Biden has some sympathy for Bush - but none for Cheney
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/12/22/art.biden1.cnn.jpg caption="There’s no love lost between Biden and Cheney."](CNN) - Joe Biden says he has some sympathy for George Bush after the president became the target of a shoe-throwing Iraqi journalist – but the Vice president-elect struck a tougher tone on Dick Cheney, the man he is set to replace.
“It's presumptuous to feel sorry for another man,” Biden told CNN’s Larry King in an interview set to air Monday night. “But I feel somewhat – I feel somewhat badly for him. I think the incident in Iraq was – was unfortunate, that guy throwing the shoes. It was just – it was just uncalled for and was – I think that President Bush and, unlike Vice President Cheney, is, upon reflection beginning to acknowledge some of the serious, if not mistakes, misjudgments that he made.”
Watch Biden on CNN's Larry King Live tonight at 9.m. ET
It’s the latest in a series of swipes between the current vice president and the man who will replace him, and stands in marked contrast to the largely complimentary comments President-elect Barack Obama and Bush have traded since Election Day.
Biden – who referred to Cheney during the campaign as one of the most “dangerous” vice presidents in U.S. history – told ABC Sunday that Cheney’s opinions on executive power were “dead wrong,” and had not been healthy for the country. He pledged to “restore the balance” between the president and vice president.
Cheney himself told an interviewer Sunday that "if [Biden] wants to diminish the office of the vice president, that's obviously his call."
In response, the vice president told FOX News that "if [Biden] wants to diminish the office of the vice president, that's obviously his call. President-elect Obama will decide what he wants in a vice president and, apparently, from the way they're talking about it, he does not expect him to have as consequential a role as I have had during my time."
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Joe Biden is going to be a terrible VP- he thinks he has so much experience and can help out so much... If we wanted him in the whitehouse, we would have made him the pick. Joe- go sun yourself in a faraway land for the next 4 years so we don't have to be bothered with you!
Cheney definitely had a consequential role, as VP, running the country. Unfortunately, we will be paying the consequences for that for a long time to come!!
I think exactly the same. I just think that Bush is a poor manipulated guy, but likeable enough to be spared. But I also think that he's been manipulated by Cheney, Daddy, Rove and the others, and those are nothing but awful, stinky and cynical politicians.
But W is quite sympathetic... the wrong guy at the wrong place, and also at the wrong time (but quite unable to do anything for his country, I'm afraid).
I have NO sympathy for either of those TWO WAR CRIMINALS.
Both Bush and Cheney are fools, and Biden was absolutely correct about the role of vice president as clearly spelled out in the US Constitution. Cheney simply had too much power and too much influence. Bush wasn't president...Cheney was!
Here's some free advice, Joe: Shut your yap and get to work.
Cheney has been more than consequential. He was directly responsible for much of the violations of the Constitution imposed by the Bush administration. He belongs in prison, and I am not just whining and anti-Cheney. He seriously should be tried and arrested for several different crimes.
Wow, a battle between two half wits-twiddle dum and twiddle dumber. Cheney deserves nothing less than to be tried and convicted of his many crimes but so does Joe Biden. 30+ years of criminality, lack of ehtical behavior and hypocrisy. I voted for McCain but support Obama 100% except for his poor choice of Biden as his number 2. Obama better stay healthy.
Bush/Cheney did nothing but ruin our economy and are leaving office laughing their heads off, Haliburton will take Cheney back, Bush will never ever have to pay for anything since he gets FREE PERKS as an ex Preisdent, yep laughing all the way to the bank these two, Merry Christmas America from Bush/Cheney.
You're too nice, Joe. I don't believe Bush has one iota of remorse about allowing 4000 of our service people to die needlessly, nor about the 9-11 attacks that he was briefed on before they happened and did nothing about. Nor about his ineptitude after Katrina. How many times has he said "So what?" in response to questions lately? That is their attitude: "The American people don't agree with what we did and are doing to wreck the country...so what?" His only regret is that he was unable to snow the people forever, thus making this fairy tale version of his Presidency necessary. I pray the new administration holds them accountable for the war crimes they have committed in our names.
We all know Bush was the puppet, with Cheney & Rove pulling his strings, and to some degree, Biden is right. GWB was, unfortunately, not really smart enough to know any better.
I only hope our Secret Service can do the job they need to do to protect Obama and Biden. There are those who live among us, right-wing racist zealots, people who pretend to be "pro-American" as Failin Palin so fatuously put it, who will sacrifice our country just so that Obama can not succeed.
Cheney is a lying, cheating, manipulative scumbag. And Bush is just plain stooopid! Karl Rove...send him to prison for life, please.
I agree with Biden, regardless of what we think of Bush's policies he's still the current President of the United States. Cheney should be charged with stupidity and be sent to prison.
This is for I KNOW THE TRUTH POSTED @ 2:08PM
SORRY DUDE, VP JOE BIDEN WILL NOT SUN HIMSELF IN A FARAWAY LAND MAYBE YOU SHOULD, BY THE WAY GOD FORBIDE
YOU WILL HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
This is going to be a very interesting 4 years. Obama and Biden talked the talk. Forgive me, but I don't know if they will walk the walk.
Love you VP elect Biden.
Here's some free knowledge, Dee: Joe hasn't been sworn in yet. Cheney still has free reign to screw up the country until January the 20th.
Cheney can't really say anything given that he can't figure out where the office of the VP is. He's no gentleman and should be question with penalties of purgery about what he authorized and was aware of when it comes to torture and faked information that led us into Iraq.
Biden has some level of integreity. At least he admits when he makes a flub.
I THINK HE SHOULD KEEP HIS MOUTH SHUT..WHAT GOES AROUND CAN COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU..LETS SEE HOW GREAT YOU ARE IN A FEW YEARS....
Dee – shut your pie entrance, dinklewad. Biden – yes! Cheney the F-Bomb Czar – No! Stick that in your corn cob pipe and smoke it, Yogi.
Bush may be sympathetic but that's because his denial is so great, and his arrogance so obviously misguided. Cheney has made sure his cronies in the oil and gas industries as well as his former employers all benefited from the so called war on terror and the occupation of Iraq.
Cheney is dark while Bush is merely dim, know what I mean?
Shut up while you are ahead Joe.
Mother: what consequenses?
Mari: shut up
Former Repub: France is calling you traitor.
Dee: He doesn't know how to shut up.
Going to be a fun 4 years. I can't wait until they are humilitated.
I think the shoe throwing protocol would be a good way for the politicans to express their disapproval of bank executives. When the bank executives are testifying before congress ( who must be reminded they represent the public), throw a shoe at anyone who refuses to answer questions about being accountable.
Everbody is now asking for a bailout because they know that you don't have to pay it back and you don't have to be accountable for what you do with it– free markets now turn free money.
Cheyney looks evil....I think he ran the country while poor stressed out George was in a drunken slumber.....Stone faced Cheney is a terrorist....
Ye Ye Joe all you said might be the truth but remember your VP role is just around the corner and very soon we will be saying what we think and feel about you, all I can say for now do not get too confident because if you where so perfect you would have been the Democrat norminee not Obama.