Cheney picks a side in South Carolina governor's race
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/05/26/art.cheney0721.gi.jpg caption="Dick Cheney has weighed in on another 2010 primary."](CNN) - Former Vice President Dick Cheney is picking a side in yet another contested Republican primary, this time endorsing Rep. Gresham Barrett in his bid for South Carolina governor.
Cheney weighed in to defend Barrett's biggest liability in the four-way GOP primary - his vote in favor of the 2008 Wall Street bailout.
"I'm certain Gresham knew his vote in support of President Bush and our plan wouldn't be popular, but he did something far too novel in American politics today: He put the interests of his country ahead of his own," Cheney said. "That's why voters should not believe the false attacks from his opponents.
The TARP vote has dogged Barrett from the early days of the race: He was booed mercilessly for his vote at a Greenville Tea Party rally last summer and video of the event quickly went viral.
Cheney added: "When it was time to make decisions and show leadership, Gresham stepped up while they all stayed silent and ducked for cover. That may make for good politics today, but it certainly isn't leadership."
For the third time this election season, the former Vice President has found himself opposite Sarah Palin, who is supporting state Rep. Nikki Haley in the primary.
Cheney's record of picking winners is hardly stellar. In the Texas gubernatorial primary earlier this year, Cheney backed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison while Palin sided with Gov. Rick Perry, who cruised to an easy win. More recently, in Kentucky's GOP Senate primary, Cheney endorsed Secretary of State Trey Grayson while Palin picked the eventual winner, Rand Paul.
Cheney also backed Utah Sen. Bob Bennett's unsuccessful re-election effort. Bennett also voted for TARP.
Each of Barrett's opponents in the South Carolina race have support from national GOP figures. Barrett has already been endorsed by former Sens. Rick Santorum and Fred Thompson. Haley has the backing of Palin and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Attorney General Henry McMaster is supported by Sen. John McCain. And Mike Huckabee is backing Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer.
At least one of Barrett's rivals said the Cheney endorsement proves that Barrett is simply a creature of Washington.
"This is nothing more than political payback for Congressman Barrett's flip-flop to support the trillion dollar bank bailout," said McMaster spokesman Rob Godfrey. "That's how they do things in Washington, D.C., and that's how we got into this mess to start with."
So Darth Cheney has come out of his spider hole into the light to speak once again. Isn't it funny how the same folks who SAY they are against big government were so very eager to offer the bailout to the financial industry?
Wow... cheney the criminal made a little sense
This man should be strapped to a mini sub and sent down to observe the damage that HIS energy policy is doing to the Gulf Coast and forget about who to endorse.....if the facts were ever known about the deals he cut in his secret meetings with oil company executives, NO candidate would want his endorsement!
........I have an Idea....Let's get one of those remote-controlled robots. To place cheney, a mile-down in the gulf.......To plug-up bp's MESS. Why isn't this person in JAIL.?......PLEASE, SOMEONE, TELL ME, WHY?............................................
Dick Cheney Should Be In Jail !
For all the Crimes he has Done.
He is not doing anything good
for this country at all!!
Oh yeah, and Darth Cheney is a d-bag...sorry...I got nothing...still laughing too hard.
Rather than picking a side in political races he should come clean about his part in the oil catastrophe. What was his meeting about when he and Bush got into office?
WOW! Who would ever have thought that I would agree with the Dark Lord of the Sith! Yes, I have disagreed with Vice President Cheney often in this forum and in others, but fundamentally he recognized that the Free Market was not going to correct the Wall Street debacle of 2008. I applaud Congressman Barrett's decision to support TARP knowing how unpopular (but necessary) that it was. Caribou Barbie and her Tea Baggers really have to look past the ends of their noses at the greater problems our country has. Her folks are not the answer. They are part of the problem!
Oh my God, I thought we were RID of the Penguin
THIS person IS a WAR CRIMINAL
ONE word......HALIBURTON
Who cares what this idiot chickenhawk thinks? This scum should be rotting behind bars.
he belongs in jail
The Mark of the Beast speaks but has never made an apology to the American people for his war lies.
Isn't he dead and buried yet? It's been weeks since we have heard from Darth Vader.
One war criminal and the biggest loser in the world giving their endorsement to SC politicians.
That by itself should tell you to run like the wind!!
LOSERS ALL!!!!
Isn't it about time for another heart attack?
When evil finds itself fighting stupid, it has to be good news for everyone.
So Dick Chenney the republican poster child, supports and endorses the bailout. What will Rush and Sean say about that? Those spend and spend republicans are at it again!
Let's not forget it was Chenney that said "defecits don't matter" !
Let's hear you defend BP.
A vote for TARP is not a bad decision if the politician had good reason to do so. Some good has come from TARP and if you do not think so that is your right.
I have yet to hear a good plan for bringing the economy back. Mistakes were made in the last 10 years including fighting a war without the means to pay for it. The deficit just kept climbing. Instead of going after each other why not work together in a bipartisan fashion to make this work.
Each political group is trying to outdo the other. We are all to blame for the meltdown and that includes members of the TEA Party. As long as we were fighting a war without making any sacrifices we were okay. Only those serving in the military and their families were making sacrifices. Now we are paying the price. Yelling and hollering will not make it go away. We need to support politicians who have a plan for something and not one against everything.
Hey look, a picture of a calcified prostate....oh wait, that's Cheneybot's face. Are we sure he's still alive and that's not actually a robot?
Poor Barrett.....a Cheney endorsement is the "kiss of death"!!!
Interesting to read Cheney's defense of the TARP bailout.
I'll be anxiously awaiting Tricky Dick's upcoming speech about how Obama's efforts to shore up the economy, while unpopular, were equally necessary, and another example of a politician putting the needs of the country before his own political fortunes.
I won't hold my breath, though.
Let's see, Cheney backed candidate or sex scandal candidate? Easy choice........sex scandal candidate. Besides she's kinda hot!!