Cheney's Cheney Unfiltered
Throughout the Bush presidency, he toiled in secrecy deep within the White House, a mysterious and feared presence who never stepped into the sunlight of public disclosure.
Until yesterday.
There he sat, hunched and scowling, at the witness table in front of the House Judiciary Committee: the bearded, burly form of the chief of staff and alter ego to the vice president -- Cheney's Cheney, if you will -- and the man most responsible for building President Bush's notion of an imperial presidency.
David Addington was there under subpoena. And he wasn't happy about it.
Could the president ever be justified in breaking the law? "I'm not going to answer a legal opinion on every imaginable set of facts any human being could think of," Addington growled. Did he consult Congress when interpreting torture laws? "That's irrelevant," he barked. Would it be legal to torture a detainee's child? "I'm not here to render legal advice to your committee," he snarled. "You do have attorneys of your own."
He had the grace of Gollum as he quarreled with his questioners. In response to one of the chairman's questions, he neither looked up nor spoke before finishing a note he was writing to himself. When Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) questioned his failure to remember conversations about interrogation techniques, he only looked at her and asked: "Is there a question pending, ma'am?" Finally, at the end of the hearing, Addington was asked whether he would meet privately to discuss classified matters. "You have my number," he said. "If you issue a subpoena, we'll go through this again."
Think of Addington as the id of the Bush White House. Though his hidden hand is often merely suspected -- in signing statements, torture policy and other brazen assertions of executive power -- Addington's unbridled hostility was live and unfiltered yesterday.
-- Dana Milbank
By Dana Milbank |
June 27, 2008; 12:00 AM ET
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Posted by: Concerned American | June 27, 2008 12:22 PM
Two bit opportunists like Addington and Yoo can always be found to do the dirty work. The real question is 'who enabled them'? Certainly Congress as well as 'We the People'. When my grandchild asks what was I doing when the Bush Administration was committing these flagrant violations of human rights and our Constitution,I am afraid I do not have a good answer.
Posted by: Charles Martin | June 28, 2008 9:06 AM
isn't such behavior a basis for contempt charges?
when will all addington's criminal associates hang themselves with redtape in auto-erotic glory? c'mon guys, its a bear-on-bull market!!!
seriously though: helooo out there?
any democrats going to enforce the constitution?
Posted by: bloggod | June 29, 2008 11:42 PM
What a terrible administration this is that occupies the White House. What a revolting, sickening shame it is in every way. Criminals, Incompetents, and Torturers All. Disgraceful.
Posted by: Ken Wood | June 30, 2008 1:53 PM
Right out in the open, on display -- the contempt for democracy which his masters attempt to keep a thin veil over.
Dave, it sure would be way cool if you only had to flatter the Maximum Leaders, eh -- like you've done up 'til now?
Posted by: macaca98506 | July 2, 2008 2:33 PM
"he [Cheney] toiled in secrecy deep within the White House"
What secrecy toiling is appropriate for a VP? Dana, please provide guidelines so as the next VP, cabinet member and government dogwalker don't injure your sensibilities.
What could be more classic red-meat for Bush haters than invoking the name of CHENEY!?
Posted by: Reader | July 3, 2008 8:37 AM
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Excellent..!!!
It's wonderful seeing that Addington didn't buy into the Dems political theater -