Pelosi and Cheney Torture Their Parties on CIA Lies and National Security Threats
By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
Even as Nancy Pelosi was being interrogated by members of the media over her tortured explanations about who knew what when and who lied to whom regarding U.S. use of torture, Democrats got some good news on the subject: A new poll from Rasmussen Reports says that a majority of Americans don't buy Dick Cheney's line of attack that President Obama and his administration are endangering national security.
Pity the political parties. The Democrats have the moral high ground on the torture issue, but Pelosi's uncharacteristically inept handling of what she knew and when she knew it has given the Republicans a huge cudgel with which to beat her. (A big wall against which to throw her? A small cramped corner in which they can make her stand uncomfortably?) One doubts whether her accusation that the CIA lied to her will play well politically—voters are happy to blame pols and policymakers, but may be more loath to turn on the careerists who are presumably toiling on the front lines of the battle against al Qaeda.
Republicans, on the other hand, are saddled with Dick Cheney, the cranky old uncle who, suddenly bereft of actual power, won't go back to his undisclosed location. And as my colleague Ken Walsh reports (as does the Washington Post), the GOP wants nothing more than for the former vice president to pipe down and get off the stage. Republicans might be drawing a winning hand on national security issues (witness Senate Democrats' attempt to draw up a bill that will shut down Guantanamo provided none of the prisoners come here), but for the fact that Cheney's miasmic poll ratings may yet pollute the issue for them. Fully 58 percent of unaffiliated voters, according to Rasmussen, view Cheney unfavorably. If you haven't seen it, I commend this cartoon to you which nicely sums up the Cheney effect, I think.
I wonder if the GOP and Democrats could broker a deal whereby Cheney and Pelosi would be removed from the torture debate entirely for being cruel and unusual to their respective parties.
Check out our political cartoons.
- Read more by Robert Schlesinger.
- Read more from the Thomas Jefferson Street blog.
- Read more about Dick Cheney.
Tags: Nancy Pelosi | Dick Cheney | torture
Tools: 
Share
|
| Comments (12) | Print
Reader Comments
pelosi/cheney torture
I'm sorry, but both of these old farts need to take a seat in the back of the bus. What did they do, take a tour? I can't even visualize either of them having any true knowledge of what the CIA, FBI, HOMELAND SECURITY, the American Red Cross do. It would take professional liaisons to inform the American people about anything as important as our protection, and those set in place to make certain we have no worries. Enemy countries would not be concerned with protecting Americans. When it comes to the safety of my loved ones, whatever works, dear. Go sit down, and let the Big Boys work it out. DisappointedDemocrat/Philadelphia, Pa.
Pelosi & Short term memory loss
Job #1 will repairing her bona fides with the pixies of the forest (yes we can!).Obvious to all now, she's "just a working girl",like any ward politician.P.S ,the rather large sea fowl affixed to her neck is wearing Calvin Klein.
Stupidity Reigns
It is quite possible that Nancy Pelosi is telling her version of the truth. After all, the woman is so utterly stupid that maybe what she is saying is all she actually remembers being told. Her intellect is as miniscule as a tse tse fly's and perhaps she is just an idiot, and her stupidity has simply compounded her ignorance to the point of being ridiculous. Don't give her more credit than she deserves. She is a moron that is being played superbly by the Agency. And, given this mess, we have CIA Director Pannetta over a barrell. He is playing defense with his own work force. I couldn't have designed this better myself.
advertisement
