Former Bush Counselor Dan Bartlett Unloads on Cheney: "Doesn't Do Touchy-Feely" or "Hug Babies"

Washington Post reporter Barton Gelman's book on Dick Cheney is embargoed until Tuesday, although two excerpts have run in the Post on Sunday and Monday. But the publisher is keeping the rest of the book under wraps for a while.

Here is a gem from a still embargoed portion of the book (I obtained my copy through someone other than the publisher, and as such did not break their embargo): According to the book, Cheney turned down a request from President Bush to take charge of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, shortly after the Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005.

Gellman writes that Cheney simply turned down the president -- something then-presidential counselor Dan Bartlett apparently remains unhappy about until present day.

From the book:

Days after the storm had passed, when he finally returned to Washington from Crawford, Bush assembled his senior staff in the Oval Office. He was going to set up a cabinet-level task force, he said.

"I asked Dick if he'd be interested in spearheading this," Bush announced, "Let's just say I didn't get the most positive response." Bush nodded ironically toward the vice president, putting on a show for the others: Card, Rove, Bartlett, Condi Rice. His expression, the tone of voice, had a hint of edge. Can you believe this guy?

Anyone who had face time with Bush said he was smarter than the public believed, and meaner. He spared Cheney the thunderbolts -- Rove got the worst of them, when Bush was in a mood to yell -- but now and then aides saw the president give Cheney the back of his hand.

"Will you at least go do a fact-finding trip for us?" Bush said.

"That'll probably be the extent of it, Mr. President, unless you order otherwise," Cheney replied. He was the Cheshire Cat inverted, only the smile dissolving, the rest of him still in the chair.

As well as he knew the two of them, Bartlett had to fight an impulse to roll his eyes. Katrina was shaping up as a true catastrophe. New Orleans was four-fifths under water, and the Gulf Coast had suffered grievous losses of life and property. The leisurely pace of federal action was not doing a bit of good for Bush. "Cheney wanted nothing to do with it," Bartlett said. Looking back on that moment, the president's counselor remained of two minds:

Cheney was the Master of Disaster, one of the government's most capable emergency managers. "It would send a powerful signal of our level of concern" to put the vice president in charge, Bartlett said. Eventually, though, Bartlett came to see Cheney's demurral "quite frankly as pretty good judgment." Cheney "doesn't do touchy-feely," Bartlett said, "Understanding what people's problems are and showing compassion -- that is an important part of the job of being the representative of he president... He was not going to go down there and hug babies."

Of course, there always stood the possibility that the vice president believed that the hurricane and its high winds were in their last throes.

Related:

Murray Waas, "Bush Administration Leaks Bolstered Rep. Renzi's Reelection Bid," the Hill, June 24, 2009.

Eric Alterman and Danielle Ivory, "Think Again: Blogosphere to Mainstream Press: Get Off the Bus," Center for American Progress, May 21, 2009.

Murray Waas, "A U.S. Attorney's Story," the Atlantic, April 20, 2009.

Murray Waas, "The Big Stone Wall: Nine Bush-Era Officials Cooperate with DOJ Probes," Talking Points Memo, Feb. 18, 2009.

Damozel, "Rove to Cooperate?... or Not." Buck Naked Politics, Feb. 9, 2009.

Murray Waas, "Attorney: Rove Will Cooperate with DOJ Probe," TPM Muckraker, Feb. 8, 2009.

Murray Waas, "Feds Probe Domenici for Obstruction of Justice in Iglesias Fight," TPM Muckraker, Feb. 4, 2009.

Murray Waas, "Cheney's Admissions to the CIA Leak Prosecutor," personal blog, Dec. 23, 2008.

Murray Waas and Justin Rood, "Report: White House Involved in U.S. Attorney Firings," ABCNews.com, Sept. 29, 2008.

Murray Waas, "The Case of the Gonzales Notes, " The Atlantic, Sept. 26, 2008.

Glenn Greenwald, "Salon Radio: Murray Waas," Salon.com, Sept. 26, 2008.

Murray Waas, "What Bush Told Gonzales," the Atlantic, Sept. 26, 2008.

Barton Gellman, "Conflict Over Spying Led White House to the Brink," Washington Post, Sept. 14, 2008.

Anna Schecter and Murray Waas, "DOJ Official Fired in Wake of ABC News Investigation," ABCNews.com, June 25, 2008.

