Cheney, preparing his memoirs, unloads on Bush for bowing to public opinion

Former Vice President Dick Cheney is writing his memoirs. That in itself is something of a surprise, because Cheney has long -- and openly -- disparaged people who do. The presidency is owed loyalty, or anyway that was Cheney's view when folks like former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and former White House press secretary Scott McClellan told tales out of school.

But now, writing his own account of his eight years as George W. Bush's vice president, Cheney is telling friends that "the statute of limitations has expired" on tensions between them. As Time magazine reported last month, Cheney was furious at Bush for not pardoning Scooter Libby, the vice presidential aide who, in Cheney's words, "was asked to stick his neck in the meat grinder" by not disclosing all he knew about who leaked CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity to the press.

Writing his memoirs out in longhand on yellow legal pads, Cheney is apparently sharing his recollections with groups of friends and associates, sort of prepping them for the disclosures to come in his 2011 book.

And, some of those friends have been talking to the Washington Post. After one group session, one Cheney associate told the Post's Barton Gellman that the former vice president is mad at 43 for being "shackled" by public opinion:

In the second term, he felt Bush was moving away from him. He said Bush was shackled by the public reaction and the criticism he took. Bush was more malleable to that. The implication was that Bush had gone soft on him, or rather Bush had hardened against Cheney's advice. He'd showed an independence that Cheney didn't see coming. It was clear that Cheney's doctrine was cast-iron strength at all times -- never apologize, never explain -- and Bush moved toward the conciliatory.

Some conservatives rebut the argument, noting that Bush was nothing if not stubborn in the face of political and public opposition. Commenting on the story, Joe Scarborough pointed out on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that Bush was defiant about the surge in Iraq despite the polls.

But apparently Cheney, sometimes called the Darth Vader of American politics, even disagrees with his old boss about what constitutes a good book.

Told in one session that Bush, in his own memoirs, hoped to explore his personal feelings, Cheney responded that he had no intention of doing that.

"He sort of spat the word 'personal,' " said one person in the room.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Reuters

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Comments

[jhimmi]

I'm sure Cheney's disparaging views on O'Neil's and McClellan's books had something to do with the fact that Bush was still in office. It's a little different when you're divulging the secrets of a sitting president.

[Ahmnuda Lotadatime]

He spat on the word "personal" because he is a horrible cold-hearted man

[Rick]

I never thought the Cheney - Darth Vader comparison was valid. A more accurate characterization would depict Cheney as The Evil Emperor from Star Wars, with George W. Bush playing Jar Jar Binks!

[bflaska]

There's really something wrong with Cheney, beginning with "c" and ending with "y". But then Henry Paulson's busy with his memoirs, too, likely stirring and spooning from the same sort of kettle.

[Adam Talbott]

It's called logic. The purpose of being the president of a democracy is to listen to the people, not bullhead your way through and do only what you want.

Cheney is a child.

[cb]

After all, this country is not a democracy. Why on earth should a president heed public wishes and not hew to his authority as an autocrat?

[Tim B]

It's frightening to think that the only thing standing between us and this psychopath for 8 whole years was one incurious moron.

[Simkatu]

Cheney, the war hawk, who unapologetically announced the reason he didn't serve his country during the Vietnam war was because he "had other priorities". How convenient those priorities left him safely at home 15,000 miles away from the brave men who actually put their lives on the line for a war started by other war hawk politicians.

I have no respect for Cheney or Rumsfeld or Bush or any of the other chicken hawks that did everything possible to avoid serving this country during war time and then do everything they can to start preemptive wars around the world.

Hypocrisy is a sacrament in their religion.

[Adriano Celentano]

Both of them, Bush and Cheney, failed.

[Will]

Cheney a hypocrite?? Naw, couldn't be....

[Gaias Child]

One of Bush's few best things was to take a stand against his puppeteer. Cheney's fuel is contempt and scorn and he's really getting close the time he can leave this world and enjoy a life review that teaches him that people matter, feelings matter, hearts matter, no matter how much he abuses his own.

[Robert G]

Not QUITE the right analogy, but close.

Cheney was Darth Sideous, the phantom menace. Vader, GWB, was seduced by the Dark Lord, and in the end sacrificed his own life to destroy his master and redeem himself.

Cheney had better pray his old apprentice keeps his mouth shut.

[B]

Good point Dick - God forbid anyone take into account public opinion when Halliburton stock is down.

[Happy Voter]

A fitting title to his memoir: 'How I became Satan?' Also available in a Children's version 'Liar Liar Pants on Fire!!!!'.

I just hope this idiot goes away and waits his turn until he is thrown into Hell. With his Neo-crazy attitutude he has destroyed many people for his own satisfaction (perhaps his pocket - Haliburton)

PS: I wont be buying this book as it will continue to provide him with revenue so he can feed himself.

[Gordon Leeuwrik]

If it is true that President George Bush moved to rely less on Cheney's advice, then he is due some credit. Mr. Cheney reminds me of Professor Owl - incredibly well spoken, sage sounding, wise looking, and absolutely certain of his advice and discussion, only to be proved wrong on the results.

[Adam]

oh, thanks, can't speak your mind in a commentary section? awesome. makes perfect sense.

[Newt]

I honestly thought "loyalty to superiors" was the last thing Dick had going for him. Now I see he's done away with even that.

I will buy this book; it's going to rank right up there with Mein Kampf.

[Denis Hamel]

It is time for Mr. Cheney to have a massive coronary that will shut him up for good. One would have hoped that 8 years on the front row of US politics would have given him and his dark stalinist views sufficient exposure. Enough is enough.

[Sherri]

What an Idiot!!

[HM]

Cheney's upset that his boss wouldn't just do everything he told him to do. Wow! What an incredibly, ridiculously inflated ego! Small wonder he shoots his friend with a shotgun and expects an apology from him for being in the way. What a jerk!!!

[L Johnson]

He is but a sad and hypocritcal man, raging against ghosts

[Republican for Obama]

What is the list of former administration members who have come speaking out against the former admininistration? I have lost count. It is substantial. Personally, I enjoyed L. Paul Bremer's book, "My Year in Iraq". He didn't exactly come speaking out against the administration, but at least he spent his time on something constructive, like writing a book.

That Cheney is writing his memoirs on a scrap of legal pads and gathering former colleagues together isn't anything that surprises me. But if his book is something speaking *for* the administration, that, to me would be a surprise.

[AaronBurr]

Well what is new? Dick Chaney is Kim Jong-Il, Fidel Castro and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a different suit. Chaney never respected democracy and everything about him screams dictatorial. Fortunately for America, we have relatively strong institutions and people who constantly keep an eye on people like Chaney. The last administration has been the most undemocratic administration in American history, and Chaney had a lot to do with that. Loyalty is a concept foreign to Chaney, so throwing Bush under the bus is right up his alley.

[Bob]

Does Cheney not realize the purpose of public opinion and government? The government serves the people, not the other way around. Maybe he should reread the following from the White House website:

"... the framers of the Constitution hoped to form what they called "a more perfect union" — a government that would not only serve the people but would also be a long-lived exemplar to other nations around the world."

[Shalom Freedman]

There is a sense that in his second term President Bush was very influenced by Condeleeza Rice at the State Department. She tilted the President in such a way that among other things, he he did nothing real to keep his promise, stop the nuclear program of Iran. She also pushed the President on the 'road-map' which turned to be to nowhere, due to Palestinian intransigency.