(CNN) - Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told CNN former Vice President Dick Cheney's repeated charge the Obama administration has made the country less safe is wrong.
"Yeah, I disagree with Dick Cheney," the Pennsylvania Republican and former Bush administration official told CNN's John King, adding he does not think the country is more vulnerable to an attack under President Obama.
Ridge's comments come after both Obama and Cheney gave dueling speeches on national security, during which the president sharply condemned Bush administration interrogation practices while Cheney vigorously defended them.
In the interview with CNN, set to air in full on State of The Union with John King Sunday, Ridge said he disagrees with "the approach both men are taking."
"It's just the whole notion of a Republican vice president giving a speech after the incumbent Democratic president," he said. "It's gotta go beyond the politics of either party."
The former Pennsylvania governor also took issue with a portion of Obama's speech, during which he said some Bush national security decisions were based on "fear, rather than foresight."
"I'm surprised that President Obama, who I really, truly believe knows better, would make such a statement," said Ridge. "The men and women in charge of America's security, whether they're military, or the intelligence community - the president, the vice president, the attorney general, the FBI director - did everything they could at the time to prevent another attack on America. And did it consistent with the Constitution and the rule of law."
Ridge, who served as the country's first homeland security secretary in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, said he's "disappointed in the president" for spending time criticizing past actions of the Bush administration."
"He keeps looking backwards to justify what he's doing now and I don't think at the end of the day - I think that becomes more politics than policy, and I don't think it's the kind of approach that we need to bring America together on this very important issue," he said.
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
Obama plays on class warfare, fear and hatred. That is the basis of every speech he gives.
He will have to apologize as soon as Don Rush Limbaugh hears of this.
Tom Ridge is the classy politician we need more of in Washington,
oh boy...el blimpo dumbaugh is not going to like this...not one bit.
Good for Mr. Ridge. Everybody with an IQ over 12 knows that Cheney is a liar who's only trying to avoid being prosecuted for war crimes, failed policies and promoting corruption.
Good for Ridge...he gives an honest forthright critique of Obama and also dismisses Cheney's obvious BS.
Put him in the "New GOP" category for making an intelligent statement.
The "Old GOP" will be dead soon anyway
And what is Cheney doing but looking back and rewriting history.
The Bush Administration did nothing to insure the security of America in the future:
1. North Korea: nothing
2. Iran: nothing
3. Middle East Peace: nothing
4. Afghanistan: nothing
5. economic security: nothing
6. Social Security Reform: nothing
...the list goes on....
I am sure John King was very disappointed that Ridge disagrees with Cheney!!
Ridge is like a well paid lady of the evening – give him enough dough, and he'll say anything you'd like.
You are SOOO Right!!!!
As a Democrat and former Pennsylvanian, I have to say I love this guy. He is a real man among wimpy politicians. Go Tom.... and go away back to your 2001-2008 cave home Mr. Burns/Scrooge/Cheney.
CNN,
Your headline should read: Ridge: I disagree with Cheney and Obama.
I can now so understand, why I am starting to get SO BORED and only watch movies and the weather channel.
I dislike Republicans but there's good advice here for Obama. When you defend yourself, you give credence to what you are defending against. Obama needs to set a course based on information and our values as a country, not in reaction to political opinion, criticism, and past actions.
Tom Ridge is a decent man but it is absurd to suggest that the Bush Administration, particularly, Cheney, followed the rule of law. On the contrary, they trashed it and created a mess that Obama, Congress and the courts are still trying to clean up.
If Ridge wants to do the country and his party a favor, he might start by telling Dick Cheney to go away and never come back.
Not only is only ONE side of the issue presented here, but it's the minority opinion. MOST military/intelligence experts AGREE with Cheney. Of course, THIS website is too biased to report that.
After the next terrorist attack on US soil... we'll be sure to get Tom Ridge and Obama in the same room so they can explain what happened.
No one thought the U.S. was vulnerable on September 10th, 2001 either, but the next day we all found out how wrong that assumption turned out to be.
This man is a true Republican....looking after the people and the Country and not playing politics.
Dick Cheney is making himself look more foolish.
Oh Phoenix86,
Are you deaf and dumb, and blind you didn't see or hear what the bush administration did for the past 8 years lie, scare, people and promote hate, the whole world knows this, I can't believe you are so stupid as to say what you said out loud, please get your head out of the sand and get some education.
Mr. Ridge, I am really proud of you, this is how it always should be to either party when something is wrong it is wrong I don't care what party I belong to.
How can you agree with someone in good conscience and in reasonable logic that is doing a Torture Promotional Tour? Cheney is like a traveling salesperson from deep darkness.
our president can stop looking back and talking about the mess of the last eight years when idiots like cheney.rush,palin, hannity stop! the sicko's that i just mentioned don't seem to understand that obama won the election. he was chosen by the people to lead us into a better tomorrow. i am sick of cheney acting like a current sitting vp when at the time he was in office he was nowhere to be seen.president obama is our choice now so the republicans need to suck it up and either help america or shut up. either way they are so lost it really doesn't matter..
Good for Mr Ridge.... not everyone in the former Bush administration is stupid.
@phoenix86 May 22nd, 2009 12:00 pm ET
Obama plays on class warfare, fear and hatred. That is the basis of every speech he gives.....Please advise... exactly what is Cheney doing ??(eyes Rolling)**You are SOOO Right Mr Ridge!!!!
I agree. Obama, stop talking about Bush and make decisions based on what you think is the right thing to do. That's it. Shut up already about the past administration.
I seriously believe the Republicans will start funding terrorist groups so that they can gloat when something does happen. Notice how George Bush and DICK Cheney have traded roles? Before we never heard from Cheney, who was hiding in a bunker somewhere, and W was constantly making stupid speeches....now the opposite. Guess it's obvious who was really pulling the srtrings huh. W is doing a tour of jr. high school gyms now...lol...
to Ron:
You have been given some serious misinformation.
Most military and intellegence analysts do NOT agree with Cheney.
Just because you say it, doesn't make it true, Ron.
This really just shows that Cheney was in charge during the Bush years, that he operated under his own will, without knowledge of GW or the Congress or the People.
He should be arrested and indicted immediately for treason and/or sedition.
Good for Mr. Ridge. As a former head Homeland Security, he can only echo what so many of us already believe.
I remember how the country came together during the Iraqi invasion whether we agreed or not with the principle behind the invasion. It was to send a message to Bin Laden that we were a united country.
What the GOP has tried to do is make us look weaker, for their own gains, leaving "Country First" behind in the dust. What message this sends to Al Queda is anyone's guess. I myself don't see it as positive.
Lately, the GOP is seen as almost begging for a disaster to occur if only to pin it on President Obama.
I'm sick of hearing what people have to say. It's about time I get to see something instead of hearing it. I hear so much about what Obama has done, but I've seen nothing. My stocks are still going down, gas is skyrocketing, GDP is pathetic, unemployment keeps going up, foreclosures keep going up, the trillions of dollars have shown zero signs of improving anything yet, etc. So when are we going to start seeing instead of hearing? Quit talking and do something!!!!! I'M WAITING.
Come on, Tom...You're appear halfway towards getting a soul...Why not make a clean break with the Bush/Cheney Fear Machine and just admit it: you guys screwed up...badly.
