Biden responds to Cheney’s revisionist history

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who just celebrated the fourth anniversary of shooting his friend in the face, crawled out from his hole the other day, like Punxsutawney Phil, and assessed the political environment. And, finding people not shitting their pants in fear, he decided to ratchet up the neocon rhetoric. He accused the Obama administration of coddling terrorists, by attempting to try them in civilian court, and suggested that no one at the White House was taking the threat seriously. He said that Obama should have waterboarded “underwear bomber” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. And, he implied both that trying foreign citizens in American courts was unheard of, and that we’re less safe as a result of Obmama attempting to do so. Of course, he neglected to mention that according to the Supreme Court, anyone on American soil, even if they’re not a citizen, is entitled to due process, legal counsel, a trial, etc. And, he also neglected to mention that his administration treated Richard “shoe bomber” Reid in the exact same manner… Fortunately, though, Joe Biden was there to smack him back down into his dark hole.

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And, contrary to what they want to you to believe, the 9/11 attacks didn’t happen on the Democrats’ watch, either.

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15 Comments

  1. Crud
    Posted February 15, 2010 at 11:02 am | Permalink

    I like the groundhog analogy. It does seem like the evil old son of a bitch pops up about once a year to tell us that we’re doomed.

  2. Kim
    Posted February 15, 2010 at 11:08 am | Permalink

    Cheney should be in hiding somewhere, hoping to stay out of prison for lying us into war. His balls must be enormous.

  3. Andy Ypsilanti
    Posted February 15, 2010 at 11:52 am | Permalink

    Don’t forget Dick’s feelings about Sarah.

    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/15/cheney-dodges-palin-question-2/?hpt=Sbin&fbid=JpHYCsMzqk_

  4. Kevin P
    Posted February 15, 2010 at 1:03 pm | Permalink

    Speaking of the dark one, did you happen to catch this headline?

    “Dick Cheney Admits to Torture Conspiracy”

    http://www.alternet.org/story/145671/dick_cheney_admits_to_torture_conspiracy

    So, yes, if I were him I’d stay quietly hiding.

  5. Oliva
    Posted February 15, 2010 at 7:18 pm | Permalink

    “Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who just celebrated the fourth anniversary of shooting his friend in the face . . .”

    Can you imagine what might have been if it had gone the other way and his friend had shot him in the face? For one thing, the old guy might actually have been waterboarded–seriously (given that Cheney is demonically sick and twisted and seems to be impaired from long-term illness being kept under wraps or not yet diagnosed). Prolonged fear states cause mental illness, so he did it to himself, but what a bad man for trying to scare everybody else too. (The fear response was meant to be an alarm only, with recovery following and then a return to a balanced state of being, but to exist in fear perpetually is like failing to turn off the alarm clock, useful for getting woken up but not so good to have blaring round the clock.)

  6. Robert
    Posted October 9, 2011 at 10:40 pm | Permalink

    Anybody wanna make bets on whether or not Kurt and Lori Haskell are called as witnesses in the “underwear bomber” trial?

    I’ll give 10 to 1 odds they never even mention them, or anything they witnessed at the ticket gate in Amsterdam.

  7. Edward
    Posted October 10, 2011 at 7:56 am | Permalink

    Are you going to make me Google this, Robert? What did they see?

  8. Edward
    Posted October 10, 2011 at 7:58 am | Permalink

    Was a man who looked like Dick Cheney, only with a bushy black mustache, trading underwear with a young man behind a blanket?

  9. Robert
    Posted October 10, 2011 at 10:23 am | Permalink

    Kurt and Lori Haskell are witnesses who were on the flight. Because of all they saw they would be very crutial witnesses if this were a real trial. But I can almost guarantee they won’t be called to testify. Several other witnesses have corraborated their accounts and won’t be called either.

    Sorry, Edward. You would have to follow the story yourself if you had any interest.

  10. Robert
    Posted October 10, 2011 at 10:26 am | Permalink

    And sorry that I mispelled “crucial” and “corroborated.”