Murray Waas and Anna Schecter, "Bush White House Pushed Grant for Former Staffer," ABCNews.com, June 24, 2008.

Brian Ross, Anna Shecter, and Murray Waas, "Justice Department Official Awards $500,000 Grant to Golf Group," ABC News, June 9, 2008.

Murray Waas, "The Paradox That is Scooter Libby," Huffington Post, July 27, 2007.

"FDL Book Salon Welcomes Murray Waas and Jeff Lomonaco," Firedoglake, June 10, 2007.

Frank Rich, "When Will Fredo Be Whacked?," New York Times, March 25, 2007.

Murray Waas, "Internal Affairs," National Journal, March 15, 2007.

Murray Waas, "Cheney's Call," National Journal, Feb. 15, 2007.

Murray Waas, "Libby Testimony Raises More Questions About Cheney's Role in the CIA Leak Case," National Journal, Feb. 9, 2007.

Murray Waas, "CIA Leak Probe: Inside the Grand Jury Room," National Journal, Jan. 12, 2007.

Murray Waas, "Bush Directed Cheney to Counter War Critic," National Journal, Dec. 13, 2006.

Jim Boyd, "Why Courage is Hard to Find," Nieman Reports, Summer, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Bush Blocked Justice Department Investigation," National Journal, July 18, 2006.

Shane Harris and Murray Waas, "Justice Department Probe Foiled," National Journal, July 25, 2006.

Murray Waas, "What Ashcroft Was Told," National Journal, June 8, 2006.

Liz Halloran, "A Muckraker's Day in the Sun," U.S. News & World Report, May 15 2006.

Murray Waas, "Why Rove Testified for a Fifth Time," National Journal, April 28, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Is There a Double Standard on Leak Probes?," National Journal. April 25, 2006.

Howard Kurtz, "Reporters in Glass Houses," Washington Post, April 17, 2006.

Paul Krugman, "Yes He Would!," New York Times, April 10, 2006.

Jay Rosen, "Murray Waas is Our Woodward Now," PressThink, April 9, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Libby Says Bush Authorized Leaks," National Journal, April 6, 2006.

Dan Froomkin, "A Compelling Story," the Washington Post, March 31, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Insulating Bush," National Journal, March 30, 2006.

Murray Waas, "What Bush Was Told About Iraq," National Journal, March 2, 2006.

Amy Goodman, "How Cheney Authorized Libby to Leak Classified Information," Democracy Now!, Feb. 10, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Cheney's Authorized Libby to Leak Classified Information," National Journal, Feb. 9, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Fitzgerald Court Papers: Bush Was Briefed on Joe Wilson," Huffington Post, Feb. 3, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Bush's Briefing About Joe Wilson," Whatever Already!, Feb. 2, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Iraq, Niger, and the CIA," National Journal, Feb. 2, 2006.

Murray Waas, "Why Novak Called Rove," National Journal, Dec. 16, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Jack Anderson: An Appreciation," the Village Voice, Dec. 13, 2005.

Frank Rich, "Dishonest, Reprehensible, Corrupt...," the New York Times, Nov. 27, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Key Bush Intelligence Briefing Kept From Hill Panel," National Journal, Nov. 22, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Senate Ethics Committee Clears Shelby," National Journal, Nov. 13, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Libby Testimony Key to Rove Inquiry," National Journal, Nov. 12, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Addington's Role in Cheney's Office Draws Fresh Attention," National Journal, Oct. 30, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Secret Service Records Prompted Key Miller Testimony," National Journal, Oct. 20, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Cheney, Libby Blocked Papers to Senate Intelligence Committee," National Journal, Oct. 27, 2005.

Murray Waas, "CIA Leak Prosecutor Focuses on Libby," National Journal, Oct. 18, 2005.

Amy Goodman, "How Dick Cheney's Top Aide Misled Federal Prosecutors in the CIA Leak Case," Democracy Now!, Oct. 12, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Libby Did Not Tell Grand Jury About Key Conversation," National Journal, Oct. 11, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Rove Assured Bush He Was Not Leaker," National Journal, Oct. 7, 2005.

Murray Waas, "House Republicans Beat Back Plame Resolution of Inquiry," Whatever Already!, Sept. 14, 2005.

Murray Waas, "While You Were Watching Katrina," Village Voice, Sept. 13, 2005,

Murray Waas, "What Now Karl?," Village Voice, Aug. 9, 2005.

