(CNN) – Sen. John McCain made a mistake in 2008 by picking then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, former Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview that aired Sunday.
Cheney led the vice presidential search for Gerald Ford in 1976, and again for George W. Bush in 2000. That last search resulted in Cheney himself being selected, and he served as Bush's number two for eight years.
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On Sunday, Cheney said Palin failed to meet the number one requirement for a vice president: a readiness to step into the top job if needed.
"Based on her background, she was only governor for two years, I don't think she passed that test of being ready to take over. And I think that was a mistake," Cheney said in an interview with ABC News.
Cheney, who said he knows and likes Palin, argued that considerations about which demographic a potential candidate could help pull in clouded the 2008 decision to put Palin on the ticket.
"Those are important issues but they should never be allowed to override that first proposition and I think that's one of the problems that McCain had," Cheney said.
READ MORE: McCain, Liz Cheney push back on Palin 'mistake'
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Cheney's war killed tens of thousands and spent a billion dollars. Who was the bigger mistake?
"Confused" is forgetting that in neither election did Bush/Cheney actually win. Both times thanks to GOP vote-rigging and SCOTUS-rigging, these two losers, who never had a majority of popular or even Electorial votes, insinuated themselves into the White house and proceeded to wreak destruction of our country. So glad they are gone. That having been said, there are few who could argue with Cheney's remark that Palin was a mistake, although it was not merely her lack of time spent in office that made this true. Cheney himself was also unqualified, but he seems to have appointed himself (can you say 'conflict of interest') and if nothing else his Haliburton interests benefitted handsomely from the coup.
This is one idiot talking about the Palin Idiot??? Cheeney ruined our country. Thanks to him our economy tanked. He did not desrve another heart as he is a heartless guy.
And the Dems dance with Cheney. Being one of the smartest knieving individuals near the w/house in 30 years. Even his arch enemies the Democrats are slapping him on the back and saying hallelujah I'm with you. Now they know how Cheney did it! Easy pickens. It was easy to get those Democrats to pull the wagon. And that is what a President has to be to get unity. Interestingly enough Palin is still getting it done, thats what makes Cheney mad. She does it with style and a smile.
Boy is he right. She's a mindless airhead.
Not a fan of Palin but I must admit I felt the same way about Cheneys Heart replacement....a mistake.
So he got himself selected!! Wow the arrogance...While I agree Palin is and continues to be a disaster and not because she wasn't ready but because she doesn't have clue and never will. For a Nazi like Cheney to criticize anyone is laughable. he needs to shut up and go away and I wish the media would stop interviewing him and Palin WE DON't CARE WHAT EITHER ONE OF THESE NUT BAGS HAVE TO SAY.
Palin was a mistake but not the only one. Bush, Cheney, Condi and crew were huge mistakes. Just ask the families of all the dead soldiers who died for nothing. Willard is an even bigger mistake. When someone is not qualified to be VP becomes your choice for POTUS, IMO, you're scraping the bottom of the barrel.
That said, whalin Palin did become very popular amongst the Nascar neck circuit. The GOP also attracted some women that were for Hilary. Once Hilary lost, some women went for Palin. But Hilary against Palin, no choice. Hilary very intelligent, competent lady. Palin on the other hand, illiterate loudmouth with nothing going for her but guys thinking she's hot. Completely brain dead.
World says Cheney was a mistake.
The new hart may have changed Mr. Cheney into an honest man: Now he is telling the truth.
Good to know Cheney finally caught on to what the rest of America figured out over two years ago. Now if he and the GOP can finally admit that trickle down economics drove this country into the Great Depression II under dubya and that invading Iraq based on false WMD claims were mistakes then I'd say they were on a path of true repentance
Cheney is flat out wrong. I have friends in Dallas who didn't vote at all because of McCain. These are people who are connected with thousands across the country and even US citizens around the world, who also chose to NOT vote because of their distaste for McCain. In fact, they all loved Palin (I do not) and had she ran as a Presidential nominee instead, they said they would have voted for HER. But they can't stand McCain and they don't like Romney either (we all call him, McRomney) and said they may just stay home come this November too.
I, will be voting. But I'm still on the fence about McRomney.
@HRPuckinfutz, yeah like you REALLY know that. Please refrain from making such serious, high level accusation over something you probably know nothing about. If you do happen to have insider information then I apologize. But if you don't..., please at least be truthful to yourself (rid yourself of your biases.)
Nice sound bite though. But sadly, lots of people love sound bites.
It takes one evil mistake to recognize another evil mistake.
Despite the fact that Obama has turned out to be an awful president, I don't regret voting for him in '08 and I would still vote for him if in '12 if Palin were on the GOP ticket in either position.
Maybe Cheney and Palin should go on a hunting trip together ...
bush/cheney getting a second term was a big mistake too. Why are all the republican choices so awful? We need a 3rd party.
Darth Vader Cheney was a disastrous mistake for the country...too many Americans died and injured in an unnecessary war in Iraq.
How's that rabble-rousing fire-fanning going CNN?
You could've kept the story about Romney's racist comment open to at least give the appearance of "fair, balanced and impartial" journalism.
Sarah Palin was a mistake. No? Really? Whaaaat? Ya' think?
Dick is a draft dodging coward yet he deems himself fit for #2? Well I guess he'll always be #2 in my mind.
Cheney spoke the truth—will miracles ever cease?
If the citizens of America are willing to elect Willard without seeing those tax returns after sitting idly by while the GOP/baggers INSISTED that the sitting POTUS show his birth certificate (some still yammer about it), then you will get what you deserve.
OBAMA 2012!
Because I have faith in America, I don't think it's full of that many racists.
Well at least Cheney admits it. Makes the heart transplant almost worthwhile.
I cant say Ive ever voted for anyone because of the VP choice – but that thing from Alaska sure took McCain totally off the table.
A good VP is either unseen or actually advances the Presidents agenda. In that respect, Cheney was a good VP.
A bad VP is one who is caustic, smarmy, stupid – and visible. That's what the Alaska mouth would have been. Honest to God I do NOT know what I would have done if McCain had been elected with that one, it would be like 4 years of listening to fingernails on a blackboard....
I pray for Cheney every day – to die. How this traitor to the US people isn't dangling from a rope I don't know – shows how much intelligence we lack in this country.
There is no more loyal a US patriot than Cheney. He has always displayed superb intelligence and common sense in his positions and where 3 out of 4 of the past and current administrations lack, Bush, Obama and Biden. And Palin? Tell me you don't hear fingernails scratching the chalk board every time she makes an appearance on TV.