  11. Robert
    Posted October 12, 2011 at 12:16 pm | Permalink

    See what I mean. No trial.

    TODAY’S COURTROOM BLOG: UNDERWEAR BOMBER PLEADS GUILTY

    Free Press staff writer David Ashenfelter is blogging live today from U.S. District Court in Detroit on the second day of testimony in the terrorism trial for Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who is accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound jetliner on Christmas Day 2009. You can also follow him on Twitter @dashenfelter.

    11:25 a.m.
    Outside the courthouse, Abdulmutallab’s lawyer, Anthony Chambers, said he hadn’t his client to plead guilty.

    “It’s disappointing,” he said, adding that he never wants a client to plead guilty to charges that could result in a life sentence. He said Abdulmutallab made the decision on his own and announced it this morning.

    He said he thinks he had a viable defense to some of the charges, adding that he questions whether the aircraft was damaged by the bombing attempt.

    He said the guilty plea enables his client to get on with the rest of his life and read a statement in court to explain his actions.

    11 a.m.
    Edmunds just excused the jury. She said jurors could talk with reporters if they wanted to, but they decided against it. They’re leaving the courthouse.

    10:42 a.m.
    Edmunds just found Abdulmutallab competent and is accepting his guilty pleas. She just found him guilty. She referred the matter to the probation department for a presentence investigation report. Sentencing set for Thursday, Jan. 12, 2 p.m.

    10:38 a.m.
    Tukel says he is satisfied with the defendant’s plea.

    10:35 a.m.
    He said committing jihad against the United States is one of “the most virtuous acts” a Muslim can perform.

    10:34 a.m.
    He warned the U.S. that, if it continued to murder innocent Muslims, a calamity would befall the U.S.

    If you laugh at us now, we will laugh at you later,” he said.

    10:32 a.m.
    Abdulmutallab read from a statement saying he was guilty under U.S. law, but not under Islamic law, for the crimes charged. He said he tried to carry out the bombing in retaliation for the murder of innocent civilians in Iraq, Israel, Afghanistan, Somalia and elsewhere by the United States.

    10:23 a.m.
    He said the same thing in response to Counts 5-6.

    He also pleaded guilty to Count 7.

    10:18 a.m.
    How do you plead to Count 4? Edmunds asked.

    “I plead guilty,” he said.

    10:16 a.m.
    How do you plead to Count 1? Edmunds asked Abdulmutallab.

    “I plead guilty,” he said.

    How do you plead to Count 2? Edmunds asked.

    “I plead guilty,” he said.

    How do you plead to Count 3? Edmunds asked.

    “I plead guilty,” he said.

    10:15 a.m.
    Abdulmutallab is facing 30 years to life in prison.

    Here are the charges and penalties:

    Count 1: Conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. Penalty: Up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine, mandatory consecutive to other sentences.

    Count 2: Possession of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence. Penalty: 30 years to life in prison and a $250,000 fine, mandatory consecutive.

    Count 3: Attempted murder on an airline. Penalty: Up to 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

    Count 4: Using and carrying a destructive device during a crime of violence. Penalty: 30 years to life and in prison, a $250,000 fine, mandatory consecutive.

    Count 5: Placing a destructive device that endangers the safety of a civil aircraft. Penalty: Up to 20 years in prison, $250,000 fine.

    Count 6: Possession of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence. Penalty: 30 years to life in prison, and a $250,000 fine, mandatory consecutive.

    Count 7: Attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. Penalty: Up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Count 8: Attempting to destroy a civil aircraft. Penalty: Up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    10:09 a.m.
    It appears that Abdulmutallab will plead guilty to all of the charges.

    10:07 a.m.
    He says he understands his rights and wants to plead guilty.

    The judge is going over the penalties.

    10:06 a.m.
    Abdulmutallab says he’s satisfied with Chambers and the advice he has received.

    Edmunds is going over his rights.

    10:04 a.m.
    Edmunds is swearing Abdulmutallab in.