Ms. Dick Cheney is only trying to save his dying draconian legacy of the era of torture!!!
Obama's policies are meant to weaken our defenses, in an effort to appease our enemies, and will have the exact same result as Bill Clinton's military drawdowns, and Jimmy Carter's appeasement efforts–COMBINED! Can you dummies not learn anything from history?
Never before have we had a President who's policy is formed mostly for political purpose. Obama spends more time attacking the US than he does the terriorists.
OH OH Better be careful Tom......Rush will throw you out of his Republican party too!! Mr Oxycontin doesn't like anyone that doesn't repeat the party line.................
if cheney does not think waterboarding is torture, maybe he would like to volunteer to have the technique demonstrated on himself...
What exactly is Dick Cheney trying to cover up?
phoenix86 May 22nd, 2009 12:00 pm ET
Obama plays on class warfare, fear and hatred. That is the basis of every speech he gives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You've just listed the Republican agenda for the past 20+ years – including 8 years where the GOP was actually able to govern by this methodology.
Spying on American citizens (and encouraging Americans to spy on each other) is a relative new one however. You forgot that one. You also forgot killing innocent women and children (as long as they're Muslim).
@ phoenix86
Ummm. .no...fear, hatred, and class warfare are your schtick. The only thing wingnuts like you do best....project!
Right wingers need to offer real solutions or sit down and shut up!
@ ron May 22nd, 2009 12:07 pm ET
Not only is only ONE side of the issue presented here, but it's the minority opinion. MOST military/intelligence experts AGREE with Cheney. Of course, THIS website is too biased to report that.
_______________________________________________
Where are you getting your stats? Are you conducting your own polling? Are YOU a military/intelligence expert? If you are...please get off the ticker and GET BACK TO WORK!
Excellent quote: Decisions in the Bush administration were focused on "fear rather than foresight."
I thought it was interesting how often Cheney mentioned 9/11 before saying that we can't dwell on the past and need to look forward.
phoenix86:
Obama plays on class warfare, fear and hatred. That is the basis of every speech he gives.
Whatever! Something that the GOP & the Conservatives have always played especially against poor and middle class.
Vice President Cheney had his speech scheduled a month before obama scheduled his. Ridge should investigate before he opens his mouth.
Most military experts do NOT agree with cheney...they will tell you if you torture a person, that person will tell you what you WANT to hear so you will stop..."intelligence" gleaned in this manner is not reliable and in many cases, wrong...
Ridge makes some good points. Cheney is not helping. No matter who you voted for, we as Americans are in this together. Cheney is just too stubborn to admit that he could ever be wrong and perhaps too foolish to recognize the fact that he probably made some mistakes.
Dick Cheney is a COWARD!!
More people have been killed by the flu this year than in 9/11. While I believe that we need to be vigilant MY FREEDOM IS MORE VALUABLE THAN SECURITY. I do not need old sadistic religious nuts to protect me. Anyone who rides with Cheney is a coward too.
If YOU are afraid you need to go hide in his bunker. You may not shred our Consittution or the moral integrity of my country.
Ridge should make a clear break from the Republican party of fear and smear. Dick Cheney is a frightened little man who took this country into one of its worst periods in history and he should be thankful he is not on trial for human rights violations and abuse of authority.
Cheney is a traitor! Being a Republican is more important to him than being an American. Thank God we finally have a President like Obama, who knows what he's doing.
Wow, a republican who doesn't have his head stuck up his rectum.
Ah, he makes some valid points on both sides of the argument.
However, he dared to disagree with Cheney, so it won't be long before he's branded a RINO and Rush Limbaugh is bellowing for him to shut up and hit the road and get out of his party.
Cheney is hiding something!
I am so tired hearing about Cheney that there are two (2) ways to stop it. One is to let him go hunting with Pelosi and hopefully they will not come back and the other way is for CNN and HLN and other news networks to quick writing his stupid idiotic statements. You guys are causing some of the problems because he loves this being on stage
We need more Tom Ridges who are unswayed by politics and speak the truth.
Libertarians get ready, you will be the new party against the Democrats. The Republicans are self-destructing.
Dick Chaney is a creep and a crook who should be brought up on charges of conspiracy. Meanwhile, someone should stick a cork in his mouth.*
Cheney is a liar. The mastermind of creating the Iraq war on a lie is his legacy, and he probably would do anything to rewrite history. I wouldn't be surprised if Cheney would be happy with a terrorist attack on the U.S. just to support his agenda.
Cheney is right. Ridge is wrong. The fearmongers are the Obama crowd.
It's good to read of more cracks in the walls of the Bush Cheney fortress of fear. Tom Ridge and Colin Powell are just a start of the process which will expose this administration's lies and manipulation of United States citizens for it's own gain.
I agree that President Obama need not address the former Vice President regarding his fear-mongering and loathing. Leave that task to the upcoming Truth Commission investigations.
remember daniel pearl and all those americans who were beheaded on camera and shown worldwide or how about Gilhad Shalit who was kidnapped almost 3 years ago
We'll stop talking about the past 8 years, when the past 8 years stop making themselves a part of the present. Republicans give me a call when you officially rejec the biogoted fear based group that you have chosen to embrace.
Only a small percentage of terrorists(3 out of over 400)were waterboarded yet when Obama talks about Gitmo he talks about torture most of the time?
Obama the Civil Rights Lawyer is inherently more concerned about the criminal than the victims.
This article should have been entitled, "Ridge disagrees with Obama." The article had 1 quote showing his concern with Cheney, another expressing distain with both sides, and 2 comments disagreeing with Obama. Do the math and then write the headline.
@Jimmy the Greek:
Be careful what you wish for . . .
Why do you NEVER do a story when a democrat disagrees with a democrat. You write the most childish, biased stories I have ever seen. No wonder no one watches CNN.
He's quite right. Communism was at its strongest when the world felt it was a guiding light. Minds are much more powerful than arms. The shock of 9/11 will have the desired effect if the US abandons its principles.
"Your headline should read: Ridge: I disagree with Cheney and Obama."
A Republican disagreeing with President is hardly news; one violating Reagan's "11th commandment" is.
I agree that Cheney is wrong – Americans are as safe now as they have every been.
What I disagree on with Ridge on is that we should never look back. The world is looking to us know to see where we stand, and what Obama is doing is simply telling the world – we WILL not torture, that we respect humanity, and we will not let these cowards in the former administration get away with their deplorable behavior. Our actions are crucial to our standing in the world.
Cheney is a criminal....why even listen to anything he says?
Thank God there is a sane Republican out there!
The Republcans, through their propaganda machine (FOX) are bent on destroying this nation with their hate and fear mongering.
These people are the wolves in sheep's clothing that Jesus warned us about!
Everytime Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz step in front of the camera, the first thing people think of is torture. This is very damaging for the Republican Party. Everyone invovled with the torture memos should be investigated and prosecuted. EVERYONE. That means Republicans and Democrats. I'm am tired of Dick Cheney trying to scare and berate us just to save his dubious legacy.
I guess that since Palin is stale news, Cheney is now a hot topic which is beyond pathetic. His fear mongering reminds me of Chicken Little who declared that the sky was falling when it was just a measly acorn that hit him. I suggest that the GOP redeem itself by getting some fresh, well rounded, tech savvy, bi-partisan college types to fill the void.
