Bush Overlooks Ultimate Middle East Peacemaker

In his quest to continue and enhance Middle East Peace, President Bush may have made a critical oversight:

The Bush administration is laying the groundwork for an announcement of Tony Blair as special Middle East envoy for Palestinian governance and economic issues after he steps down as Britain's prime minister, following two months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, according to U.S. officials.

Blair would report to the so-called Quartet overseeing Middle East peace efforts--the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and Russia--and work on issues limited to the internal workings of a future Palestinian state. Political negotiations involving Palestinians, Israelis and the Arab states would be left to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the officials said.

The idea, first proposed by Rice, was embraced by the Israeli government during talks between President Bush and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this week. The Palestinians have yet to be approached, but U.S. officials believe they would welcome a Blair appointment.

When you think of the words "Middle East Peace," there is one man whose name is synonymous with the concept. And that name is Dick Cheney. Cheney has worked tirelessly for Middle East peace since the Gulf War, and as recent democratic elections in Iraq and the Palestinian territories show, the dividends are already becoming readily apparent. We saw Cheney's leadership proven once again on his recent Middle-East tour.

It is true that at one time, Tony Blair might have seemed a promising candidate for the role of Middle East Peacemaker (to his credit, Blair made possible the liberation of Iraq), and I suppose it is a good omen for Blair that Israel is backing him for his prospective new job, as it means that some Middle Eastern countries are already lining up behind him. But more than anything else, Blair should be disqualified for this role by his recent failure to nuke Iran and his speaking of French.

2008 Veepstakes: VP Thompson?

Bill over at OhioNeocon has mused about a possible Cheney-Thompson ticket, and I think it would definitely be strong. Fred Thompson is youthful (six years younger than McCain), and with Hollywood good looks. As Bill points out, the man is experienced as well. And now it looks like there are indications that a Cheney-Thompson ticket may be coming soon to a ballot box near you:

FRED THOMPSON IS adding more big-name policy talent as his testing-the-waters committee continues to grow into a real presidential campaign. Among the new additions: Mark Esper, national security adviser to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist; Joel Shin, a top policy staffer on Bush-Cheney 2000; and Elizabeth Cheney, a former top official in the State Department's Near East and South Asia department.

[...]
Liz Cheney, the older of Vice President Dick Cheney's two daughters, served most recently as principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs and coordinator for Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiatives. That title--no doubt one of the longest in the federal government--means that Cheney was on the leading edge of President Bush's effort to bring democratic and market-based reform to the region. A longtime democracy advocate, Cheney was a strong proponent of women's rights in the region. Her previous experience includes time at the World Bank, two prior stints at the State Department, and service as a US AID officer in Poland and Hungary.

If you are looking for hints that a Cheney-Thompson ticket might be in the works, there probably couldn't be a bigger one than Cheney's own daughter going to work for Thompson's campaign, setting up the legwork, so to speak. And you've got to give credit to OhioNeocon for breaking this story before anyone knew it was a story.

I still hope that Cheney considers Gonzales, but if he's made up his mind about Thompson, then it's certainly a choice I can live with.

Dick Cheney, Man of Peace

Some people on the left like to employ profanity and overly broad generalizations in a desperate attempt to win arguments which the facts would not otherwise allow them to do. These desperate tactics are on display daily on left-wing blogs such as The Katrinacrats and Atrios.

One such common left-wing falsehood is that Dick Cheney is a warmonger. Plainly, this is false. Dick Cheney is a man of peace, in fact the ultimate man of peace, because he is a man of peace with a plan b if the whole peace thing doesn't work out. And plan B is war.

When you go to the doctor for a major operation, you want him to have a plan of action in case something doesn't go as expected. And peace is a wonderful ideal, but you want a leader who has a "plan b" as well.

Colin Powell Announces Support for Dick Cheney for President

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has announced he intends to support Dick Cheney for President.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has sought out former Secretary of State Colin Powell for advice on foreign policy matters.