Murray Waas, "The Meeting," the American Prospect, August 6, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Special Handling: How the Huckabee Administration Worked to Free Rapist Wayne Dumond," Arkansas Times, Aug. 1, 2005.

Murray Waas, "An Unlikely Story," the American Prospect, July 19, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Exclusive: Novak Cooperated With Prosecutors," Whatever Already!, July 12, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Plame Game Redux," the American Prospect, May 22, 2005,

Murray Waas, "Plame Game Redux," American Prospect, April 22, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Plame Exclusive: Attorney General Refuses to Comply with Congressional Request for Information on the Case," Whatever Already!, April 21, 2005.

Murray Waas, "Plame Game Over?," the American Prospect, April 6, 2005.

Jim Boyd, "Editorial Pages: Why Courage is Hard to Find," Nieman Reports, July 2006.

Murray Waas, "Ashcroft's Interest," the American Prospect, July 8, 2004.

Murray Waas, "Curveballs to Congress," American Prospect, July 6, 2004.

Murray Waas, "Pressure on Aschcroft to Recuse Himself Grows," Alternet, Oct. 30, 2003.

Murray Waas will be writing more on his personal blog about Dick Cheney. Waas covered Cheney and the misuse of prewar intelligence by the Bush administration during the run up to the war with Iraq for the National Journal. Murray Waas has also written about the same issues for ABC News, the American Prospect, and the Huffington Post.

Waas is also the co-editor with Jeff Lomonaco of the United States V. I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, published in the spring of 2007 by Union Square Press.

Murray Waas can be reached through his Facebook page. His work can also be followed via twitter.http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Murray+Waas

Comments

[Roci]

Disclaimer: A dear friend of mine lost his life to Katrina and the disgrace that continues to this day.

I could not read this except without breaking down in tears, and pounding the desk in front of me until pain equal to that in my heart causes me to stop.
Of all the malfeasance crafted, orchestrated, perpetrated, and perpetuated by this cabal of stupid idiots and crooks disguised as politicians, Katrina stands alone. The other party has used "Noun-Verb-9/11 (Trademark)" without end. Why have people of deep soul and good conscience not placed the blame for Katrina squarely where it belongs? Why is a hole where the WTC used to be any stronger an indictment of failure than the aftermath of Katrina? Katrina cannot be blamed on anyone else. People still suffer, and the media is silent while they spend pages talking about lipstick, pork, pigs, and Palin.
If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention, and it seems that very few people want to be bothered with outrage anymore. Except those of us who remember, and will never forget.

Roci

[magen]

I'm glad Cheney is in his "last throes".

Unfortunately, The Dark Lord and his band of criminals will be pardoned in advance of any charges and probably reappear back in the private sector as the head of an oil company, or drilling services company.

Which will be headquartered in Dubai.

[berkawoo]

I very much hope that Cheney is in his "last throes" . It should be no surprise that this man had zero interest in taking a leadership role during the gulf coast Katrina disaster. Cheney and his Neocon ilk create disasters (manmade) the idea of him wanting to work and lead to improve the situation in New Orleans is not what they are about. This ilk of Cheney and his Neocons care little about working class communities such as the Ninth Ward. Cheney cares most about the powerful 5% that control the wealth and power in the world. The only thing they care about is developers coming in to displace certain residents of N.O. So they can build high end Condo's and Casinos. This is the man who is one of the architects of The PARTNERSHIP FOR A NEW AMERICAN CENTURY. This man is a powerful insider and operative that will stop at nothing to keep the most powerful in power. In this 2008 election he can still cause alot of damage, he is an operative and right wing facilitator than can disenfranchise voters in places like Ohio and Florida.Watch out for CHENEY!

[JohnFObama]

Of the many mistakes Bush has made, choosing Cheney as his VP was the worst of them all, having this man right next to him who doesn't even bother to care about the american people has ruined Bush's Presidency. If he had any other VP, Bush would have been a moderatley ineffective President, while not great he would have had no major screwups, along the lines of Ford. Instead, largely due to Cheney, his Presidency has been the biggest catastrophe in living history.

[DannyEastVillage]

that's interesting: I dont agree with you at all. I think the choice of Cheney was perfect.

[nanton29]

Have you noticed that the repub spokespeople cannot answer a straight question with a straight answer and will tailor all their answers in a way to attack Obama on some point that is irrelevant and full of lies?

