Dick sicced on critics, gets ass kicked
'Far from bolstering his president, Mr Cheney’s assault appeared to have merely encouraged growing criticism of his uncompromising style.'
John Kerry said that it was “hard to name a government official with less credibilty on Iraq” than Mr ["Last throes" "I had other priorities"] Cheney.
"That is exactly the kind of disgraceful fear tactic, scare tactic, exploitation that this administration has continually delved into in pursuit of this war. They did it all through the election last year where they tried to scare America and did, in many cases. And they're still doing it.
And I'm not going to listen to this vice president tell me that when they send troops without armor, when they send troops in inadequate numbers, when they send troops without the support structure they need, when they make the misjudgment that those troops are going to be welcomed as liberators with flowers strewn at their feet, when they make the misjudgment not even to secure ammo dumps, the ammo which is now being used against our troops… when they turn around and say to us, who all the time were saying don't do those things, that we're somehow putting the troops in jeopardy, I'm going to stand up and fight," Kerry told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
But the criticism came not just from Democrats.
Chuck Hagel, a senior senator and Vietnam veteran, betrayed growing Republican unease by declaring: “The Bush Administration must understand that each American has a right to question our policies in Iraq and should not be demonised for disagreeing with them.
“Suggesting that to challenge or criticise policy is undermining our troops is not democracy, nor what this country has stood for over 200 years.”
"That is exactly the kind of disgraceful fear tactic, scare tactic, exploitation that this administration has continually delved into in pursuit of this war. They did it all through the election last year where they tried to scare America and did, in many cases. And they're still doing it.
And I'm not going to listen to this vice president tell me that when they send troops without armor, when they send troops in inadequate numbers, when they send troops without the support structure they need, when they make the misjudgment that those troops are going to be welcomed as liberators with flowers strewn at their feet, when they make the misjudgment not even to secure ammo dumps, the ammo which is now being used against our troops… when they turn around and say to us, who all the time were saying don't do those things, that we're somehow putting the troops in jeopardy, I'm going to stand up and fight," Kerry told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
But the criticism came not just from Democrats.
Chuck Hagel, a senior senator and Vietnam veteran, betrayed growing Republican unease by declaring: “The Bush Administration must understand that each American has a right to question our policies in Iraq and should not be demonised for disagreeing with them.
“Suggesting that to challenge or criticise policy is undermining our troops is not democracy, nor what this country has stood for over 200 years.”
Even the mild-mannered Paul Begala was moved to go for Dick's cholesterol-laden jugular:
BEGALA, on CNN: But they don't need to do this politics of personal destruction, these personal attacks. I think they're incredibly desperate. Look at the optics of this. I don't know if they can put this back up, here. But can we take a look at Dick Cheney, just as someone -- I don't, of course, support him or like him.
But if I did, I would tell him don't go out there, you know, this fat, corpulent guy in a tuxedo standing up there talking about our soliders and then attacking Democrats. It is the worst image for the Republicans that they can imagine. I have no idea why they want Dick Cheney, of all people, to talk about what is dishonest and reprehensible.
Wolf BLITZER: He's the vice president.
BEGALA: But he's also dishonest and reprehensible. He's the most disliked … in America. He's got a favorable rating of 19 percent. We hate Dick Cheney. As a Democrat, I want Dick Cheney on TV in his fat tuxedo every day. It's the worst optic imaginable. Contrast that with Jack Murtha who's tough as a bar of iron.
Poor Wolfie had a tough time last night -But if I did, I would tell him don't go out there, you know, this fat, corpulent guy in a tuxedo standing up there talking about our soliders and then attacking Democrats. It is the worst image for the Republicans that they can imagine. I have no idea why they want Dick Cheney, of all people, to talk about what is dishonest and reprehensible.
Wolf BLITZER: He's the vice president.
BEGALA: But he's also dishonest and reprehensible. He's the most disliked … in America. He's got a favorable rating of 19 percent. We hate Dick Cheney. As a Democrat, I want Dick Cheney on TV in his fat tuxedo every day. It's the worst optic imaginable. Contrast that with Jack Murtha who's tough as a bar of iron.
"I'm coming to eat your puppy, Begala."
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