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Janet Ritz

Janet Ritz

Posted: June 15, 2010 12:52 PM

Where is Dick Cheney During the Gulf Oil Spill?

What's Your Reaction:

Former Vice President (and former Halliburton CEO) Dick Cheney, so vocal during the first year of President Obama's administration in his attempt to scare us to death on national security, has been remarkably silent since the Gulf oil spill began its slow motion march into the nation's consciousness.

There was not a decision on war or energy the current president made that was not questioned, even ridiculed, by the former Bush Administration number one two. However, since the Deepwater Horizon began its slow motion process of turning the Gulf into a dead zone, Mr. Cheney has been remarkably silent.

Why Is Dick Cheney Silent on the Oil Spill?


NEWSWEEK - 6/10/10: The former vice president is usually a vociferous defender of his time in government. But not on the disaster in the gulf. When the Obama administration, or the media, or just about anybody contradicts Dick Cheney's views on national security, he is far from shy about responding. But facing a firestorm of criticism over the oil spill, he's been notably silent. More than national security, energy policy and the oil industry might be considered Cheney's real areas of expertise. He was chairman and CEO of oil-services company Halliburton between 1995 and 2000. And, of course, he worked prominently on energy

Halliburton was working on the Deepwater Horizon rig just before it blew up, opening the well and sending oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. Some experts have speculated that the company may have been to blame for the explosion. The pro-oil atmosphere (and Cheney's continued links to Halliburton) during his vice presidency, have also come to the fore since the April 20 accident.

What is a more important to our national security than our dependence on fossil fuels during an unprecedented catastrophe involving oil? Is this not the former VP's expertise? Did he not hold (secret) energy meetings, because he was the expert from Halliburton, where it has been suggested many of the policies that led to deregulation were decided? What really did happen at that meeting?

This is an important question since Halliburton was a player in this worst environmental disaster in the history of the United States. It was their cementing of the well that did not hold. They were involved.

Is that why Mr. Cheney has been so silent? Has he decided to finally recuse himself because of conflict of interest? Or is it something more? Does he know how much the floor of the Gulf is damaged? Did he know how bad it was the minute the rig blew up? Is there something he should be sharing with his fellow citizens?

Mr. Vice President, you're a patriot. Help us out here. What do you know about this spill that has caused you to go so suddenly silent? What do you know that we don't? How bad is it?

Why have you nothing to say about this when you were so vocal before?

Your country would like to know.

More on this topic at The Environmentalist

 

Follow Janet Ritz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/janetritz

 
 
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03:44 PM on 06/18/2010
Cheney was nowhere to be found because he profited off this mess.

He should be held accountable and answer questions. And while he is at it he could tell what he knows about lying to get us to war with Iraq and Valerie Plame.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2008/03/06/top_iraq_contractor_skirts_us_taxes_offshore/

http://www.nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2005/1027nj1.htm

http://www.nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2006/0209nj1.htm

http://www.nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/waas.htm
10:59 AM on 06/18/2010
He's depositing his take at an offshore bank.
04:04 AM on 06/20/2010
Cheney's contractor friends are making big money off this.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2008/03/06/top_iraq_contractor_skirts_us_taxes_offshore/
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Neets101
watch this space for important updates
11:06 PM on 06/16/2010
Umm... he's at his secret lair inside a volcano, sitting in a rather large black leather chair petting a hairless cat in his lap, and chuckling "bwa hahahahaha" whilst holding his pinkie finger to the corner of his mouth?

I like this game.
05:30 PM on 06/16/2010
Cheney is a war criminal. Why is the author trying to legitimize a war criminal?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
John MacLeish
05:35 PM on 06/16/2010
Legitimizing him? I read it that she called him out to explain himself. It was a swipe at him.
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liberalOrgonian
03:24 PM on 06/16/2010
Well, Story has it Cheney was paid millions. Clearly this is hush money.
Cheney will NEVER take any responsibility for any wrong doings he was involved in.
He stand above law, hasn't anyone noticed?
Maybe now he will stay in hiding.
All the immoral acts of the scrub Adm, and they all get free passes into retirement.
U.S.Enemy Number 1 is that Cheney fellow.

