Darth Vader Refuses to Die

The story of the last White House is perhaps most of all about the relationship of the president and vice president. Who was the dominant figure? Was there an alternative government inside the official government? How much of the buck stopped with Dick Cheney?

These are all points that Cheney seems now to want to argue. The Times has him with his Starbucks coffee in his garage office plotting out a memoir on his yellow pads as he makes a series of strategic media appearances--continuing to use Fox News as the Bush White House used it for the past eight years.

Bush himself may be in a contented retirement, but Cheney is still, belligerently and rancorously, commanding the legacy. This is defensive: He's afraid the Democrats might be out to get him. And it's retaliatory: He's mad at Bush for not pardoning Scooter Libby (the Times reports Cheney and Bush have only spoken once since January). And it's territorial: He's not just defending the record, he's claiming it.

Continue reading on newser.com

Comments

[Wordstosay]

I must be lost here the title of the article is confusing Darth died but his sins were forgiven so there was no need for him die again for his bad deeds....I­s the writer saying that Darth who is Cheney should be forgiven and will be forgive for his sins. Many are asking the President to lie in on the crime in my opinion it will be a crime if the President does. Leave the work to Holder. Holder has a lot to make up for. I hope he gives these cases much attention . The nation needs to heal and so does the world....

[nellpost]

Keith Olbermann spoke Friday of the republicans in congress in years past, creating/changing laws that now allow foxnews/murdoch to have this monopoly ... I'd like more info on this! I'd like these injustices, in my opinon, reversed! Think of it: no more foxnews! No more donations to republican candidates from murdoch??? No more foxnews as spokesnetwork for republicans!

[disgusted48]

cheyney is mad with bush.

Bet the feeling is mutual. bush is likely mad that cheyney shredded any chance of a half way decent legacy he could have possibly had, by talking him into one lousy decision after another, and bush probably feels very, very used by that cheyney, as well he should. whatever.

[J G H]

Vader was ultimately redeemed by love for his son. There is no similar sign of redemption from Cheney (and he has had the chance). Ironic that the success of Desert Storm while he was Secretary of Defense was partly due to a group of military thinkers nicknamed the Jedi Knights. Cheney definitly took a turn to the Dark Side.

[OdaNobunaga]

Cheney is more like Emperor Palpatine.

[Spud777]

Cheney is scared, terrified may be a better word. Fear has been his MO throughout his life. He was afraid of serving in the military so he got five deferments to avoid serving in uniform; his entire career in the government has been one of fear and fear mongering (remember he was always in a safe undisclosed location and had Google Earth block a view of his official residence. Now he is scared that he will be prosecuted for war crimes (which should happen by the way) and possibly go to jail. Justice demands a full and complete investigation of potential crimes committed by all people in the Bush Administration, especially those in the upper echelons.

[Velocitor]

Cheney took an oath to defend the Constitution, then he tore it down every chance he got- he's a traitor, pure and simple. I don't understand why the press continues to give this out-of-power megalomaniac a forum.

[marko77]

fairwitness See Profile I'm a Fan of fairwitness I'm a fan of this user permalink

The Democrats were ridden like a mule by Cheney for 8 years; he stuck it to them every chance he got, in public and with relish and they just whined and shrank away. So why would he not be correct to think they will cave to his will now?
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Cheney is no longer in political power. He'll talk as long as someone (FOX News) gives him air time. He was detested and disliked by the majority of Americans while W was in the Oval Office, and that hasn't changed.

[smileatfear]

As I recall, his approval rating was somewhere around 9% when he left office. Cen't get much more despised than that.

[NickHP]

I seem to recall George Lucas saying that Bush was Darth Vader - naive, misled follower. And that Cheney was the Evil Emperor behind the throne.

[Carl Caroli]

If the republican party had any brains, leadership, or hopes for success in future elections, they would shut him down. Instead, they're letting him be a constant reminder of all that went wrong in the last eight years, and what would be in store if he had his way.

[peterg76]

It doesn't matter that everyone can see through his self-serving lies; by taunting the Democrats Cheney forces them to reveal their own cowardice. Cheney is gambling that the Democrats don't have the will to actually prosecute publicly-revealed crimes. Unfortunately, it's not clear whether he's wrong.

[special muppet]

What's the rush? Why should Obama bog himself down in what will very likely turn into a nasty partisan war. You think Republicans are obstructionist now? Just wait until the trials begin.

Cheney and Bush aren't going anywhere. Let's wait until the economy is in recovery, healthcare reform has been passed, environmental regulations are in place, the troops are out of Iraq... and then, maybe in Obama's second term, let's press for legal action over torture.

[lightningbolt]

"Let's wait until the economy is in recovery, healthcare reform has been passed, environmental regulations are in place, the troops are out of Iraq."

All this is never going to happen. Our government will betray us once again like they always do.

[peterg76]

By waiting until its convenient, no crime could ever get prosecuted. Justice has to mean more that letting the perpetrators die of old age.

[Spud777]

Special muppet: You are totally wrong (but certainly not alone in your views)! Laws and Justice are not a matter of convenience. If America wants to regain our moral position in the world, war crimes must be investigated and prosecuted if appropriate. The government can multi task, I contend; they can handle the economy, health care etc and at the same time investigate crimes. The investigators will not be working on those issues. As Perry Mason said: CASE CLOSED.

[johannesrolf]

justice deferred is justice denied.

[fairwitness]

The Democrats were ridden like a mule by Cheney for 8 years; he stuck it to them every chance he got, in public and with relish and they just whined and shrank away. So why would he not be correct to think they will cave to his will now? Even today Obama and Reid sing the song of capitulation to the immoral Right--move on, look forward...­whatever bogus bs they think will make us stand aside and let them carry on the same corrupt Bushian policies that got us here.

Our hero seems to be very afraid of something these days.