[vernonbc]

Not only do they do that, they throw out so many lies and smears and talking points in one big swoop that the interviewer or the Dem strategist is befuddled about where to start with their refutations and much of the doodoo is left hanging out there.

[IForgotMyName]

I guess the feeling is mutual. No baby wants to be hugged by Dick Cheney either.

[idest]

Maybe Stewie from Family Guy...but only because they share a love of world domination.

[BuzzingAlong]

Why is this a shocker to anyone?

We all know that these people are not human so how can they have a human emotion like compassion for other people's problems?

[lemonyashes]

I disagree these people are in fact are human or "only human" would be more appropo. However, what they are not is they are not Human Beings. There is a huge distinction between 'humans' and 'human beings.'

[SamEllison]

If my memory serves Cheney's denial to help was before that volunteer doctor told the Vice to do something anatomically impossible.
Can't say he didn't deserve it.

[maveman]

Bush the fine christian should have fired him on that day--he quickly declined in the opinion of the American people from Katrina on-

[Gusto2]

I totally agree, but I'm not surprised that Cheney acted that way. After all it was poor and middle class people suffering, it was not the oil companies. And corporate America had plans for the area so Cheney did not want the people. This man and his neo-cons has done this country ill and their mess will take a long time to repair. Can't wait till Jan 09.

[luckyrico1]

Yes, and Cheney was very experienced and so was Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Powell, and the whole lot of them. The problem is that they were experienced in the twisted neo-con ideology. Neo-cons are ruthless, secretive, and look out only for their own interests (oil, and the industrialized military complex). Too bad the republican party is so good at the brainwashing business.... especially the godfather of partisan politics: Karl Rove. Am I the only one who smells Rove all over the McCain campaign?

[DC]

Will he and others in the Administration go to jail for failing to adhere to the rule of law, for doing what there were elected to do as government officials, as servants to the public good? The only real job of government is to secure public order. These thugs are negligent and have failed in every way.

When will they be charged with crimes against Americans?

[luckyrico1]

I have an idea for a new TV show. It's called "American Pariah" and the despots like Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld, "Brownie", Wolfowitz, etc... will be featured as the pariahs who will have to clean out sewers, work at garbage dumps, dispose of human waste at hospitals and bio labs, and we get to watch them on TV while there is a live audience who hurls rotten fruit and vegetables all the while spewing verbal assaults. The audience will be selected as individuals who suffered the most while they were raping our economy and doing nothing during all the crises.

[inthedesert]

Isn't it interesting how all the old Bushies are now coming out with "tell-all" books in a desperate effort to salvage their reputations for future jobs. LOL. This is just priceless!! You just know Rice has a big book deal in the works or already a done deal in which she will disavow everything Bush did re foreign policy.
Can't you see it coming folks?? I am sure Cheney is working up something too although God knows what this man could say that would clear the stench off this man. As for me, I would not pay one hard earned penny to read any of this crap by ANYONE WHO HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE LAST 8 YEARS. LOL.

[moonglowsun]

I believe it's called, abondoning a sinking ship.

[schatsie]

well you know they are all going to interview at AEI - who can take so many of them before loosing their tax exempt status (by the way why do they have a tax exempt status and I don't)... but I digress...

They also are trying to get their books out there as soon as possible, eventually nobody will be buying these books and there will be no more advances...

and there willl be no more trough on K street (well that is my dream/fantasy...I think I need some better fantasies...

[HypocrisyAlarm]

Yes, and it's the rats who do the abandoning!! Too appropriate.

[Artos]

You may not buy such a rotgut tabloid but there are plenty of diehard gullible Repugs who will salivate like Pavlovs puppies to get there grubby little paws on it when it does surface.

[Vere15]

Dick Cheney reminds me of the last time that we thought the VP pick would have a negative impact on the Presidential run. It seemed easy to press the issue of Cheney was from Texas rather than from Wyoming to disqualify him. Maybe for the good of the country, it should have been pressed harder? But it is a definite lesson for this campaign. The VP does matter.