Republicans have always done things based on fear mongering and Obama was right on that!! Cheney is a hypocrites among other things. He always said that we should not criticize Bush while a war was going on and now he is doing just that. The conservatives just do not respect Obama and they think they are better and handled the country better!! NOT!!
Cheney you are not commander of chief, never been and never will be!! Enjoy your retirement and try not to shoot anybody else!!
I disagree with Ridge's assertion of Obama looking backward. The G.O.P. has been very defensive about their activities in the Bush administration, and issued direct challenges to Obama's perspective. Obama showed them that he's a man that believes in his ideology, which I respect very much.
Anyone with their head not shoved so far up their tail-end knows that Cheney is wrong.
Now, what will Ridge do when Limbaugh attacks him? I'm thinking and hoping he is man enough to not cave in to the lunatic right.
Shhhhhhh! Don't tell "Good Morning Joe," he thinks Cheney has and will save the world.
Finally, thankfully a Republican with a rational brain and the courage to use it!
Good for Tom Ridge. I do agree that this country needs to move forward and do not want Obama spending any of his time on Cheney. I think that this has been difficult with Cheny,Pelosi etc and the other No NO NO Republicans bhut Obama won and needs to move on.
Dick Cheney, Ala Darth Vader needs to close his trap! Both he and the Shrub screwed up big time for 8 years and a terrible attack on this country happened on their watch "9/11" !
They were both notified by the FBI and did nothing to prevent it!
If anyone wants to dispute this just email me and I'll send them the proof!
Okay, Rush Limbaugh will be kicking Ridge out of the party in 4... 3... 2...
FINALLY, a republican who is willing to speak up and tell the truth. All the others are afraid of Limbaugh.
It appears at least Ridge has some common sense. He is the only Republican to take a stand against Cheney's nonsense. However, I do agree with Obama that the Bush Administration used fear rather than insight , and I will go on further to say that Bush and company strove in every way to manipulate the American people by scare mongering. They dove into this cesspool day after day to get their way!.
'Dick' cheney is a treasonous traiter. His names sums up his use in this world. Just another dick...
We are, without a doubt, much more safe now than we were under Bush; especially considering the HUGE 'positve' difference in foriegn relations that President Obama has effected. Even the terrorists are 'back on their heels' trying to figure out how to continue hating America.
The Bush/Cheney administration had no real program or plan for the country, and 9/11 provided them an opportunity to run an 8 year program of goverance by fear and intimidation. Both men should face charges for a variey of crimes, in my opinion. They made the country less safe, jeopardized the Constitutional democracy and were as bad an administration as this nation has ever had. Cheney could be prosecuted for a variey of crimes against the nation and its Constitution.
Reminder to Rethuglicans: Mr. Cheney was in charge during the WORST attack on American soil. IN CHARGE!! So, when you folks spew your hatred for Obama indicating he will make our country LESS safe...let us think about under who's administration we were the MOST vulnerable.
People – seriously – grow a brain cell.
Wow, Bush is having the time of his life, chile Cheney, aka Darth Vader, is going nationwide, speading his gloom and doom. Does Bush know something we don't?
At least now we see who ran the White House for 8 years. Bush seems happy to just get away from mostly all of them.
Bush was always likeable. A complete idiot, but likeable. Cheney? Not so much.
Note to the entire Cheney family: shut and go away!
Hey "Where was the outrage when Ms Cheney Outed CIA operative Valerie Plame"
Geez, read a paper once in a while. RICHARD ARMITAGE OUTED VALERIE PLAME! Colin Powell's underling, and Colin knew about it all along. Google it, genius.
That is SO yesterday's news.
Tom, why are still associating with this riff-raff?
Yep ol' Rush won't have this. He'll soon retract because Rushy Rush will insult him. Ridge makes a good point and I'm glad a GOP has the audacity to stand up and supprot OUR president. Cheney is disrespecting Obama big time. He needs to go away and let Obama/Biden lead.
was there ever a time that the usa and/or its interests were ever totally safe from an attack from some nation, entity, organization, and so forth? thinking not.
Keep talking Cheney. You'll put your far-right buddies in the unemployment line like the folks you sent there with your economic policies.
I would like all of the liberals that respond to this article to make this statement. "I would give my life to prevent any future waterboarding." This is so stupid. It is pure politics. If you work in the Hancock Bldg in California, are you glad they poured water on some psycho's head to save your life? Or do you wish you were dead to preserve our so-called intergrity.
Imagine, that: Two opinionated people having different opinions. This is how grown ups talk about things, liberals could take some notes.
i think both partys are so far off from what americans need. And why dont you ask the people who lost loves ones on sept. 11 if waterboarding was wrong if its your family member that had to jump to keep from burning to death.Wake up people
Why the heck are we giving any credibility to Cheney the lying criminal who never showed his face while in office?
Afterthought: Ridge is criticizing both Obama and Cheney but in order to make the story sensational, Cheney's name takes the headlines. That's how the media grabs your attention and stir emotions.
Ron, what military/intelligence agree with Cheney? The ones who committed the crime along with him. You people are just full of it! What if these people performed the same heinous acts on our soldiers? Then you would think it's the most degusting thing that could ever been done, you would call it torture. Republican party is a disgrace to America.
Phoenix86,
Give us PROOF. What has Obama said that gives off hatred and fear? That's what Republicans do, constantly try to scare people. You need to get your facts straight. None of your posts make any sense. You constantly come on here making a complete FOOL of yourself. You don't know how ridiculous you sound.
One Republican disagrees with Cheney. And apparently all the Democrats disagree with Obama (because they voted that way). Weird, huh?
Of course Cheney is wrong. His values, philosophy, olicies, and practices are more in line with Nazi Germany than with America (whether you mean the America of Jefferson and Washington or the America that voted for Obama).
Cheney ordered torture to get false confessions from iraqi prisoners of war to support his false claim that sadaam was in league with bin laden. He ordered torture for political reasons.
He is scared and he should be because he shredded American ideals, institutions and values.
What Obama comments?? Why is CNN suppressing that part of the conversion here???
Anyone see Rachel Maddow rip Obama's Gitmo plan apart.? Of course Olberman had only good things to say about it. She might one of the few honest media figures out there.
Republican Presidents Ronald Regan and George H.W. Bush and CIA supplied weapons to Taliban and other Muslim Separatists to Disintegrate USSR in the 1980s and 1990s. These weapons were used in Bloodshed of thousands in Kazakhstan Tajikistan Uzbekistan Azerbaijan. So now Russia is supplying weapons to Al Quida to Attack US. Who is a bigger threat to our National Security? Russia or these Guantanamo Detainees?
Good for Ridge!
Cheney is now an irrelevant political personality. Why does CNN give him any airtime is beyond my comprehension. He should do what GW Bush is doing and keep out of the way. He said people shouldn't bad mouth the president during a time of war, I guess now that the president's a democrat that doesn't apply anymore.
Inaddiion to fear, Bush & Cheny acted with reckless arrogance
Children,
Enjoy being sheep ... Because in power or not, with one party or the other, believing one or the other you are all still sheep and the only one who benifits from you being sheep are the Shepards remember that the next non-profit you join, the next communit service you provide, the charity you dontate to, or the protest you stand for, you are sheep until the day you will die because you have never chosen to stand for yourselves, to save yourselves ... you are sheep ... you are the dead
The Cheney family believes in war and torture, otherwise you are not pro-american. Smart family they are, I am so impressed.