While Powell served in the administrations of two Republican presidents, he said Sunday it was too early in the 2008 race to say whether he would back the GOP nominee.

"I'm going to support the best person that I can find who will lead this country for the eight years beginning in January of 2009," Powell said.

Eight years as VP, four as secretary of defense, 10 years in Congress, service to four presidents: the best person that Powell could possibly find is Dick Cheney. I'd say a Powell endorsement is a pretty significant acheivement for the nascent Cheney campaign.

Cheney Doctrine Spreads Democracy Around the World

Democracy is truly spreading around the world. Now thanks to the Cheney Doctrine, it has taken root even in the darkest corners of Siberia.

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany, June 6 -- President Bush Wednesday struck a more conciliatory tone in advance of a planned Thursday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the two countries had a post-Cold War "friendship" that transcends current controversy over a proposed U.S. missile defense system and concerns about the direction of Russian democracy.

Rhetoric on both sides has been sharp in recent days, with Putin saying he would retarget Russian missiles at Europe if the United States proceeds with a plan to station missile defense facilities in Poland and the Czech Republic, and Bush saying Tuesday that Russia had "derailed" democratic reforms.

But as he arrived here for a summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations and prepared for a session with Putin Thursday, Bush downplayed the war of words and suggested that Putin's comments may have been tailored for hometown consumption -- a sign, Bush said, that democracy is taking root in the country.

"Russia is not a threat . . . I don't think Vladimir Putin intends to attack Europe," Bush said. "Do you think he is trying to position himself at home? . . . When public opinion influences leadership, it is an indication that there is involvement of the people.

It's hard to see how even the most liberal democrat would object to increasingly apparent involvement of the Russian people in the affairs of their government. I'm sure they'll find a way, though.

The Ticker

I've added a new feature, highlighting key contributions made by Dick Cheney to the greatness of America. Let me know if I left anything out.

Bush and Cheney Fight to Protect Economic Growth, Fairness

It's pretty indisputable that the Bush-Cheney administration has presided over the greatest economic growth ever experienced in the history of our country. And the key to much of that growth has come from something that is part of the American tradition, entrepreneurship:

Indicators measure the nation’s unemployment rate, consumer spending and other economic milestones, but Vice President Dick Cheney says it misses the hundreds of thousands who make money selling on eBay.

“That’s a source that didn’t even exist 10 years ago,” Cheney told an audience in Cincinnati on Thursday. “Four hundred thousand people make some money trading on eBay.”

Even though the Bush-Cheney administration has presided over a period of record economic growth, prudently, they work to ensure that this growth is controlled and thus sustainable:

Several mothers who have lost children at war in Iraq took part in a new talk show today on National Public Radio.

One of them, Elaine Johnson, recounted a meeting that she had with President Bush in which he gave her a presidential coin and told her and five other families: "Don’t go sell it on eBay.”

Another reason we need Dick Cheney as president is to ensure all the jobs created on Ebay are not lost, and that Presidential coins are not simply sold to the highest bidder.

Cheney Defends Religious Freedom

WASHINGTON (AP) - A lawyer for Vice President Dick Cheney told the Secret Service in September to eliminate data on who visited Cheney at his official residence, a newly disclosed letter states. The Sept. 13, 2006, letter from Cheney's lawyer says logs for Cheney's residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory are subject to the Presidential Records Act.

Such a designation prevents the public from learning who visited the vice president.

The Justice Department filed the letter Friday in a lawsuit by a private group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, seeking the identities of conservative religious leaders who visited Cheney at his official residence.

[...]"The latest filings make clear that the administration has been destroying documents and entering into secret agreements in violation of the law," said Anne Weismann, CREW's chief counsel.

In the course of a war on terror in which Islamofascists want to make us all read the Koran, it is important that the government be able to conduct meetings with Christian religious leaders to find the way to best combat this threat and support Christianity.

Osama bin Laden doesn't have to worry about the prospect of someone subpoenaing his visitor logs of meetings with religious leaders, and Cheney shouldn't have to either. To say otherwise would cede a major advantage to the terrorists, and would signify a major blow for religious freedom.