When will justice come back to this country anyway.
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Estreet1964
My neighbors know I'm a rock and roll singer
03:23 PM on 06/16/2010
It would be my guess that Dickk is in an undisclosed location somewhere pleasuring himself to pictures of oily dead pelicans.
04:10 PM on 06/16/2010
While roasting babies over an open fire... ;-) fanned.
01:33 PM on 06/16/2010
Honestly, I have little to no respect for Cheney, but there is no reason he should have to say anything. Realistically, he stopped being CEO 10 years ago and he would not be involved in decisions regarding this particular oil rig. I suspect that he isn't taking calls from the media on this one and will emerge when there is a topic with more room for him to blather on to his right-wing base. Right now the nation is probably 90% against the oil industry on this one, so a good one for him to sit out.

The press should call him, hound him, and harass him day and night for comments, but they won't likely come; he's a jerk, not an idiot.
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wyldthings
as a young man I said I'd never get old an didn'
01:01 PM on 06/16/2010
Because Dick Chenney did not build the well design the well or anything. So you have to stretch that Haliburton built the cement caps and Blame that on Cheney. Well if you own any stock in any corporation then you are just as guilty
01:01 PM on 06/16/2010
Perhaps he's gone to Irak-q! Watch this space...
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David Kearns
David Kearns is the author of "Where Hell Freezes
12:42 PM on 06/16/2010
Everyone asks this question, goes through the same old story; meetings (check) connection with Halliburton (check). No one makes a phone call, tries to find the illigitimus rex.

I will tell you where he is precisely this evening. He is in Erie Pennsylvania speaking at the dinner for a consortium function, called Manufacturer & Business Association's 105th annual event.

Cheney will grace the media (or is this now out too) with five minutes time for question and answer, so be prompt, don't blink or you'll miss it, and be courteous.

Shhhheeeez! Will someone go and ask the man the questions we are all dying to hear put to him, or, will the media keep...running....this....same...damned ...incomplete....story over and over?.
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John MacLeish
05:44 PM on 06/16/2010
faved for "illigitimus rex." :-D
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maillady
12:09 PM on 06/16/2010
Dick Chaney and his daughter Liz are in deep thought trying to figure out how to blame President Obama and the rest of the democrats for this disaster. Chaney is very well versed in scamming money, but has suddenly become mute when his company is partially responsible for this mess.. He seems to know the answer to everything else facing this nation, so we are waiting very patiently for his explanation.
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blueken
Finger Picking blues man
11:16 AM on 06/16/2010
I'm pretty sure big Dick would say "Chit happens, go F@ck yourself."
10:03 AM on 06/16/2010
Cheney has been "remarkably silent" because of the Haliburton connection. The more he were to say the more he would draw attention to himself and what he did as Veep.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/26/politics/main575356.shtml...

and that he personally profited off what he did.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Cheneys_stock_options_rose_3281_last_1011.html

And after people are done asking about this, Cheney is yet to tell his side of the story or what happened when it comes to his NSA spying or outing Valerie Plame.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2005/1027nj1.htm

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/09/what-did-bush-tell-gonzales/7064/

http://news.nationaljournal.com/articles/0315nj1.htm
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DevonTexas
Eternal Optimism
09:36 AM on 06/16/2010
He is silent because he doesn't care.
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Freesia2
I'm nicer than I appear in print. :-)
09:30 AM on 06/16/2010
"Mr. Vice President, you're a patriot". No Mr. Cheney (I refuse to think of him as Vice President since the election was stolen) I've seen a patriot and you "sir" are no patriot. (Or a Vice President.)

He's lying in wait like a viper til he can figure out how to spin (lie) his way out of culpability, Janet. In the meantime, he will just send his first draft deferment (Liz) out to hate monger on the Sunday morning shows for him in effort to distract. She's (first draft deferment) has always been so very useful to her daddy.
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liberalOrgonian
03:35 PM on 06/16/2010
She is his tool.
And right now he sure could use that tool.
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John MacLeish
05:50 PM on 06/16/2010
I don't think the author was making the argument that he was a patriot - only that he presented himself as such whilst criticising the current administration. I read it as a swipe; a call for Cheney to prove his patriotism (of which, I agree with you, he has none), by finally telling us the truth.
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Freesia2
I'm nicer than I appear in print. :-)
06:03 PM on 06/16/2010
Oh I agree. I was just joining in the swipe. I never miss an opportunity to tell that revolting man exactly what I think of him. I consider it patriotic. :-)