It definitely shows you who was behind all the ideas in the White House....the guy going on a media tour trying to justify them.
Why do they continue to refer to Cheny as "Vice-President Cheny"? JOE BIDEN IS THE VICE PRESIDENT NOT DICK CHENEY. Get is right America!
It's a no brainer that Cheyey is wrong!! Its ok for the US to torture, but how dare anyone else torture a US soldier or citizen. To me the Bush administration was the biggest terrorists!!
when cheeny was vp you never heard or saw him.. now he has so much to say.. why did we not hear your comments in the last 8 years.. go back under the rock
Obama is not CIC material and it shows.
Cheney is right – water boarding when used on specific people to prevent attacks and the loss of life is prudent and was the right choice. Discomfort vs. death?
Hey – Patrick:
I didn't see you end your entry with the phrase you suggested others use. Have you ever put yourself in harms way for your country, or like DICK Cheney, are you just a weak, deferment-laden conservative who has only bark – and no bite?
You're not only in the 'party of no' – you're in the party of 'no way man, not me.'
Didn't think it possible, but Cheney is making himself look a lot worse. You can never go around doing a Torture Tour promotion (and even more absurdity entails – with his daughter) and expect reasonable people to accept it. Never. Not in America, not in any country.
Torture was wrong, illegal, and we would never wish any other country to do the same on our citizens.
Dick Cheney has been wrong on virtually every aspect of terroism.
He was wrong on WMDs,.
He was wrong on Iraqi involvement in 9/11.
He was wrong the "last throes" of the Iraqi insurgents.
He was wrong on the US being welcomed as liberators in Iraq.
He was wrong about the defeated Taliban.
With such a poor track record, why would anyone think he right now?
Obama's "soft on terrorism" approach will be a recruiting tool for terrorist organizations all over the world.
It's about time someone with a sack stepped up on the republican side and admitted that Cheney is WRONG!!!
Patrick @ 12:35: It's the Library Tower in LA. The plot was discovered through normal FBI questioning before cheney started torturing detainees.
So you, in your defense of torture and your regurgitation of right wing lies – you can't even get the name of the building straight – are no better than the terrorists.
Patrick, please move to a country that will appreciate your views, like North Korea, Burma, China or Saudi Arabia.
I give Tom Ridge a lot of credit for telling it like it is. But I give him more credit for not taking one side or the other. That's how it should be. Nothing kills credibility better than one-sided thinking.
John King should leave CNN and join the FOX network so he can reflect his bias as a republican. He always seem to talk to previous and present republican folks and see how he can promote his bias views.
@A. Goodwin – Too bad your boy Clinton did not take care of Bin Laden when he had the chance. Who was in charge during the first WTC attack? Who failed to go after Al Quada back then, allowed them to come back and finish the job?
Dick Cheny has a lot of gall to be disrespecting Obama so much. Who benefits from his unnecessary talk? What exactly did Cheney do for America in 8 years that was positive? This is the same chap who shot his own friend. I link Cheney with evil. This man was the de facto President and ruled like a dictator. Who is he really? Edgar Hoover reincarnated?
He should get out of th emedia and find something to do in his old age. He and Bush have given us much remeb4r them by.
Dick,
Do your self a favour and go away.
I have never seen a person with so much hate.
Guess what Dick you lost!!!
And we won't forget what YOU DID in the past 8 years.
Keep digging CNN, I bet you can find and start a new blog. Find a Republican a Day" that will hack away at the leadership of this country. They do not have to make any new points as Ridge did not, just quote him whining about how poorly this administration is doing.
You guys are no different than Fox News...I can not tell you apart.
thetruthisoutthere – "if cheney does not think waterboarding is torture, maybe he would like to volunteer to have the technique demonstrated on himself…"
Newsflash, moron: We waterboard our own troops as part of their training. If we do it to them, it ain't torture.
It funny, most of you obviously just read the headlines since he also disagrees with Obama. I sure hope Obama's teleprompter has been to West Point because someday soon it's going to have to lead us into battle.
Well done Ridge!! reudating the idiot of our party, but your critique of Obama is biased to say the least. start working on what is good for America and not to advance the same old agenda. we need new blood in our party
I feel bad for people who justify torture by using 9/11. First of all you don't know if you've got the right guy who even knows anything. Then you put that person in a situation where they will tell you anything you want to know just so you'll stop doing things to them. Don't use a tragic event to justify torture. I've got an idea. Lets strap these people to a board and "pour water on them" as one person said and see what we can get them to admit to. Who knows, maybe some of them will tell us they were also co-conspiritors of 9/11.
Hey Dick, did you notice the terrorists who got busted in NY? How come they didn't succeed? You think maybe your army is all in the wrong place? Dick? (oh he can't hear me, he's playing golf with Satan).
Ridge has always been a thoughtful person, I don't always agree with him. He is the opposite of the likes of "dog-on-man" Rick Santanorum.
Pa deserves rational people like Tom Ridge and Gov. Rendell in charge.
I am beginning to wonder if Cheney is actually inviting an attack by our enemies to throw our country into increased turmoil and to partisan advantage! I voted for the Bush/Cheney team twice and I am shocked how Cheney is publicly insterting himself into the security debate now that he is out of office. I am disappointed. We have only one Commander in Chief–President Obama.
@ Jimmy the Greek,
We could live in an entirely militarized state in which we are watched 24/7 by soldiers to "protect us" and that would not necessarily prevent a terrorist attack from happening.
If you are willing to give up all of your freedoms for peace of mine because you are so fearful of dying in a terrorist attack I suggest you move to China.
I believe that what President Obama was referring to about national security decisions based on fear, rather than foresight was our illegal war with Iraq.
The REPUBLICAN PARTY just can NOT pass the SMELL TEST any more. It is rotten to it's core.
Tom Ridge, Tom Ridge, oh yeah, he's another ex-member of the failed Bush administration, wasn't he fired for incompetence.
I sometimes wonder if Cheney is making a lot of hay over the torture issue because he fears being charged with a crime. The psychology is this: "If I speak out on it enough, they won't dare touch me because it'll look like political retribution and that would cost them public support."
I guess that means Tom Ridge is no longer a Republican.
NO ONE MAN REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT OR INDEPENDENT can answer this question and satisfy EVERYONE. There is NO question that plans are being made to hurt the USA and hurt it bad. ANY move toward pacifism or the rights of terrorists pledged to carry out those plans IS weakening the nation's security. The next TWIN TOWERS will confirm that. Too bad it takes Americans dying on their own soil to wake people up...if only for a little while.
Ridge had more to say about Obama doing the blame game and looking backward than criticizing Cheney. CNN is so one-sided its pathetic.
Tom Ridge will beat Arlen Spector for the Senate seat. He should be the Vice President at this time.
Ben – If we do it to them, it ain't torture
Wrong. It just means we torture our troops. Jesse Ventura who has been through the program said it himself, "It is torture." Besides, this goes beyond waterboarding, there were much worse things done and when they finally come out, Bush and Cheney should be tried and if Gitmo is still open stuck in there for the rest of their lives.
