Cheney: Why Not Full Disclosure?

16 February 2006 |permalink | email article

The vice president accidentally shot a friend while quail-hunting on a Texas ranch early last Saturday evening. The president was informed third hand; the White House waited almost 24 hours instead of issuing an immediate response. The rest is like a bizarre remake of ìWag the Dog.î

The prominent Texas attorney, well known to the president, was treated at the scene by Secret Service agents, transferred to a local Corpus Christi hospital, had a minor heart attack and is now recovering.

The Secret Service informed local police, a guest said it was the victimís fault and Dick Cheney, too busy to comment, decided the ranch owner should first give the story to the local newspaper Sunday morning. The story was posted on its web site at 1:30 p.m. and news agencies get it an hour later.

At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Chief of Staff Andrew Card Jr. told the president about a hunting accident involving Cheneyís party. At 7 p.m., after speaking with the ranch owner, Karl Rove broke the news to George W. Bush. The presidentís consigliere, aware of the political ramifications, wanted the White House to issue a brief statement. But there was none because Bush was weak and Cheney insisted on complete control.

That Bush would defer to the famously reclusive Cheney when the administration is already far down in public opinion, and under siege on almost every domestic and foreign policy issue, reveals more than anything else that the vice president is really the shadow president. Think absolute executive power, CIA leak case, neocons, Iraq, energy task force secrets. The list is long.

It confirms my belief that Bush 41 and his closest associates wanted Cheney on the ticket to baby sit Bush 43 but, boy, how that strategy has backfired. Privately, Republicans are concerned Cheney is toast ñ a joke and no longer a political asset. 

ìStar Warsî filmmaker George Lucas best captured Cheney, saying this week in the empire Congress is irrelevant ìbecause the emperor controls everything.î Asked who the emperor might be, he said, ìItís not who you think. The emperor works behind Darth Vader.î The implication was Cheney would be cast as the behind-the-scenes-villain.

Yesterday, Cheney finally bowed to White House pressure. Reinforcing his disdain for mainstream media, he gave an exclusive interview to the conservative Fox cable network. Appearing contrite, he accepted full responsibility for the incident, insisting the delay was for ìaccuracyî in reporting but expressed no regret. Whoís buying it? 

Basic instinct matters.

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