The Greatest Generation, Plus Cheney

The generation of Americans which fought and won WWII has been called the "greatest generation," and that is certainly a well-deserved title. Although Dick Cheney was not old enough to fight in WWII, and thus never experienced the horrors of battle first-hand, it is easy to imagine that had he been old enough to fight during this time period, Cheney would have been on the front-lines, inflicting serious blows against the axis powers.

Indeed, when you think of Dick Cheney, the man certainly does evoke many of the characteristics we associate with the "greatest generation," particularly that of sacrifice. The "greatest generation" was in part great because of the magnitude of the sacrifices they made for their country. And Dick Cheney's life has been a profile in sacrifice. It began when, as a young man, Cheney, after initially attending Yale University, left the school, and turned away from the prestige associated with an Ivy League education, and instead decided to return home to the great state of Wyoming and make it a better state.

After getting a Bachelor's and Master's degree in political science (how many Presidents can boast of that?), and completing his doctoral studies in the same field, Cheney turned down a leisurely career in socialist academia, what with 3-day work weeks and three-month long summer breaks, opting instead to serve his country once again, this time in the Nixon administration, instead of completing his doctoral thesis.

And after a lengthy period of continuous public service, both advising Presidents and serving in Congress, Cheney decided to turn his considerable talents to the private sector. But, in typical Cheney fashion, he didn't choose just any private sector job, but rather one where the main goal was to help our brave troops, working for the Halliburton corporation.

But alas, Cheney's desire to directly serve the public proved stronger than anything else once again, and in 2000, Cheney stepped down from Halliburton, foregoing fortune for the opportunity to serve our country yet again, this time as Vice President.

The greatest generation's sacrifice and service to country made them seem larger than life, and much like their lives, the narrative of Dick Cheney's life has also been above all about sacrifice and service to country, and it is for this very reason that Dick Cheney just might be the last member of the greatest generation.

Dick Cheney's a Real Man

While some people on the left, lacking anything of substance with which to criticize Cheney, in desperation are trying to imply that the man is gay, the fact of the matter is that Cheney is the very personification of masculine vigor.

I will say that although it is pretty difficult to dispute that in every major decision in which Cheney has been involved over the past six years, the man has been right, I think there is one area were it is true that Cheney's leadership could have been more evident, and that is the fact that he allowed his daughter to become gay.

Although like many gays, Mary Cheney was tempted into homosexuality during the anything-goes licentiousness of the Clinton years, some might wonder why Dick Cheney didn't do more to keep her from making the wrong choice. In fact some would say that Cheney himself even gave in to temptation during this period, for a time relying on his charisma to pursue an acting career in Hollywood.

But it is evident that Cheney has learned from his mistakes,abandoning Hollywood to fight the good fight against islamofascism, and in the process Cheney's leadership becoming even more decisive. And it is in part this decisiveness we have come to associate with Cheney that makes the man such an attractive candidate in 2008.

Cheney's Got a Nicer Desk

US Stands Up for Iraqi Democracy

Is Al-Maliki Arabic for cut-and-run? For a long time, the Bush administration and its supporters have rightly accused democrat members of congress who wish to cut-and-run of turning their backs on the Iraqi people.

So when the Iraqi government itself decides to cut-and-run on the Iraqi people by mandating a US troop withdrawal, the situation simply cannot stand. Fortunately, the Bush administration gets this:

Publicly, Administration officials say they remain committed to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, even though his Government has failed to achieve any of the legislative "benchmarks" sought by US officials.

But privately, some US officials acknowledge that the clamour from Congress to find another approach will increase sharply as the months pass and no progress is made on national reconciliation.

Intervention "is the eternal temptation for the Americans", said one US official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"As we get closer and closer to (northern autumn), and the benchmarks are not met … there will be a growing appeal to the idea that if we can replace the top guy, we can get back on track."