[IhateNeoCons]

There is a considerable chance of getting another 4 or more years of the same. The process is broken,people need to finally say enough. There are far more Bush-like voters than there are Kerry/Obama-like voters. One thing the typical arrogant American doesn't like is feeling like he is lower than someone else on any scale. Their ilk DEFINATELY won't vote for someone who makes them feel that way. Same reason racism is still so pervasive. People grew up feeling they were at least superior to blacks. They're incapable of moving past that sad, pathetic view. Self-loathers have been evil throughout history, from Marx, to Hitler, to the inbred morons who form the "christian" (small c) right. We need someone with the guts to stand up in the political arena and call these people out. Every time they scapegoat homosexuals, or use Christianity as a bludgeon for their warped ideas they should be call Un-Christian, Un-American, hate-mongers. That is what they are, bullies. Trying to reason with them will NEVER work. The only thing that can stop this is moral fortitude. Unfortunately, I know of no politician, (that includes Obama), with the cojones to do the job.

[Gusto2]

Anyone who feel inferior to someone becuase of the other person education and intellect has a self esteem problem. These same people feel superior to others because of the color of their skin. They are just bigots, period.

[Yermammy]

Time to impeach these jerks. Seriously, it's time. Cheney and lil' Smirkey are criminals and if we don't your gonna see more pardons than you knew was possible. The pardons stop the second the proceedings begin. And that's the key...

[Vere15]

Yermammy:

Can you elaborate. I thought the strategy was if Obama won, then they could be charged after January with no-one to pardon them - or is there something I overlooked

[cruisepuppy7452a]

Based on the mounting evidence against Bush, Cheney, Rove, now this, they can indeed be charged, impeached and have thier assetts frozen, before they end up on treason charges to be faced while in federal prison, no pardon, no parole. Biden and Obamma have said this is thier intent, with or without Pelosi's compliance. Bush et all will be civil servants and not protected by special laws that govern the presidency. In fact, Obamma and Biden can overturn the laws Nixon passed to give presidents executive privledge, protection from prosecution. Once overturned, they are toast. This is why they are out to steal the election, as they know, if dems get in, that is exactly what will face them. Should Pelosi refuse to comply with those orders, she too can be made an accomplice due to her refusal to perform duties as House Speaker which is one of the rules. ff it is known, proven that a president breaks any and all federal laws, that in fact end in harm to the People, she is required to enforce the impeachment and removal of all guilty parties.

[Artos]

It would be better to let them out of office first then see to it that they can't declare Presidential protections or pardon each other. We need to set an example for other Presidential aspirants to witness. Put the criminals in prison and throw away the key. No light sentences just because they are white collar criminals. Then we need to go after Gonzalez, Mukasey, Rove, Rumsfeld, Rice and the cast of thousands. We also need to hold those members of the Supreme Court responsible for having usurped the Constitution by upholding the last two elections. Without their culpability none of this would have been possible.

[jennbeez]

There will be pre-emptive pardons all around...you'll see.

[luckyrico1]

Start the impeachment proceeding right after Obama is elected. Either that, or let the world court in the Hague have them after the inauguration.

[WritusMaximus]

Give Cheney a break. You see, there was no money to be had, or at least not enough money to make it worthwhile so of course Cheney told Bush to take a hike.

[eplatypusunum]

It was Bush's job -- George W. Bush, the Decider -- and he tried to pawn it off on Dick. Sorry, but that is a duty the president cannot delegate. Same principle as a ship's captain cannot pass down certain duties; they are HIS. A president can and would appoint minions to head up logistics, admin. or security, but Bush wanted to wash his Decider's hands of the icky task of, you know, having to relate to Americans crushed by a massive natural disaster (aided by stupid engineering and land use methods, etc.) and in dire need of competent government help.

I know now that these guys, Bush, Cheney, Delay, Rove and all, were EXACTLY the type of kid I hated in grade school. They were the jerks. Only now there is no big, scary Mr. Wallace to freak out in front of the whole class and frighten us all into being at least somewhat cool.

The school yard jerks are running the show.

epu

[Invox]

Surely no one is surprised by this.

[placeyourvote]

we should be outraged by cheney going to georgia and giving them a billion dollars to georgia for russia attacking georgia, but screw america during its crisis

[Antifascist-08]

It was more like Cheney gave Georgia the money to attack the small areas that wanted to secede so McCain could have something to be "Presidential" about. Georgia fired the first shots and dropped the first bombs and killed hundreds of people before Russia responded.

I'm no fan of Russia, but their story is more accurate than Georgia's. Georgia has a direct pipeline to McCain through their lobbyist, who is on the bus with McCain every day. and is a big pal of his.