Jay – You are right. John King presents an overtly right wing agenda each time he is on air. I can't even listen to him any more.
So you keep America safe from Terrorists by allowing them to attack and kill 3000 american citizens on US soil?
Republican logic at its finest right there.
But the Bush decisions were based on fear, and they rammed the war through Congress on that basis. It surely wasn't based on fact. Bush wanted to attack Iraq, and we are now learning that he was willing to torture people to find a link to save his butt. He still has not, and Cheney is now out there because he is terrified of being convicted of war crimes. So the entire mess was based on fear, Mr. Ridge, and Cheney hasn't let go of it yet.
I thought you said "Top Republican." What has Tom Ridge done to earn that title?
I would like to hear what a genuine Republican has to say.
JT – "Torture was wrong, illegal, and we would never wish any other country to do the same on our citizens."
You need to get a clue. We've had it done to our people countless times. Are you not paying attention?
Please show me the proof that extreme interogation measures saved thousands of lives. All we have are the words coming out of Cheney's mouth. Keep in mind folks the Haliburton lies.......................................
They are just terrorist.s.. They aren't super vilians with super powers. Why should we care if they have to spend time with the scum bags in our super-max prisons. The argument is stupid.
Close Git-mo...
I really hope Obama has the FBI monitoring all of Cheney's correspondence. He has alot of contacts in the Middle East via Haliburton and I think he is probably actively working to get us hit so it will prove him right.
He might be the single most dangerous threat to America right now....a FORMER VICE-PRESIDENT!!
County first!!
If the policies of the previous administration on troture were so warranted, then why hasn't Condi and "W" and joined the Cheney duo? This little father and daughter act is what it is, unconditional love. I don't trust either one of them. Period!
These were "three" well know established Al-Qaeda leaders that were waterboarded in the wake of the most devastating attack on US soil (excluding Pearl of course). Waterboarding is rough but under extreme situations it is moral and just to waterboard if it could prevent the loss of life.
Discomfort of death?
I trust VP Cheney over anyone. 9/11 was a changing point regarding our national security.
@Anarcy:
You are either a blubbering idiot or someone whose mother should take away your keyboard, either works for me.
Cheney has to defend the policies - he helped write them! What he's trying to do is justify torture so he doesn't get indicted.
Tell us something we don't know, Tom. Dick has been wrong since the day he was born.
The stupidity of the majority of the comments here are overwhelming. It sounds like a bunch of sheep bleating, blindly following the talking points. and to mike who says cheney is a traitor. you need to read the constitution that obama has torn up and spit upon.
CNN= Communist News Network
8 years of Cheney was 8 years too many. This man is evil and does not deserve the limelight. Quit covering what he says!
The foiled attempt of terrorism at a New York synagogue proves that you don't have to torture to get information – just work smart within the law!
Clear-thinking moderate Republicans who are fiscally conservative: Take back our party from the right-wing zealots before it's too late!!
The rightwing radicals have really gone over the edge with Cheney, Gingrich, etc. leading the way.
I'm with Jay and JT
I miss a lot of what could be enlightening interviews because John King is such a radical right-wingnut.
@EDR
and who didnt read the memo that they were going to attack us again by airplane in early august over a month b4 9-11? who was on vacation during that time? who had a business relationship with Osama's brother?? Had that in your comments
is it any surprise that we see Cheney so out in front and vocal of the last admin's policy re: torture, detainees, terrorists and warfare? Is there any doubt who the president was during 2001-2005? is there? it certainly wasnt GWB. If we get attacked again in the future and there is a possibility that we will, it will not be because we didn't torture anyone. Plain and simple torture is debunked and stated to be inneffective even in a ticking time bomb scenario.
@Michele – "But the Bush decisions were based on fear, and they rammed the war through Congress on that basis."
What do you think the Obama Administration used to ram the stimulous package through Congress without one person reading the content???? Give me a break!!!
This is the same weak liberal mentality the was our down fall in Veitnam. War is fought to win it is not a game with rules. These savages behead and rip the guts out of our troops after bathing in their blood. And you are crying about waterboarding that causes no permament damage?
Why wont Cheny shut up? We even had the guys doing the interrogations testify that torture or 'enhanced questioning' doesnt produce reliable info, and that they gave more info from direct questions. My fellow Americans, does the end always justify the means? I would rather risk an attack, then give up my values. I would rather have Freedom, than be wiretapped, spied on, and microchipped. Thats not freedom, its a cage. Frankly I fear Republicans more than terrorists. Osama never took away my rights, Bush and Cheny did.
phoenix86:
you play on ignorance, fear and hipocrisy with every comment you make
phoenix86
So what you're saying is you believe uniting people and equal opportunities create class warfare, fear and hatred.
That figures and say a lot about you and your selfish mentality.
Ridge, use some of the leftover duct tape and plastic from the post 9/11 alert era, to wrap yourself up, (airtight) with postage paid to Afghanistan.
Speaking of gas bags; Obama scheduled his campaign speech AFTER Cheney announced his own.
By no means am I a right winger, but honestly there was nothing that was going to stop 9/11 from happening. Yes the last adiministration was ridiculously dumb and their actions after 9/11 needed more thought behind them, but 9/11 was unimaginable to them and to the American people. Who would have thought people would crash planes into our trade towers? Yeah the warning signs were there, but so are many others every day. You can't blame Bush for bad airport security and so on-it was bad when he got there.
Frankly, the American people don't change something until something bad happens...
I have said this before, and I will say it again and again until someone actually answers me. If the "enhanced interrogation techniques" and waterboarding were so effective – and legal – why were they used on "only" three targets? I mean, wouldn't it make sense that if it was just fine and dandy to do this, it would have been standard operating procedure?
Cheney (and Rush Limbo) need to be investigated for inciting terror .
9/11 was an inside job!
google: bilderberg
I would love to be a Republican, however, I`m reither rich enough nor a radical, zealot. --– I`d consider returning if it were to return to its centralist views.
What is the difference betweeh Adolph Hitler and DICK Cheney????
Hitler was a genious compared to DICK Cheney his IQ is the same as his shoe size.
I agree with the President that we can uphold our values and have other methods that are equal or better than torture.
Cheney is arrogant and is only interested in his reputation. He is NOT concerned about our security. I hope he fades into retirement soon. What he is doing is disgusting and embarrasing us globally.
Kevin in Ohio said:
"Cheney is right. Ridge is wrong. The fearmongers are the Obama crowd."
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
The Republican Party can no longer pass the SMELL TEST..
@derek – So you know someone is going to attack by airplane... what airline, what day, what time, what flight, what airport, what is the target? Hmm – maybe we need better tools to gather such information like, eves dropping, infiltrating suspected terrorist groups..... waterboarding???
Everyone have a great and safe Memorial Day and remember all our vets, both past and present over the weekend.
Because everyone has been focusing on 9/11 this past week, and for a good read, google "The Phoenix Memo" which puts into perspective our counterintelligence the months leading up to 9/11.
There has to be some truth to the accusation that Dick Cheney is exaggerating the truth when his former head of Homeland Security and his former Secretary of State disagree with Dick Cheney.
Dick Cheney might be trying to deflect attention to himself for breaking laws and corruption in the awards of no-bid contracts to Halliburton.