Replacing the top guy would be an incredibly simple solution. With obstructionist cut-and-run al-Maliki gone, we would finally have an effective government which is willing to help the Iraqis enjoy the fruits of their hard-won Democracy. Is it possible that George Bush is finally listening to Cheney?

Another Big Cheney Advantage Over 08 Candidates

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s turbulent final years as first lady? While Mrs. Clinton, Democrat of New York, frequently invokes husband Bill on the stump, she has managed to avoid any mention of his impeachment and the unpleasantness leading to it.

Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, almost never brings up campaign finance overhaul, perhaps his signature achievement in the Senate. The McCain-Feingold law is loathed by many of the conservatives Mr. McCain is courting, and he typically only discusses the measure when opponents hurl it at him — as Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, did in a debate on Tuesday.

For his part, Mr. Romney likes to promote his experience as a governor, but is often coy about where he governed. (Hint: it is viewed by many Republicans as an outpost of run-amok liberalism.) In campaign ads running in early primary states, Mr. Romney boasts that he was “the Republican governor who turned around a Democratic state” and “vetoed hundreds of spending appropriations.” But you would never know where.

[...]

When Mr. Romney does mention Massachusetts, it is hardly with native pride: Responding to a question during the debate, he referred to his home of almost 40 years as “that very difficult state” and “the toughest of states.”

In an internal Romney campaign memorandum obtained by The Boston Globe in February, Massachusetts is listed as a potentially effective “bogeyman” for Mr. Romney (along with “European-style socialism,” “Jihadism” and “Hillary Clinton.”)

“Romney is trying to say that he foiled a robbery in a brothel, the brothel being Massachusetts,” said Ralph Whitehead, a political analyst at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. “But the question people will ask is, what was he doing in the brothel in the first place?”

One big advantage Dick Cheney has is that he is no typical politician. The man's life is an open book. What you see is what you get. Everyone knows what Dick Cheney stands for. He never secretly supported campaign finance "reform," nor has he ever been in a brothel. The guy is the real deal. No secretiveness, just authenticity. The more you think about it, the plainer it seems Dick Cheney really would be a breath of fresh air, both in the 2008 race, and for the country as President.

Cheney Should Sue Valerie Plame for Treason

If there's one thing Democrats are good at, it's filing frivolous lawsuits.

Attorneys for Vice President Cheney and top White House officials told a federal judge today they cannot be held liable for anything they disclosed to reporters about covert CIA officer Valerie Plame or her husband, former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV.

The officials, who include senior White House adviser Karl Rove and Cheney's former chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, argued that the judge should dismiss a lawsuit filed by Wilson that stemmed from the disclosure of Plame's identity to the media.

The suit claims that Cheney, Libby, Rove and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage violated the couple's privacy and constitutional rights by publicly revealing Plame's identity in an effort to retaliate against Wilson. Plame's identity was disclosed in a syndicated column in July 2003, days after Wilson publicly accused the Bush administration of twisting intelligence to exaggerate Iraq's nuclear threat and justify an attack on Baghdad.

Libby was convicted in March of lying to a grand jury investigating the leak.

Attorneys for Cheney and the other officials said any conversations they had about Plame with each other and reporters were part of their normal job duties because they were discussing foreign policy and engaging in an appropriate "policy dispute." Cheney's attorney went farther, arguing that Cheney is legally akin to the president because of his unique government role, and has absolute immunity from any lawsuit.

"So you're arguing there is nothing -- absolutely nothing - these officials could have said to reporters that would have been beyond the scope of their employment [whether it was] true or false?," U.S. District Judge John D. Bates asked.

"That's true, your honor [...]

The next step here should be a suit against Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson by Cheney for treason. Government employees should not publicly criticize the government, but to do so about the way the war on terror is being fought gives comfort to the terrorists and demoralizes the troops in the battlefield.

Also, has anyone ever heard of sovereign immunity? The head of state cannot be prosecuted for actions he takes in leading the country. Cheney definitely doesn't have anything to worry about here.