(Political) perspective
"When I became Vice President, one of the reasons the President picked me had to do with my own background as Secretary of Defense and a member of the Intelligence Committee, former White House chief of staff. Getting into the national-security arena, working with the intelligence community and so forth were things he wanted me to do. And I did." Dick Cheney, interviewed by Paul Moakley, Jackson Hole, Wyo. July 6, 2011 [page 36, Time Magazine Special Commemorative Issue "September 19, 2011"]
No other vice president ever in essence picked himself for the position, as Mr. Cheney did as the head of Mr. Bush's vice-presidential search in the 2000 campaign. http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/dick_cheney/index.html The New York Times Monday, September 12, 2011
"Iraq was of concern because you had this problem of weapons of mass destruction combined with the possibility of terrorists' acquiring that kind of capability . . .we needed to deal with Iraq as the next major threat. I think we've made significant progress in Iraq. I think the world is much safer today - and I know the people of Iraq are in much better shape - as a result of the actions we took." op. cit.
"I'll always be grateful to George Bush for selecting me." op. cit.
"I took the oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It's a special privilege to be asked to do that. I can't think of anything more important than what we did do." op. cit.
Mr. Cheney has shown what can happen when a vice president - a position that is easy to lampoon and overlook - is given free rein by the president and does not care about trampling on the Constitution. . . He dedicated himself to expanding President Bush’s authority and arrogating to himself executive, legislative and legal powers that are nowhere in the Constitution.. . . [Joseph Biden] had it exactly right when he told [Ms Couric] that Mr. Cheney’s theory of the “unitary executive” held that “Congress and the people have no power in a time of war.” And he had it right in the debate when he called Mr. Cheney “the most dangerous vice president we’ve had in American history.”
New York Times Editorial "Dick Cheney, Role Model" Published: October 3, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/opinion/04sat1.html
"Ah wad some power the giftie gie us
To see ourselves as others see us."
- Robert Burns
No other vice president ever in essence picked himself for the position, as Mr. Cheney did as the head of Mr. Bush's vice-presidential search in the 2000 campaign. http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/dick_cheney/index.html The New York Times Monday, September 12, 2011
"Iraq was of concern because you had this problem of weapons of mass destruction combined with the possibility of terrorists' acquiring that kind of capability . . .we needed to deal with Iraq as the next major threat. I think we've made significant progress in Iraq. I think the world is much safer today - and I know the people of Iraq are in much better shape - as a result of the actions we took." op. cit.
"I'll always be grateful to George Bush for selecting me." op. cit.
"I took the oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. It's a special privilege to be asked to do that. I can't think of anything more important than what we did do." op. cit.
Mr. Cheney has shown what can happen when a vice president - a position that is easy to lampoon and overlook - is given free rein by the president and does not care about trampling on the Constitution. . . He dedicated himself to expanding President Bush’s authority and arrogating to himself executive, legislative and legal powers that are nowhere in the Constitution.. . . [Joseph Biden] had it exactly right when he told [Ms Couric] that Mr. Cheney’s theory of the “unitary executive” held that “Congress and the people have no power in a time of war.” And he had it right in the debate when he called Mr. Cheney “the most dangerous vice president we’ve had in American history.”
New York Times Editorial "Dick Cheney, Role Model" Published: October 3, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/opinion/04sat1.html
"Ah wad some power the giftie gie us
To see ourselves as others see us."
- Robert Burns