Dick Cheney delivers drive-by message to Georgians

Vice President Dick Cheney has been one of the key players pushing for a muscular response to Russia in the Georgian crisis. And it was Cheney who this afternoon stopped by the Georgian embassy for two minutes on his way home from the White House to drive home that message in one sentence.

To be precise, he spent two minutes 20 seconds in a foyer -- 75 seconds of which were passed writing a message in a leather-bound remembrance book.

To make certain he wrote the correct message -- this being diplomacy, where every comma (or missing comma) might be parsed -- he copied his words from a blue note card. Four times he put pen to paper in a large hand, three times he paused as he wrote, to consult the card.

"To the people of Georgia" the vice president wrote, omitting punctuation after the salutation and at the end of his message.

He continued: "In this hour of sorrow, I offer the respect, condolences, and solidarity of the United States of America"

He signed it: "Dick Cheney"

He arrived at 4:31 p.m.  He spent 20 seconds greeting Ambassador Vasil Sikharulidze and two senior aides; he passed another 45 seconds saying goodbye.

He was on his way home at 4:33 p.m.

-- James Gerstenzang

Photos: Haraz N. Ghanbari / Associated Press

Comments

[ML]

I loathe Cheney and this administration. But: the "i" of "in" is clearly lower case (look at the photo!), so there's no need for a comma after "Georgia." The opening words are not really a salutation. "To the people of Georgia ... I offer ...." Cheney's punctuation here is okay.

[Richard Ackerberg]

Our Government Dollars at Work in Iraq.

I sell gumball machines all over the world. That's right gumball machines and gumballs.

I received an order over my web site at www,antiquegumball.com
several weeks ago. The order was lost and we resent it.

Todays email came with the following message and I quote:

Richard,

We got the gumball machine, Whoohoo!! One small problem though, the
gumballs are too big for the machine. I'm not sure what happened if I
ordered the wrong gumballs or what. If it is at all possible for you to
send smaller gumballs so they fit in the machine. We were hoping that
you could just send green and red gumballs. Again this is for GENERAL
(4 star) Petraeus the Commanding General for Iraq.

If you can send it with priority/ first class mail we will pay for the
rush.

Please let me know if there are any problems. Thank you for all your
help.

V/R,

Scott M. Jacobs
SSG, USA
TF-134 Executive Aide
DSN: 822-2815
SVOIP: 242-0297
scott.jacobs@iraq.centcom.mil
scott.jacobs@s-iraq.centcom.smil.mil

[KIlgore Trout]

If the Senate Judiciary Committee and Congress can't stop BushCo, maybe the Russians can.