy on the Bush Admin. It was a mini-McCarthy era (Bush: If you're not with us, then you are against us).

Great point about those Supreme Court Justices. Talk about activists ! They overturned 100 years of precedent and gave Corporations First Amendment Rights. Great point about the Roman Empire analogy. Oh yeah...Fanned.

[Craig Bovia]

12:09 PM on 09/19/2011

Back at you, Doc. Fanned & faved

[Rooster Coburn]

12:00 AM on 09/03/2011

Water-boarding is more closely identified with college fraternity hazing than it is with serious torture.

[ttaal]

12:47 PM on 09/17/2011

I wonder if your opinion would change if you had ever been water-boarded before.

[Wesley Holbrook]

11:33 PM on 09/02/2011

To Bobby Diaz: Yeah, you were there and so you would know, correct??? Stop catering to the damnable rich; Jesus couldn't help them, they saw no need of him, so like the GOP, stop hiding behind your phony profession of religious faith in greed and the Flag...you Momma's boy...LOL!!!!

[Watersisland]

04:54 PM on 09/02/2011

"HEADS WILL EXPLODE"!
Plumbers all over Washington and the nation are finally realizing what Cheney REALLY meant when he made that statement in reguards to his new book. He was using NAVY lingo in reference to the term "HEADS"!
Many, while embarrased to have even bought the book, are realizing that it contains nothing but rubbish and delusional interpretations of reality (a more apt title would have been "In My MIND"!) While not even wanting the GARBAAGE MEN to know that they purchased the book, they are attempting to FLUSH it down the toilet. The book is over 500 PAGES!!! Heads exploding? Hell, entire SEWER SYSTEMS are exploding!

[dianefeb29]

02:29 PM on 09/17/2011

Cheney is a corrupt, abustive idiot, and always will be. Another question is why did you hardly ever see him during his rein, I guess they were afraid for his life. Were possible did the Republicans find this guy, somebody big must have owed him a favor.?
He has brought disrespect to the U.S. and needs to be behind bars, but many politicans and CEO's should be behind bars now since Wall Street crashed and they will buy their out.

[dayzee10]

11:30 AM on 09/02/2011

Mr Evil Incarnate, when are you going to turn yourself in to the World Court and face charges for torture?

[ljmck]

04:01 AM on 09/02/2011

What sector of the U.S. is better off because he and his crony were in office? Not even business is better off.

What or who in the entire world is better off?

Ruinous madmen. Utterly corrupt. Completely self-absorbed. Blinded by bile.

[mattjpinney]

10:11 AM on 09/02/2011

the uber-wealthy, the investment banks, energy companies, defense contractors.

[ljmck]

03:23 AM on 09/02/2011

How about the rushed evacuation of Saudis and others from this country right after 9/11?

How many of the Bush/Cheney administration's foreign operatives were protected so the wars could be waged according to aims that may have conflicted with the interests of the our own citizens?

How many of them worked against U.S. interests?

[ljmck]

03:18 AM on 09/02/2011

"From the start, we were building the case against Hussein and looking at how we could take him out and change Iraq into a new country,"

They may have deliberately ignored the warnings about OBL and Al Queda -- because an attack, large or small, would enable them to have the war(s) they wanted. Once started, they couldn't wait to ignore Afghanistan and get into Iraq, which was the target all along.

Just imagine how much better the lives of Americans -- and people around the world -- would have been had these two men never been in office.

Fatalities
Operation Iraqi Freedom = 4442
Oepation Enduirng Freedom - 1584

For a look at ALL the other people killed in Bush & Cheney's wars -- at least 919,967

http://www.unknownnews.org/casualties.html

A million dead to feed Cheney/Bush wars of vanity and profit.

[ljmck]

02:58 AM on 09/02/2011

He makes Nixon look good.

[Jack Reynard]

02:37 AM on 09/02/2011

Cheney is not just evil, he is comically evil.

[ljmck]

03:00 AM on 09/02/2011

Cosmically evil!

[dayzee10]

11:32 AM on 09/02/2011

Mr Evil Incarnate!!!!! or is his real Beezzlebub?

[Watersisland]

04:29 PM on 09/02/2011

True Jack. His animated likeness will end up relegated to the pages of comic books and cartoons for generations to come.
Sadly, those harmed by him find little humor in his actions. For all his victims, those killed and maimed--including "friends" either shot in the face or stabbed in the back, many regret his very existence.

[thebuzzmanisone]

11:55 PM on 09/01/2011

wish he would take his book tour out of country.

[Lisa1129]

11:01 PM on 09/01/2011

Cheney is a bitter old idiot, he didn`t do much when he was in washington.
I would buy every copy of his book and turn it into toilet paper
and send some to everyone i know, so they can wipe their
a---s and send it back to him. how you like them apples dickie.

[dayzee10]

11:33 AM on 09/02/2011

He is not bitter, he is proud of his evilness