10/06 Cheney Slip Up on "Cutbacks;" 10/27 Snow Rejects Veep Slips
There's been a debate lately about whether Dick Cheney slipped up when talking about waterboarding and torture, and the White House is on the defensive, claiming the Veep is not someone who slips when speaking on important American issues. Oh yeah, Mr. Snow? Have you not read the transcript from a speech the Veep made earlier this month?
From the White House web page for the Veep:
Vice President's Remarks at a Luncheon for Vern Buchanan for Congress
Hyatt Sarasota
Sarasota, Florida
October 6, 2006
Above all, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to stay focused on our number one obligation: to protect and defend the people of the United States in this time of war.
After the cutbacks -- excuse me, after the attacks of 9/11, President Bush told the Congress and the country that we were in for a long struggle against enemies who regard the entire world as a battlefield. He said the fight would be a serious test of our patience and our resolve as a nation. And he was exactly right.
Emphasis added, by the way.
Cutbacks, Mr. Cheney? Of what I wonder. U.S. forces in Iraq perhaps or domestic health programs? The transcript looks to me to be clearly telling us about a slip up, but Mr. Snow would disagree with me.
From Friday's news briefing with Tony Snow:
White House Press Briefing
October 27, 2006
MR. SNOW: Jim, you can bang away as much as you want. I'm telling you what the Vice President's -- I talked to Lea Anne about it. She says no, he wasn't referring to water boarding; he was referring to using a program of questioning -- not talking about water boarding.
Let me put it this way. You got Dick Cheney, who had been head of an intelligence committee. He's been the Secretary of Defense. He's been the Vice President. He's not a guy who slips up, and he's also not a guy who does winks and nods about things that involve matters that you don't talk about for political reasons. Sorry.
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