Cheney to GOP leaders: ‘We’re in deep doo doo’ on North Korea
(CNN) – Republican leaders in Congress received a dire warning on Tuesday from former Vice President Dick Cheney on the ongoing crisis in North Korea.
“We’re in deep doo doo,” Cheney told lawmakers, according to a GOP leadership aide.
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Cheney added the current North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, is unpredictable and doesn't share the United States worldview.
One lawmaker present at the session, Rep. Steve Southerland of Florida, said Cheney wore a cowboy hat and "looked really good, spoke really clearly, lucidly.”
“It was nice to see him doing well,” Southerland said, noting the last time Cheney was on Capitol Hill he "didn’t look good – very frail, but in this meeting he looked great."
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Cheney, 72, underwent a successful heart transplant in 2012 after a series of heart attacks over many years.
Southerland said Cheney spent about 10 minutes in the GOP leadership meeting Tuesday, and didn't give any specific policy recommendations or critiques of how the Obama administration is handling the situation in North Korea.
Cheney talked about the North Korean leader, Southerland said, and shared some of his history dealing with Saddam Hussein, noting "you never know what they're thinking."
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Southerland, summarizing the former vice president’s remarks, said Cheney advised not to “eliminate any possibility.”
“Here's a young guy we don't know very much about – have very little intel on him, so we just need to make sure that we don't assume why he's doing what he's doing because he could be doing what he's doing for any number of reasons,” Southerland recalled Cheney saying.
Cheney also dropped by the weekly House GOP whip meeting at the invitation of Rep. Kevin McCarthy.
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Cheney himself is a former House Republican whip.
"Whip McCarthy invited Vice President Cheney to discuss the ongoing situation on the Korean Peninsula with members of our whip team. We appreciate the vice president for sharing his insight and experience on the matter," a McCarthy aide told CNN.
The aide declined to say whether Cheney suggested any specific course of action on the situation in North Korea during this meeting.
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And Bush put us there!
Last I checked, N Korea wasn't an issue anywhere remotely like this when Bush/Cheney were in office. The guy over there now is just about as stable as his dad was. We're not dealing with him anyway, we're dealing with whomever is running him.
It sure would be nice to hear from our present administration SOMETHING. Regardless of how you felt about Bush/Cheney, at least they talked to us.
Nevertheless, Cheney's comments reported here were not intended to be made public, so keep that in mind when you consider how unprofessional it sounds.
I find it comforting that this gathering did not make public any comments regarding the current administration (at least this time, it's disappointed it's happened that way before), which is more than I can say for Clinton's during the Bush years.
Dick Cheney is one of the most reviled men in the world.
He has given us a black eye as the ultimate "Ugly American"
He used up all of our good political capital will for a War in Iraq that killed hundreds of thousands that he personally ended up making a lot of money out of.
If the GOP wants to rebuild and re-brand they need to distance themselves from this vile man.
From a Disillusioned Republican who has abstained from the past two federal elections because of Idiotic choices for President by the GOP.
ps, we had the wrong younger Bush as president!
If Dick Cheney says we are in deep doo-doo then we will be fine. Every time Dick Cheney says something, then the opposite always happens.
We're here thanks to the arrogant saber-rattling of the previous administration about the "Axis of Evil." That encouraged NK and Iran to secure nukes. Thanks Dubya and Chickenhawk Cheney.
Says the war criminal.
@Frank, I guess you forgot about the whole Axis of Evil, huh. Cheney and Bush wanted to take action on NK, but every time they started to beat the drums of war, liberals like you would cry foul and complain about the NWO.
Cheney was one of the strongest VPs this country has ever had. I'd like to know details about all the corruption, and a one word response like Haliburton won't cut it. Now we have a president who is in over his head, and old Joe who doesn't seem to be knowledgable in any area of importance. He is busy trying to make everyone believe he is in tune with the working people of the country. To hear him speak you'd think he went into work every morning wearing a hard hat and carrying his lunch pail.
Echoing another comment, why does the media keep giving this corrupt and lying demagogue a platform? Cheney should be in prison.
Carter had fixed the situation but than someone had to go and declare them the part of the "Axis of Evil" and mess things up
Not him again? He ruined Iraq and Afghanistan and the American economy. His brain has been starved for oxygen for way too long.
Very smart to ask Cheney to speak with them about this issue. It's become sadly evident that our current President has absolutely no ability to deal lucidly and with any kind of leadership to the situations we are encountering across the world. While North Korea threatens to blow up the world, Obama parties at the White House, vacations across the globe and issues NO comments whatsoever. Americans were killed at Benghazi, and Obama buries the story. Cheney was absolutely right. With Obama at the helm, we are in serious trouble.
Cheney save the US from Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction. The country need now to save us from the North Koreans.
Thanks to the war monger Chaney and his sidekick Gearge W. are nation is still at war after ten years and our economy is a mess. Chaney became a wealthy man thanks to Haliburton and goverment contracts. He must have some financial gain if he can convince the idiots in his party to go to war with N. Korea.
Doesn't he have enough blood on his hands?
Every time I see Mr. Crooked Smile, who bears a resemblance to Star Wars' The Emperor, I thank my lucky stars that the evil is gone from the White House. We are still dealing with the mess that Bush/Cheney left for us.
Hey Dick, who was in charge when North Korea was called part of the Axis of Evil and then Iraq was invaded prompting them to unseal their nuclear program and finish building a nuclear bomb? Who was in office when they detonated their first nuclear bomb? Oh that's right, Bush and Cheney were. Now you are saying it is terrible as we reep what you sowed.
God bless you VP Dick Cheney. Many of us down in the trenches with these leftist vermin plaguing our land understand what you struggled to do for our country as well as for freedom-fighters everywhere, and we are grateful for your courage and resolve and your sharp thoughtful mind. May we be victorious, may good triumph over vile villainous charlatanism and deceit and lies and con artistry infesting this country at this time.
Mr Cheney. You are not a very nice man. Do you think for one minute your prescence is needed? What is this "deep do do" talk. Both you and quitter Palin belong in the same category now I see with more "crazy " talk
Also , I read the other day what your daughter once again said/spewed her hatred on Pres 0. Boy, you two are a nasty duo aren't you!
You both deserve to be put in the " looney " bin.
Deep doo-doo?
I ...what? How?!
Is there suddenly oil in North Korea? I'm just trying to figure out how ol Cheney is going to make money of of this... Maybe Halliburton will make the detention camps or give all their kids explosive teddy bears?
Oh, really–somebody take this poor guy back to the taxidermist. If anyone listens to Cheney's advice, it should only be so they can do the exact opposite!
Ahh.. the vapid intellectually myopic quips of the mentally immature left. Your'e correct, Lets talk to Kim Jong Un, and sing Kumbaya. Im sure he is a sweet boy and just misunderstood. We can surely convince him to recycle and use an ipad because that is like cool and stuff, and like Bush caused everything bad. You all know you can actually leave your grandmas attic anytime and go get a job right? And pay taxes like the 50% of us that do?
Glad to see an adult politician is finally speaking up. Too bad the President can't be tracked down on his golf trips, his vacations or at his concerts, or wherever he happens to be today. It surely isn't at work
pity the poor heart beating in his evil body
Such nasty comments from low info voters on Cheney. He kept you safe from Terrorist, but you would rather worship this arrogant and clueless Obama.