    Abdulmutallab is standing at the podium flanked by his standby lawyer, Anthony Chambers, and prosecutor Tukel.

    He says he is 25 years old. He says he has an engineering degree and before that, he has been through high school. He says he is fluent in English, which we knew.

    He says he has never been treated for mental illness or drug or alcohol abuse.

    Edmunds says he is competent to proceed.

    10:00 a.m.
    Edmunds is asking Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tukel to go through the charges against Abdulmutallab. There are eight counts. The most serious counts carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    9:59 a.m.
    Chamber says his client plans to plead guilty.

    Edmunds is advising him of his rights. She will put him under oath. The defendant is standing at the podium.

    9:54 a.m.
    Abdulmutallab just reentered the courtroom. He’s sitting at the defense table conferring with Chambers, his standby lawyer. We’re waiting for the judge to take the bench.

    9:23 a.m.
    Tresa said there’s some strange body language between Chambers and Abdulmutallab and the other players in the courtroom this morning. When Edmunds announced that another matter had come to her attention that warranted a recess — the second such recess in two days — a silence hung in the air. Maybe the defendant has decided to go it alone without Anthony Chambers as his standby lawyer. We’ll see.

    9:13 a.m.
    Free Press Reporter Tresa Baldas, who is sitting in the courtroom, said Abdulmutallab left the courtroom with a manila folder in his cuffed hands. Before leaving, he stuffed what looked like his own papers into the envelope. He was escorted out of the courtroom by marshals – without defense attorney Chambers.

    I’m blogging from a media room on the second floor. It has a closed-circuit television feed from the courtroom several floors above. Tresa is in the courtroom to get a close-up look at what’s going on.

    I feel as though we just boarded a plane and are sitting on the runway waiting to take off.

    There was speculation after a long recess Tuesday that the defendant wants to make his own opening statement or wants to plead guilty. But we don’t know if it’s good speculation.

    9:06 a.m.
    The defendant entered the courtroom a few moments ago. He’s wearing a dark jacket over a long brown tunic or dashiki.

    The judge just entered the courtroom.

    Defense attorney Anthony Chambers has asked for a sidebar – a private conversation at the side of the judge’s bench.

    Edmunds just announced that a matter has come up that will require a 45-minute recess.

    We’re on hold.

    8:55 a.m.
    We’re expecting testimony from at least three new witnesses today:

    Richard Cho, a flight attendant; Dominique VandeVelde, a Dutch citizen traveling with her sister to shop in New York, and Krista Williams, a passenger from Indiana, who was returning from Africa with her husband and an adopted child.

    The prosecution is expected to lead off with Michael Zantow, who testified Tuesday.

    7:54 a.m.
    We’re back in federal court today for the second day of testimony in the trial of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. The 24-year-old Nigerian, described by prosecutors as a student-turned-Islamic extremist, is accused of trying to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day 2009.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tukel gave an opening statement to the jury Tuesday laying out in great detail what happened that day.

    The best quote Tuesday came from passenger Mike Zantow of Wisconsin, who said he knew something was wrong on the flight when another passenger yelled at Abdulmutallab: “Hey dude, your pants are on fire.”

    Abdulmutallab is facing a possible life sentence if convicted.

    Today’s testimony is expected to resume with Zantow on the witness stand.

  12. Alberto
    Posted October 12, 2011 at 7:34 pm | Permalink

    Here’s another conspiracy for you to look into, Robert, when you have time.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ElFjDEd5g&feature=related

  13. Robert
    Posted October 13, 2011 at 5:51 pm | Permalink

    Now that Abdulmutallab has been plead guilty to all the charges, witness Kurt Haskell says he will file a civil suit against the federal government.

  14. Conspiracy Bug
    Posted October 13, 2011 at 8:11 pm | Permalink

    So, how long do you give him before he “commits suicide”?

  15. Robert
    Posted October 14, 2011 at 2:18 pm | Permalink

    I don’t think that would come until other means to shut him down have been exhausted.

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