(CNN) – White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs took a slap at Dick Cheney Monday, likening the former vice president to controversial talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh.
The comments came at the White House daily briefing, during which Gibbs dismissed Cheney's statement Sunday on CNN that several of President Obama's policies had left the country less safe.
"Well, I guess Rush Limbaugh was busy, so they trotted out the next most popular member of the Republican cabal," he said. "I would say that the president has made quite clear that keeping the American people safe and secure is the job - is the most serious job that he has each and every day.”
On CNN's State of The Union with John King Sunday, Cheney defended the Bush administration's policies on the handling of enemy combatants.
"I think those programs were absolutely essential to the success we enjoy, of being able to collect the intelligence that let us defeat all further attempts to launch attacks against the United States since 9/11," he said. "I think it's a great success story. It was done legally, it was done in accordance with our constitutional practices and principles…"
Gibbs later dialed back his comments, after being asked by a reporter if the sarcasm was the official White House "sanctioned tone" toward the vice president.
Watch: Cheney questions Obama's policies
"Some times I ask forgiveness, rather than for permission," he said. "I hope my sarcasm didn't mask the seriousness of the answer…that for seven plus years the very perpetrators that the vice president says he's concerned about weren't brought to justice."
From CNN Politics
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Anonymous-- No he's the new Jimmy Carter.
Gibbs should be more professional...then again, look at his boss.
People, it's ACTUALLY the dreaded Bush years that made this country UNSAFE and B R O K E.
Thanks tricky DICK try and try AGAIN.
Matt in DC
Gibbs is a cheap man defending his master "the chosen".
I think Big Spender is an idiot and lollisucker. More respect, hahaha. Big Spender you need to ask for forginess after making that ignorant statement after 8 years of Bush we are in this mess because of it. We don't need you, go to Canada with Rush and his buddies.
Cheney is a war criminal. Rush Limbaugh is an egotistical, Oxycontin-addicted pompous partisan attack dog. I don't know which is worse. Both committed crimes. One violated the Constitutiona and internation law, while the use abused prescription drugs. So far, both have enjoyed immunity from their crimes and are free to continue to engage in lies, insults and hate speech.
James:
The Republican party is a joke and in complete disrarry, thus your message about Democrats' "sad sorry lives" makes no sense but I guess everyone needs a place to vent.
My parents here in "Red State" South Carolina always said that if you change you story everytime you are asked the SAME question, then you are lying. This is the legacy of Bush/Cheney to me.
Cheney is the guy that said "A vote for a Democrat is a vote for the terrorist". Well my son has been to Iraq twice and he votes Democrat. Does this mean every soldier that votes Democrat support terrorist?
This guy has NO credibility.
Silly democrats, you'll see the ruin that's left after this social experiment. Hope you like calling each other comrade...
Have you noticed that Cheney never looks anyone in the
eye when
As sickening as this calculus sounds, the reality is the more Cheney pops up and sounds off, the more rational and safe he makes his political opponents appear. In the last two elections, Cheney and his ilk were exposed for the con men they are. They are a dying breed. Mehgan McCain is the new blood the REpubs desperately need.
A big thanks to Robert Gibbs for my best chuckle of the day!!! What a great line when he said "Well, I guess Rush Limbaugh was busy, so they trotted out the next most popular member of the Republican cabal.". Love it!! You go, Mr. Gibbs.
As an old, retired guy, I have seen many Presdients come and go. This President has inherited the worst situtation I have ever seen. For the former Vice-President to parade around making disingenuous comments is outrageous. I give Mr. Gibbs high marks for his ability to answer the most leading questions with fitting remarks.
Good for Gibbs! Cheney's comments were so outrageous, politically motivated, self-service, and downright absurd, I'm glad Gibbs called him out in such a direct way. Please, god, can't Bush and Cheney just go away??? Maybe the nation could start healing from 8 of the most disastrous years in history if they would.
What is this waste of humanity doing out of prison? He should have been executed a long time ago.
When is the Obama White House going to stop campaigning against Bush? Hasn't anyone told Obama that he won the election, and that Bush wasn't even running in it?
Fear mongering? Still after all these years? Even after his administration is gone and his neo con movement has been ushered out by the American people, he is still fear mongering. This guy Cheney is like a cancer. And the conservatives are still falling for it.
I love it. Dick Cheny can basically insult the sitting president on a nationally televised interview but if Robert Gibbs uses a little sarcasm he is being disrespectful. You know whats disrespectful, driving the country that elected you off a cliff. Don't see any republicant's owning up to that one. Dick Cheny diserves nothing but sarcasm and thats being nice to the guy.
Dick Cheney is an American Hero. The current closn could learn a thing or two from him about freedom and it what it takes to preserve it.
Obama just wants to take all our freedoms away.
Did someone forget to remind that bald-headed, four-eyed retard that when 9/11 happened it was Republicans, including him, that controlled the White House, the governorship of New York and the mayor of New York City were in charge. I hardly think we were safer with those morons in charge and I certainly think we are safer now that we have a President that is capable of completing whole sentences.
Give the Rush thing a rest, Democrats. It's really starting to sound rather childish.
Rush Limbaugh for President. At least he would know what he's doing instead of trying to fake it with nitwit Axelrod telling him what to say. That gutter scum in Washington is a joke.GO BACK TO CHICAGO!
Get a life Dick move into a cave the American people don't want to here anymore about you.
Welcome to the new third world country America...the boarders are open to everyone..come on in...
Someone has to say the Truth.. Thanks go to Mr Cheney for his candid and honest comments... Wish there were more like him...
BTW, where would Mr obama be without his teleprompter and the fawning media? ...Obama would be no more than an unknown agitator.