@ the truth. You are absolutely right. You don't hear a peep out of W
While Cheney is out there campaigning for torture, why doesn't he campaigh against "gay marriage" with his "gay" daughter by his side?
Nothing he does has any logic to it.
Nice try, Cheney. Now shut up.
Cheney is an egomaniac as well as a coward. He talks about sending the creme of our youth into harm's way when he was too much of a coward to put himself in harm's way. During Vietnam, he hid behind his wife's skirts to evade service.
What a disgrace this man is. He should take himself hunting and solve his problem.
Well Libs....If you want Cheney to be quiet then you all need to contact the White House and tell Obama to grow up, act like a man and quit blaming others for what he has "inherited". Ridge is right on this point.....Obama needs to quit looking backwards, pointing his finger and start marching forward. Obama continues to blame the Bush Admin so he can distract the voters and do things behind their backs that will hurt us all in the long run.
If republicans want to put country before party they would all condemn Cheney. Where is McCain? Why doesn't he step in and condemn Cheney? Cheney is doing exactly what the republicans condemned others for doing during the Iraqi war.
Phoenix96 you said, "Obama plays on class warfare, fear and hatred. That is the basis of every speech he gives." You can disagree with what Obama is saying, but your claim doesn't make a bit of sense. You are an idiot.
I applaud Ridge for having the cahones to tell the truth about this whole mess and throw it in Cheney's face.
On the other side....as long as the RNC keeps villifying Obama, Obama needs to back and criticize the Bush/Cheney regime in defense...Obama did NOT start this war of hate filled words.
Hey, dummies, if Cheney was so irrelevant why does Obama find the need to defend himself against him.
The answer: Pouring water on three guy's heads worked. It saved thousands of lives and if the documents that Cheney wants out comes out, Obama is going to look silly.
Obama's honeymoon will last another few months. After that, he owns the economy and our national security. We will see what happens.
@donttreadonme
So you think we should have stayed in Vietnam, despite it being a mistake? We should just continue to fight a war just to win. What benefit would success in Vietnam do for us?
@american first – Your comment speaks volumes about your lack of judgement.
wow....even some of the repukes are starting to have their eyes open......
better watch out.....Lush will kick you out of the party....
if your lucky!
When people from another country come to my country, hurt and kill innocent civilians and plot to do more harm, if I capture one of them, and believe they have information which will save lives, I will torture them mercilessly and without remorse.
Signed...a proud Viet Cong leader
Mr. Ridge will get some old-timey religion enforced in this country, fo' sho'!
ridge is not fully informed here. cheney's cpeech was scheduled months in advance. obama rescheduled his so that it would be immediately before cheneys
Ben – So torture is good, legal, and okay for all of our citizens to be subjected to it abroad???
You might want to get a clue. Torture is an indefensible policy. Who can defend it as a policy and keep their reputation intact? Nobody.
demwit – "The former Pennsylvania governor also took issue with a portion of Obama's speech, during which he said some Bush national security decisions were based on "fear, rather than foresight."
...and then there's a link where you can read the entire speech.
Reading is Fundamental, jack ass
Well no. Cheney is not wrong.. these so called top republicans are the ones that are wrong!
Give old Dick a break, he's just trying to proactively fend off the International Criminal Court indictment.
Minnesotan, you make me laugh. You are electing a senator who has no backround in politics and wasnt even a good commedian after your wrestling governor. Well, I just answered my own question, you would know about having an IQ of 12.
please shut,Cheney up! someone give him his daddy's records.
If bush put the effort in Afghanistan that he put into Iraq, there a great possibility we would not be at war and the republicans would still be in office, and if we had an economic plan other than going to war to war we might not be in th financial mess that we are in. I don't see myself ever voting republican again.
cnn always does this. they always try to refute a story by finding a republican who does not agree with the party and try and make a big deal about it. you could do the same thing with democrates and most isssues to.
You, Mr. Cheney, you terrified more Americans than did any terrorist in the last seven years, and now it is time for you to desist, or to be made to desist.
Ridge is right. If you listened closely to Cheney's speech yesterday, Cheney said that after 9/11(under the Bush administration) there were several attacks, amthracks?, and many others which he went on to name. Cheney is absolutely wrong and he said it himself, not Obama, but Cheney himself.
Had McCain picked Tom Ridge to have been his running mate, I can't help but feel we would have a different CINC.
"The CNN Ticker: Ridge disagrees with Cheney"
Hey, news flash – Ridge disagrees with Obama too.
Friggin' bone headed reporting!
Hmmm...I wonder he he has plans to run for the senate. Middle of the ground, moderate is what he needs to be.
Some of these Rethuglicans have "amnesia"....Cheney and Bush kept us safe for 71/2 years!!!!! Yet thay keep forgeting the GREATEST terrorist attack in the US happened on THEIR watch.....9/11 happened while you guys were at the helm.....and now you expect us to believe what Cheney says on national security.....right.
So let me get this straight. Dick is parading around on TV saying its okay torture. Smart move DICK! I'm sure our enemies around the world loves to hear that. Will someone shut him up please! I think he's a danger to America especially now!
Coming soon to a closet near you: Manson, Moussoui, Bundy and a whole slew of other murders, rapists and hard-core criminals currently bein held in maximum security prisons. Apparently, according to the GOP, our facilities are so poor, we can't keep anyone safe no matter what. Hope you guys can sleep at night...I sure can't...I just know Manson's gonna break free and plan a killing spree, then fly a Cessna into my back yard and paint Beatles lyrics in my blood all over the ceilings.
donttreadonme" This is the same weak liberal mentality the was our down fall in Veitnam. War is fought to win it is not a game with rules
Buddy you are a psycho!!!!!!!
Hey CNN,
I bet you have really been scrambling to find a Republican to diagree with Cheney.
EDR, the stimulus from Obama was simply an extension of the policies put in place by shrub. The economy was collapsing idiot!
I do not criticize Mr. Ridge for his comments except about the timing of Vice President Cheney's remarks. President Obama is the one who scheduled his talk almost 2 weeks after Vice President Cheney's was scheduled.
Dick is wrong.
I don't see how torture makes a nation stronger. Period.
someone please prove to me that we are stronger by going to the middle east, rounding up a couple of Arabs then torturing them.
torture does not make us a stronger nation. If there was another attack it is not because we did not torture.
Do we give Clinton kudos for no attacks on US soil from the bombing of the WTC in 1993 through 2000? He sure as hell kept us as safe as Bush did, without torture.
Please sit down Dick, give us a break you and your daughter
@ Another Minn writes,
"We could live in an entirely militarized state in which we are watched 24/7 by soldiers to "protect us" and that would not necessarily prevent a terrorist attack from happening. "
Have you even STOPPED to think... had Obama been in charge the last 4 years.... the TERRORISTS would have hit the LA Airport and other locations!! Handling Al Qaeda leaders with kidd-gloves would have yielded NOTHING.
And not to worry about me "moving to China"... Obama is bringing communism here!
One truth lacking:- the truth from an independent investigator or commission of truth.
Everything the Republicans do is based on fear mongering. The Republicans can claim otherwise all they want, but thats exactly what it is. And we are tired of it. Are you listening yet fascists?
Since when is Tom Ridge a "Top Republican"? He is a half-hearted Republican, at best.
9/11 happened on Cheney's watch, period! Navy commanding officers have been relieved of command for far less.
@donttreadonme
in ww2, americans did not torture or experiment on pows, unlike the japanese, did not mistreat civilians in occupied lands, like the nazis did in europe yet they won; largely by staying within the ideals of the nation.
However, in vietnam, not sure if u missed out on what happened, but quite a few soldiers did pillage/rape/murder civilians, burned down whole villages, committed massacres....and then lost the war.
To all the stupid conservatives that talk about waterboarding our own troops: The sign up for it. The are volunteers. They do it as training so that they can resist torture techniques if captured.
I am related to 2 of them...and yes, it is torture according to them. Get a clue.
Cheney should be tried for war crimes, and anything he has to say now is irrelevant!! We saw very little of Cheney for eight long years, and now he is the expert on everything. Cheney is irrelevant!!
One thought to keep in mind! 9/11 HAPPENED ON THE WATCH OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND DICK CHENEY. Period. So much for Cheney's ridiculous attempt to rewrite the despicable history of the last 8 years, and claim that we were safer under them, than under President Obama!
I can think of one good reason to KEEP Gitmo open...it'll be the perfect place to put Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Bush after their trials on treason and war crimes!
Has Cheney ever been correct on anything?
Can't Chaney just retire! I am in the middle of "Angler" and I can only surmise that he now covering his tracks!
Jim May 22nd, 2009 12:57 pm ET
Clear-thinking moderate Republicans who are fiscally conservative: Take back our party from the right-wing zealots before it's too late!!
are there any left?............
phoenix86 and completely ignorant.....you must be from the same state that j mc c is......enough said of you and the CONservatives
Good for him! I've seen him several times on News shows- are you listening gop? And to those who say President Obama "plays on class warfare, fear and hatred"......That's a republican strategy! GET REAL!
Paranoia, hate, and fear-mongering just about sums up Bush/Cheney
Why are we even entertaining the past adminstration and what they think about the adminstration now. They proofed their efforts and the rich got richer and the poor are unemployed. Time to stop living in the past and move forward. Who care what Dick Cheney thinks his spot in the lime light is OVER, let the people in charge do there job as leaders and let sleeping dogs lie
Doesn't Ridge know that Cheney's speech was scheduled first?
I'm glad that a few reasonable Republicans exist. Still, Ridge should expect to get ripped a part by Republicans for disagreeing with Cheney.
Dick Cheney should meet the same fate as Benito Mussolini.They could have been identical brothers in every way.
For those thinking that war should have no rules and anything goes in protecting your citizens, you have to admit that the measures taken by the Paletinians, Taliban and others are ligitimate. The reason the US and other civilized countries don't indulge in morally corrupt war practices, is so that they can claim the right ground. If not they are NO DIFFERENT from what they are fighting.
Ridge is NOT a republican! He's the same as Spector. He should just join the democrats & shut up!
@donttreadonme:
Get out and enjoy life more, you are becoming increasingly morbid, and this only serves as a dressing to bitterness and hate, two traits which you seem to have enough of already.
Cheney kept us so safe, then why were we attacked on his time in office? And does anyone remember the news that summer before the attack on the WTC that saudi nationals were enrolled in pilot training classes, and wanted to learn how to take off and fly the aircraft, but expressed no interest in learning to land? This was in the national news in July 2001. And you tell me Cheney kept us safe. No he didn't.
He used the attack to force his agenda down our throats!
William, uh I mean Tom Ridge is on his knees to Obama, just like everyone else in D.C. CNN determines top Republicans? This web site needs a funnies section.
This must be the new Republican strategy – drag out Dr. Death to hammer home their losing strategy. They just don't get it, do they? I wish the media would put pressure on Cheney to prove all his comments. They keep hyping that we haven't been attacked in this country during the Bush years. Well, it took those scum terrorists YEARS to plan 9/11, didn't they???? GO AWAY CHENEY!!!
Which is better, one half of the country hating the other half – or working together to solve problems.
Just look at the comments here and you see the vast majority prefer hate. America deserves what is coming.
Cheney could have gone quietly into the good night to get ready for his impending war crimes trial and subsequent convenient heart attack. Screw him!! He knows what he did and defended it as if he was on the side of good. If what was done was right and he has no regrets, how about he change places with the soldiers who were locked up because of Abu Ghraib??
Bush/Cheney continue to try turd polishing their legacy.
Cheney is NOT our president ! He has NO right to a speech following our presidents ! and to blatantly put down our president shows what a shallow albino weasel he really IS ! He just wants to stay in limelight, be president himself , and avoid a trial and JAIL !
GO ASWAY CHENENY
Once again, the sure-fire way to become a "Top Republican" is to deride a REAL Republican.
Tom Ridge served as a director for Homeland Security. That no more makes him a "Top Republican" than Janet Napolitano's serving makes her a "Top Democrat."
have to defend his policies
from the likes of cheney who hold NO mandate?
maybe because of the hidden hands of power
which is.... who?
So the headline should have read "Ridge disagrees with BOTH Cheney and Obama". Quite misleading but that's CNN and the liberal slant.
It's way beyond time for Cheney to STFU.
- by the way – he is the same little side-kick who was strumming a guitar in California when the dikes broke in New Orleans. These people take us for fools.
The more Dick talks the more it clearly, shows who was running this Country in the last 8 years. I mean seriously, Bush has moved on from all this political folly, yet DICK is out front and center in the media like his life is depending on it!!! DO YOU GUYS NOT RECALL HOW HE SHUN DOING INTERVIEWS WHILE IN OFFICE? The guy needs to go sit down some where!!!
People it time to stop letting Dick and the GOP distract on issues that need to be addressed in this Country.
Here we go again with the sunshine patriots, they talk war (chaney, bush and other right wing cowards) and they won't go. Would you rightwingers do us a favor and go fight in Afghanistan, that way you can say you fought over there to keep the terrorists out of here. This country should have a policy of putting all of the sunshine patriots on a boat and then sink it. Semper Fi unless its a coward.
Dear donttreadonme,
If waterboarding is a justifiable means to an end, why don’t we allow the police in this country to waterboard suspects? It’s torture, plain and simple. Those of us who went through survival school had the technique ‘demonstrated’ on us and it is terrifying. After a few minutes you’d confess to anything. Get a grip on reality.
John King: Republican enabler
Blah blah blah, so does this mean that we have all agreed that the terrorist will be set free here in the US and given citizenship?
Long term effect of smoking to much weed? A Liberal
Early warning signs of smoking to much weed? A Democrat
why don't they put a rope around the neck of these two cheneys? and the rest of the ignorant bloggers here?
CONservatives....evil
here comes Rush and Dick telling Tom that he really is a Democrat and he should shut up and leave
The head of the snake.
I have a very silly question regarding torture.
Would Jesus have tortured Pilot to find out the name of teh apostle that turned against him?
Would Jesus have tortured to find out Judas' name?
Justify that one, if you can!
thats it, I am never going to be a republican AGAIN or send them any more money ! CNN and NO news station should have aired Cheneys speech following our presidents !!!
Isn’t interesting that CNN doesn’t even mention the fact that OBAMA scheduled his speech exactly on the time that Cheney had his speech planed already.
And out of respect for the office Cheney waited until Obama was done and then started his speech.
Now, why do you not mention THAT CNN?
What we need is not change in our government in this country, what we need is journalists that do their job with conscious.
We need an uprising against the media.
Cheney has to be the most miserable man in the world-and the fact that he is on television everywhere-( and that evil just like him daughter) and the media feeds into his "evil ego"-so what is next for the former vp-who knows-but he is NO longer the vp-and the media needs to acknowledge that!
Wasn't Cheney recently quoted as saying he and the other old guard should leave the stage and make way for the new GOP.
Has he been off TV a single day since he said that???
Fist of all Dick Cheney shoul shut up, he is no longer a politician,
when he was VP you never heard anything from him.
I sincerely believe tha PRESIDENT OBAMA should release the
pictures of interrogation by the Bush administration so the world and every one will be able to see exacty what happened
@ phoenix86
Maybe you should actually listen to Obama instead of letting Rush tell you what he said.
Tom Ridge and Colon Powell should run for President and Vice-President. I'm just not sure which party they would run for. Maybe Arlen Specter could be their campaign manager.
who cares what a 'former' anyone in politics thinks anymore? Like him or not, Cheney has the guts and spine to speak his opinion, unlike the spineless 'polticians' who only speak what they think their constituents want to hear.
But seriously, did we not learn from the Vietnam War that politicians CANNOT run a military and war?
Unbelievable, it sounds like 1969 again.
The media was complicit in Bush and Cheney's march to war. Now they are complicit in carrying water for Cheney and the GOP. I agree John King should leave CNN and go join Fix News
Once again, those who were there, like SSG Ridge and those who hid behind women on the other hand.
@donttreadonme
We didn't torture the Japanese (Battan Death March) and we prosecuted Japanese officers who waterboarded Americans.
Why do you and every idiot right winger want to use tactics that the Soviets and Chinese use to extract false confessions? Why do you want to turn into the very barbarians you condemn?
If I knew Dick Cheney cared about me or my safety I'd probably listen to what he had to say, but none of these gov't officials care about me or my safety or my liberties. Dick is more concerned with his Halliburton stock and ensuring big oil has sustained supplies from Middle Eastern oil. Don't sell me on keeping me safe. I can do that on my own just fine. Release the records from NEDPG Dick. Why did you go to the Supreme Court to hide, Chicken Hawk.
Nancy Pelosi,Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton and Barney Frank. The Democrats sure are a powerful Party whwn you consider these four are their best and brightest.
To "America First"–
Do you really feel like the passed eights years were ran with America First??? Your education level is what??? You silly conservative republicans couldn't dig holes for yourselves faster with dynamite.
All I hear from the people on here it that's its ok for us to torture because others have done it to us. Don't most Republican's read the Bible? Didn't Jesus turn the other cheek? Or is the Bible only good for wedge issues, and you really don't believe in all the teachings of the Lord, just the ones you think are right. I can't wait to hang out with GW and Cheney in Hell.
Hypocrisy = GOP
Thank you Mr. Ridge. I may not always agree with you, but I do on this one. Perhaps you can see that Cheney is crushing the GOP in his efforts to try and save his legacy?
tom ridge is the same person who on national television urged americans to go out and buy saran wrap and duct tape to protect themselves from a biological attack. only some days later did he call for americans not to buy duct tape and saran wrap. this guy should be put in gitmo with corporate ceo's and label them domestic terrorists.
@donttreadonme you're apparently not familiar with the fact that rules of war, in some capacity, have existed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. It is also doubly obvious to me that you've never served in any branch of the military.
I guess what happen to daniel pearl and all those americans who were beheaded on video and seen world wide is okay or the kidnapping of Gilhad Shalit because the liberal media wants to pretend we are living in a utopia
Ridge is somewhat right; but I'm with President Obama all the way. What some people fail to realize and to understand is that President Obama is also working hard to change the psyche of the American public at large that have been fallen prey and victim to the stupidity and ignorance that was Bush-era politricks. Bad enough that Bush-era policies have duped so many people (mostly those ignorant and in some cases inbred gun-clinging religious nutjobs), but now the idiotic part of America that hugs onto every asinine word uttered by the o'reilly's, the beck's, the hannity's, and the limbaugh's.
Cheney needs to go back in his cave, the one he was in for eight years
why is he coming out now. I guess he is running scared, that we will find out he was the one watching over the waterbording, that's the sort of thing he would enjoy. He must be missing his entertainment,
prosecute Dick Cheney – there is a special place in a prison for him!
Dick Cheney is a lier and a fool, and anyone who believes a word he says is an idiot.
Pres O is a breath of fresh air in the polluted politics of America.
Thank You Tom Ridge! Its about time Republicans start acting honorable like they used to!
@ phoenix86..
PLEASE post copies of the speeches you've heard where President Obama uses hate, warfare and fear when he talks. I bet my life savings you couldn't do it. You have to be an uninformed dittohead
All Cheney is pure evil....and racist!
Joe, 12:12
For God's sake! Get a grip you whiney, spoiled brat. The man just became president in January...give it a rest with your negative, ridiculous attitude. Take an anti-depressent and watch some comedies while you "wait".
I have not seen Cheney for the last eight years and now he is on the news every day, what is his agenda? Message to Cheney: Go and hide and allow President Obama to do his job because you all did not. Stop hating!
Is anybody even listening to Cheney? He is so far out on the edge that his lies are spilling over at an alarming rate. I'm glad that someone who knows the truth has the guts to call him out on some of this stuff.
@American First...Have you actually READ the constitution to know that Bush and Cheney chewed it up, spit it out, put it through the shredder and then buried it behind the Whitehouse?
Cheney needs to have the least respect for his country and fade out, like Bush.
And this is the reason he ran away from the job at Homeland Security. He just couldn't handle the pressure of being wrong all the time.
Dick Cheney should be waterboarded to get the truth of 9/11. We spend half a trillion dollars in defense and amateurs with blades fooled us and committed those attrocities? Does Cheney believes we believe him?
thegitmo/torture argument would be unnecessary if bush/cheney had heeded the warnings in the summer of 2001 that suicide bombers were planning attacks on the united states-9/11 happened on bush/cheney's watch, now cheney is over-reacting out of guilt!!
Ridge left Homeland Security as a dismal failure and now he is being given the headlines by CNN.
Agree with a fellow blogger, CNN touts and supports any republican that speaks out against our president and the democrats. They have many more republican "experts" than Democrats for interviews and smile and agree with them while giving their few Democrats the third degree.
donttreadonme: I've been hearing that same nonsense about Vietnam all my life, growing up in this military town. Save it. Usually this supposed prescription for winning involves carpet bombing of both friend and foe. That' some people's version of "playing to win." What I've found out is that people who talk this way don't know anything about the complexities of the war.
Whoa! Way to go Tom Ridge.
And Phoenix86...I really can't believe how genuinely stupid your comment was.
Most military experts agree with Mr. Ridge and Pres. Obama. The Bush/Cheney Presidency has made us put us all in danger.
I also want to say that Cheney's time is up and he needs to go sit down some where and enjoy his grand kids. They really need him more. The country will be fine.....
Who are we kidding? No matter who is president, if there's going to be an attack, there will be. These take years and years to plan and implement, and those who want to see us suffer will stop at nothing.